Normal background concentrations (NBCs) of contaminants in English soils : final project report

The British Geological Survey (BGS) has been commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to give guidance on what are normal levels of contaminants in English soils in support of the Part 2A Contaminated Land Statutory Guidance. This has initially been done by studying the distribution of four contaminants – arsenic, lead, benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and asbestos – in topsoils from England. This work was extended to a further four contaminants (cadmium, copper, nickel and mercury) which enabled methodologies developed to be tested on a larger range of contaminants. The first phase of the Project gathered data sets that were: nationally extensive; systematically collected so a broad range of land uses were represented; and collected and analysed to demonstrably and acceptable levels of quality. Information on the soil contaminant concentrations in urban areas was of particular importance as the normal background is considered to be a combination of both natural and diffuse anthropogenic contributions to the soil. Issues of soil quality are most important in areas where these affect most people, namely, the urban environment. The two principal data sets used in this work are the BGS Geochemical Baseline Survey of the Environment (G-BASE) rural and urban topsoils (37,269 samples) and the English NSI (National Soil Inventory) topsoils (4,864 samples) reanalysed at the BGS laboratories by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRFS) so both data sets were highly compatible. These two data sets provide results for most inorganic element contaminants, though results explored for mercury and BaP are drawn from a variety of different and much less extensive data sets

C.C. Johnson Spink letter to Bill DeWitt Jr. about expanding The Sporting News coverage. November 2, 1966

C.C. Johnson Spink letter to Bill DeWitt Jr. about expanding The Sporting News coverage. November 2, 196

Flood\u27s Case at Final Door

A Sporting News editorial on Curt Floods lawsuit against major league baseball over the right to be a free agent

Interoffice Memo From C.C. Johnson Spink About Advertising Charges

Interoffice Memo From C.C. Johnson Spink About Advertising Charge

Reduction and related phenomena in the New Red Sandstone of south-west England

This report gives an account of the geological setting of reduction features in New Red Sandstone sediments from the area around Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton in south-west England, along with a review of the state of research and investigation into these phenomena. The abundance and significance of the commonest reduction phenomena (green spherical spots) are assessed, together with geochemical and mineralogical data from recent investigations on nodule material. The lack of identifiable fossil material within the Aylesbeare Mudstone suggests that the hypothesis that the formation of reduction spots and nodules is dependent upon the presence of organic matter is neither adequate nor appropriate for the occurrences in this area. Earlier investigations had identified in some of the nodules, carbon-containing substances, the origin of which was not clear; the possible relationship of this material to the formation of the reduction features is considered

Proposed sampling methods for the Madagascar regional geochemical mapping project

This report was prepared prior to the commencement of the Madagascar geochemical sampling in June 2005. In the absence of any orientation phase for the project, the suggested sampling methodology is based on the experience gained from previous international geochemical mapping projects, particularly Mauritania and Morocco. Detailed procedures for collecting stream sediment and panned concentrate samples are given along with information on how sites and samples should be numbered and sample field cards completed. The annexes to the report contain useful information that will be relevant and helpful to the project

G-BASE data conditioning procedures for stream sediment and soil chemical analyses

Data conditioning is the process of making data fit for the purpose for which it is to be used and forms a significant component of the G-BASE project. This report is part of a series of manuals to record G-BASE project methodology. For data conditioning this has been difficult as applications used for processing data and the way in which data are reported continue to evolve rapidly and sections of this report have had to be continually updated to reflect this fact. However, the principals of data conditioning have changed little since the BGS regional geochemical mapping started in the late 1960s. The process of data conditioning is based on one or more quality control procedures applied to the geochemical results as received from the laboratories, the degree of conditioning depending on how the data is to be used. The task is based on "blind" control samples being inserted prior to analysis, a system of quality control described in the G-BASE procedures manual. The first of the data conditioning processes is data verification and error checking, essentially assessing whether the laboratory has done what it was asked to do and results are being reported with reasonable accuracy. Shewhart or control charts form an important part of this process. Once the data has been error checked, verified and accepted from the laboratory, further analysis of the data is carried out. These processes include: a series of x-y plots (of duplicate and replicate samples), more detailed control chart plots, and ANOVA analysis of the duplicate/replicate pairs to allocate variance in the results to sampling, analytical or between site variability. Analysis of both primary and secondary reference material can quantify analytical accuracy and precision. An important part of the data conditioning is the quality assurance and this includes procedures used for dealing with results that have data quality issues and documenting all parts of the data conditioning procedure. The final part of the data conditioning procedure is necessary in order to use the data in context of other previously analysed data sets. This is the process of normalisation and levelling of the data. In G-BASE this is a very necessary step in order to create seamless geochemical maps and images across campaign boundaries and varying analytical methodologies that have spanned several decades

Technical assistance in Nigeria : developing geoscience skills for tomorrow

The World Bank funded Nigerian Geochemical Mapping Technical Assistance Project was started in 2008 within the Nigerian Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, and is now nearing completion. Staff from the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), the Nigerian academic community, British Geological Survey, and Geological Survey of Finland, have worked alongside one another in a comprehensive program of practical training and knowledge exchange. This program has enabled researchers from a range of backgrounds and experience in Africa and Europe to exchange knowledge and develop important geoscience skills. As part of this program key skills in many areas including; GIS, statistics, QC, data management, laboratory analysis, sampling methodologies, has developed the knowledge and skills base within the Nigerian geosciences community, and has maintained momentum for Nigeria’s national geochemical mapping program. An important objective of the Project is knowledge exchange during training of Nigerian geoscientists in conducting regional geochemical surveys as part of a long term mapping program across Nigeria. Practical training in methodologies for geochemical mapping formed the basis of a major field campaign in 2009, during which over 100 personnel were trained in geochemical mapping techniques. A similar number of personnel were involved in specialist training through a series of workshops and training courses in Nigeria and the UK. Two field areas were selected for the geochemical mapping training — one in central Nigeria (the ‘Minna Cell’) and one in south-western Nigeria (the ‘South-western Cell’) — covering a combined area of 52 000 km2. Key challenges involved the procurement of field equipment and consumables, and modernisation of sample preparation laboratories and archiving facilities at the National Geosciences Research Laboratory, Kaduna. New sample preparation and analytical equipment has been purchased and the laboratory staff have received training in the use of the new equipment. In the long-term it is envisaged that the analytical facilities will be developed further, and that all samples will be prepared, analysed and archived in Nigeria. A national geochemical mapping programme involving multi-element analysis of stream sediment samples is used as a primary dataset in the exploration for new economic mineral deposits. Establishing a geochemical baseline is necessary in order to monitor the effects of anthropogenic activities e.g. contamination caused by industrial waste and mining activities, for environmental investigations and medical geology studies both in rural and in urban areas, as well as studies within the agricultural and forestry sectors

G-BASE field procedures manual : version 1.1

The G-BASE project is a long-term systematic geochemical survey that has required a high degree of consistency in its sampling methodologies. This report gives in detail all the project procedures associated with the collection of geochemical samples from the planning phase in the office through to sample reception and reporting of the completed field campaign. The procedures described here should be diligently followed in order to maintain the high levels of quality control the project aspires to. Any changes to procedures are indicated in the latest version of this manual and documented in an updates list in Annex I. In addition to describing all the fieldwork procedures, the recruitment and training of "voluntary" student workers is described along with discussions relating to health and safety issues likely to be encountered during sampling. When describing the methods used by G-BASE in reports or publications, reference should be made to this manual