Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Reclamation of Contaminated Land 5 > Site Investigation > Flashcards

Site Investigation Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 5 main categories of contaminants?

A

Organics
Inorganics
Gases
Radionuclides
Heavy Metals

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the difference between -ite and -ate suffix molecules?

A

-ite has one less oxygen than -ate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the 6 key sources of organic contamination?

A

Petrochemical manufacture
Solvents
Pesticides
Coal tar
Transformer fluids
Flame retardants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the hydrocarbon prefixes that denote 1, 2, 3 and 4 carbon atoms respectively?

A

Meth-
Eth-
Prop-
But-

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

How is a Haloalkane different from an Alkane and why is this distinction important?

A

Haloalkanes have a halogen in place of some of the hydrogen atoms
Alkanes are hydrophobic but haloalkanes may not be

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What makes something an aromatic compound?

A

It contains at least one benzene ring

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the structure of a benzene ring?

A

6 carbon atoms with alternating single and double bonds. The electrons are found in a cloud in the centre

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is the technical correct name for Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons and what are they?

A

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Hydrocarbons with multiple benzene rings

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Why are PFAS and PFOS problematic?

A

They are both toxic at low concentrations and non-biodegradable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How is the hydrophobicity of a liquid measured?

A

Observing the partition coefficient between water and octanol

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the technical name for an emulsifier?

A

A surfactant

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How does the partition coefficient P define the lipid and water phases?

A

log P > 0: Lipid Phase
log P < 0: Water Phase

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Name 5 types of chemical reaction

A

Combustion
Synthesis
Decomposition
Single Displacement
Double Displacement

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What does the acronym OIL RIG mean?

A

Oxidation Is Loss, Reduction Is Gain (of electrons)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is a more comprehensible representation of 1ppm (part per million)?

A

1 milligram per kilogram

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the 5 geological layers considered for decontamination?

A

Ground Surface
Vadose Zone
Capillary Fringe
Saturated Zone
Confining Bed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is true of water in the Capillary Fringe region?

A

It is not free to move, as it is held there by surface tension

18
Q

What are NAPLs? What are the 2 key types?

A

Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids
Dense and Light

19
Q

What is true of non-aqueous contaminants that are in contact with water?

A

Small amounts of the contaminant will dissolve in the water even though the main plume is hydrophobic

20
Q

What is the difference between porosity and permeability?

A

Porosity defines the amount of void space in a soil or rock, permeability defines the freedom of fluids to pass through a soil or rock

21
Q

What is likely to happen with non-aqueous liquid contaminants passing through drained soil?

A

Residues of the contaminant will be left behind

22
Q

What must be true for a dense, non-aqueous liquid contaminant to penetrate into saturated soil?

A

The pressure head of the contaminant exceeds the capillary pressure of the water

23
Q

What is the condition for considering something a risk during risk assessment?

A

There is significant potential of significant harm

24
Q

In what context is a conceptual site model created?

A

The final use case, not the current use case

25
Q

What areas should be included in desk studies?

A

The site itself and relevant areas adjacent to the site

26
Q

Why are children classified differently to adults when assessing risk?

A

Children are more susceptible to illness from contamination due to having lower body mass

27
Q

What are the 3 phases of a risk assessment?

A

Phase 1: Preliminary
Phase 2: Generic Quantitative
Phase 3: Detailed Quantitative

28
Q

What does quantitative mean in the context of a risk assessment?

A

Samples are taken, tests performed and results are found

29
Q

What non-targeted sampling strategy is theoretically the best?

A

A herringbone pattern of sampling

30
Q

Why is it not necessary to drill a large number of boreholes in cases of groundwater contamination?

A

The contamination is largely homogenous, so the boreholes are only needed to establish flow direction

31
Q

Why may it be important to implement long-term gas monitoring on a site?

A

Seasonal changes in temperature can affect the volatilisation of liquids into gases

32
Q

Why might samples need to be analysed quickly or frozen?

A

Microbes can degrade the contaminant within the sample

33
Q

What are 2 quality control measures for site investigation?

A

Field blanks - containers opened on site
Collection of rinsewater
Trip blanks - containers which remain closed but travel

34
Q

Describe preliminary risk assessment

A

The purpose of the preliminary risk assessment is to develop an initial conceptual model for the site and establish whether there are potentially unacceptable risks

35
Q

Explain why generic and detailed quantitative risk assessments are carried out

A

After the preliminary assessment, intrusive investigation needs to be carried out to confirm which contaminants are present, at what concentrations, how they are moving and how they could pose harm. If generic assessment is found to be unsuitable for remediation to take place, detailed risk assessment must follow

36
Q

Roughly how deep must a point of interest be below the ground surface for borehole investigation to be necessary?

A

> 5m

37
Q

What are the 5 important points when selecting a sampling strategy?

A

-Whether it is targeted, random or a mix of both
-What media is to be sampled
-The number of samples required
-Sample depth
-Sample collection and storage methods

38
Q

What does Soil Adsorption Coefficient (Kd/Koc) describe?

A

It measures the mobility of a substance in soil. A very high value means it is strongly adsorbed onto soil and organic matter and does not move. A very low value means it is highly mobile in soil

39
Q

How do you make use of the Henry’s Law Constant?

A

Divide atmospheric pressure by the constant to find the dissolved gas concentration. If pressure above the liquid decreases, gas will leave solution and bubble out

40
Q

What is a phenol?

A

One or more hydroxyl (OH-) bonded to a benzene ring

Reclamation of Contaminated Land 5 (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions