RAPID DETECTION OF OIL IN SOIL

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1 Product Overview EXPLORATION BIOREMEDIATION SITE ASSESSMENT QUICK RELIABLE LEAK DETECTION EMER GENCY SPILL RESPONSE MONITORING PORTABLE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE COST-EFFECTIVE ACCURATE INDEPENDENTLY VALIDATED EXPLORATION BIOREMEDIATION SITE ASSESSMENT QUICK RELIABLE LEAK DETECTION EMER GENCY SPILL RESPONSE MONITORING PORTABLE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE COST-EFFECTIVE ACCURATE IN DEPENDENTLY VALIDATED EXPLORATION BIOREMEDIATION SITE ASSESSMENT QUICK RELIABLE LEAK DETECTION EMER GENCY SPILL RESPONSE MONITOR ING PORTABLE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE COST-EFFECTIVE ACCURATE INDEPENDENTLY VALIDATED EXPLORATION BIOREMEDIATION SITE ASSESS MENT QUICK RELIABLE LEAK DETECTION EMER GENCY SPILL RESPONSE MONITORING PORTABLE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE COST-EFFECTIVE AC- CURATE INDEPENDENTLY VALIDATED EXPLORATION BIOREMEDIATION SITE ASSESSMENT QUICK RELIABLE LEAK DETECTION EMER GENCY SPILL RESPONSE MONITORING PORTABLE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE COST-EF FECTIVE ACCURATE INDEPENDENTLY VALIDATED EXPLORATION BIORE MEDIATION SITE ASSESSMENT QUICK RELIABLE LEAK DETECTION EMER GENCY SPILL RESPONSE MONITORING PORTABLE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE COST-EFFECTIVE ACCURATE INDEPENDENTLY VALIDATED EXPLORATION BIOREMEDIATION SITE ASSESSMENT QUICK RELIABLE LEAK DETECTION EMER GENCY SPILL RESPONSE MONITORING PORTABLE REGULATORY COM PLIANCE COST-EFFECTIVE ACCURATE INDEPENDENTLY VALIDATED EX PLORATION BIOREMEDIATION SITE ASSESSMENT QUICK RELIABLE LEAK DETECTION EMER GENCY SPILL RESPONSE MONITORING PORTABLE REGU LATORY COMPLIANCE COST-EFFECTIVE ACCURATE INDEPENDENTLY VALIDAT ED EXPLORATION BIOREMEDIATION SITE ASSESSMENT QUICK RELIABLE LEAK DETECTION EMER GENCY SPILL RESPONSE MONITORING PORTABLE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE COST-EFFECTIVE ACCURATE INDEPENDENTLY VALIDATED EXPLORATION BIOREMEDIATION SITE ASSESSMENT QUICK RELIABLE LEAK DETECTION EMER GENCY SPILL RESPONSE MONITORING PORTABLE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE COST-EFFECTIVE ACCURATE IN DEPENDENTLY VALIDATED EXPLORATION BIOREMEDIATION SITE ASSESSMENT RAPID DETECTION OF OIL IN SOIL Go to to see online demonstration! Z /14

2 Contents Features and Benefits... 3 Specifications... 4 Case Study 1 Rapid Validation of an Excavation Pit using RemScan... 6 Case Study 2 RemScan used in Rapid Response to Diesel Spill... 7 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)... 9

3 Features and Benefits RemScan is the world s first handheld instrument for the rapid measurement of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil. The user simply pulls the trigger for a measurement no soil extraction or consumables are required. The instrument has a full day of battery life and the data is recorded automatically for easy download. RemScan is available for purchase or hire. Ziltek can provide an experienced operator to analyse samples in the field and can also value-add with site mapping information and regulatory reports where required. I used RemScan because I wanted to reduce the uncertainty of estimating contamination by visual staining and smell alone. site remobilisation can cost thousands of dollars Sam Tymons, Project Manager, Enviropacific Services Benefits Make real-time decisions Reduce laboratory analysis costs Minimise losses in productivity Accelerate project closure Features 15-second measurement time No sample extraction required Calibrated against accredited standards Developed in collaboration with the CSIRO Applications Site assessment Emergency spill response Earthworks validation Bioremediation monitoring Petroleum exploration - 3 -

4 Specifications RemScan: a handheld instrument for the rapid measurement of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil Key Specifications The instrument measures TPH (C 10 to C 36 ) in soils and gives a single output in mg/kg Easy to calibrate in the field 1 minute background cap, 1 minute reference cap (both are inert materials so no need to carry calibration gases or hazardous chemicals) Soil readings in less than 20 seconds It makes a direct soil measurement no solvent extraction of the soil is required Minimal soil preparation required requires a flat compacted soil face of around 10mm diameter (trowel and tamp normally sufficient) with an air dried surface For best accuracy, samples need to be air-dried Measures the soil surface only anywhere you can collect a soil sample, you can take a scan (including along soil cores) Truly portable and rugged it is not a laboratory instrument Operated through a purpose-designed user interface on a wireless PDA that can be clamped to the back of the instrument Battery life 8 hours for PDA and 4 hours per battery for instrument (comes with 2 batteries) Data accessible as a.csv file on a standard SD card Typical accuracy TPH (C 10 -C 36 ) Concentration (mg/kg) Relative Error (%) 10, , ,

5 Specifications Soil Calibration Models RemScan comes standard with a calibration model which is being constantly updated and will ultimately recognise a wide range of soil types from across the globe. While this universal calibration is currently limited to a subset of soils it still provides a semi-quantitative TPH prediction without further calibration. For best results, Ziltek can analyse soil from a site in advance and predict whether it is well represented in the universal calibration model. For sites that require a dedicated RemScan instrument (e.g. remote sites, large projects) Ziltek works with clients to build robust site-specific calibrations in order to minimise background interferences (e.g. organic matter, carbonates and particle size) by modelling them out, significantly improving the accuracy of the instrument. A number of RemScan instruments are currently being utilised successfully in this way by the petrochemicals and oil and gas industries with relative errors as low as 5% at 1,000 mg/kg compared to accredited laboratory data. This calibration option is particularly suitable for large projects in remote areas where the cost-savings are very significant. Moisture Considerations RemScan is sensitive to high soil moisture. Accuracy of the instrument declines above 5% moisture content so soils should be air-dried for best results. In warmer conditions, this can be achieved by simply letting the soil surface air dry for 15 to 30 minutes before scanning. In colder conditions, the soil can be dried sufficiently by placing a thin layer in a shallow sampling cup and leaving for a few hours or overnight, still saving significant laboratory analysis turnaround time and costs. The RemScan software will inform the user of the soil moisture content upon scanning

6 Case Study 1 Rapid Validation of an Excavation Pit using RemScan In 2012, an ageing ground mounted power transformer located in South Australia was scheduled to be removed from service and replaced. After the above-ground infrastructure was removed, transformer oil contamination was evident in the soil surrounding the footings. Enviropacific Services was engaged to manage the excavation of the contaminated soil and to validate the pit as decontaminated before it was backfilled with clean soil. I used RemScan because I wanted to reduce the uncertainty of trying to estimate contamination by visual staining and smell alone. Using RemScan will allow us to confidently backfill these types of excavations on the day without the risk of having to revisit the site to chase residual contamination when lab results come in - site remobilisation can cost thousands of dollars even for small sites. Sam Tymons, Enviropacific Services Project Manager The handheld RemScan instrument was used to measure Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) levels in the soil during the site remediation and excavation process in real-time. The levels of TPH in the worst affected areas were up to 100,000 mg/kg. The Enviropacific Services Project Manager directed the extent of excavation until the contamination levels in the walls and floor of the pit were below the target criteria of 1,000 mg/kg TPH as measured by RemScan. The pit was then backfilled, and soil samples that had been collected from each of the pit walls and floor were sent to a NATA-accredited laboratory for independent validation. A week later, the laboratory results confirmed the accuracy of the RemScan instrument measurements all samples returned TPH values well below the target criteria. Utilisation of the RemScan technology ensured that over-excavation and extra disposal fees were avoided, and provided the project team with the confidence that they could backfill the pit on the same day without having to return to site again. TPH C10-C36 (mg/kg) as measured by RemScan TM 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 TPH concentration of soil samples from a transformer excavation pit: Remscan TM versus laboratory R 2 = ,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 40,000 TPH C10-C36 (mg/kg) as measured by NATA accredited laboratory - 6 -

7 Case Study 2 RemScan used in Rapid Response to Diesel Spill A significant amount of diesel leaked from a storage facility in Western Australia and was captured in an emergency bund area. RemScan was used to rapidly quantify the amount of diesel in the bund area, and later to validate the site remediation works. During the emergency response, Ziltek collected soil samples and built a site-specific calibration model in the instrument to allow a rapid and accurate determination of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) C 10 to C 36. During subsequent remediation works, RemScan was used to measure more than 200 samples per day - this allowed the validation work to be completed in less than 4 days, without the constraints of standard laboratory analysis turnaround times. During wet weather, samples were taken to the site hut for continuous high throughput processing. To independently verify the instrument s performance, 19 blind soil samples were sent to a NATA-accredited laboratory for analysis. A very close correlation was observed between the TPH values predicted by RemScan and the laboratory data with an R 2 value of Comparison of RemScan data to lab data for TPH (C 10 - C 36 ) ( ) - Calibration samples ( ) - Validation samples Without RemScan, the validation works would have been extended by several weeks. The cost savings due to accelerated project closure and reduced laboratory analysis were estimated at more than $30,

8 RemScan can be used to measure drill cores Samples being dried in cups then scanned wtih RemScan RemScan Lab Stand

9 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) RemScan TM for the Rapid Measurement of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) in Soil 1. Has the RemScan technology been independently validated? Yes. The technology was developed and validated in collaboration with the Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Ziltek co-authored a peer reviewed paper on this work in the prestigious Soil Science Society of America Journal (Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 77: , 2012). The technology has also been used commercially on several contaminated sites in Australia, and in each case the RemScan data was validated by sending a sub-set of soil samples to an accredited laboratory for direct comparison using a routine protocol. Results from an independent evaluation of the technology by Battelle in the USA will be reported in What is the accuracy of the RemScan data compared to accredited laboratory analysis? Compared to laboratory analysis for TPH C 10 to C 36, you can generally expect a relative error of around 6% at 10,000 mg/kg TPH and around 16% at 1,000 mg/kg TPH. If a site-specific calibration model has been generated (to minimise site-specific soil interferences) the relative error can decrease to around 5% at 1,000 mg/kg TPH. 3. Has the instrument performance been verified using an international standard reference soil? Yes. RemScan performance has been verified according to the European Reference Material ERM -CC Are there any soil properties that interfere with the infrared signal? Yes. Carbonates and natural organic matter can interfere with the infrared signature. The current universal calibration model in the instrument will compensate for carbonates in most soils. Site specific calibrations will compensate for carbonates if carbonate soils are collected across a broad range of TPH concentrations at site (according to the Ziltek sampling protocol) during the sampling stage for building the site specific model. The RemScan TPH measurement may include some minor organic matter components. In future, the technology may be able to distinguish plant-derived from petroleum hydrocarbons. 5. Does the technology work on all soil types? Yes. To date, the calibration model contains hundreds of scanned soils from across Australia ranging from heavy clay to sand. The RemScan software automatically selects particle size and then chooses the most appropriate model. 6. Does soil moisture interfere with the instrument s accuracy? Yes. Beyond 5% moisture content the accuracy of predictions deteriorate. We strongly recommend that soils are air-dried for best accuracy

10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 7. But won t air drying change the TPH reading because of the loss of volatile compounds? It depends on the petroleum source, the ageing of the soil and the air-drying conditions. For example, for diesel, crude and most oil derivatives the loss of volatile compounds in the C 10 + fraction due to air drying is practically negligible. Where the C 6 to C 9 contaminants are the major focus (e.g. fresh petrol contamination), we recommend using the RemScan in conjunction with a PID for comprehensive data analysis. Also, because RemScan does not give false negatives, it can be used as a qualitative tool for these lighter fractions. I.e. In most situations, if RemScan gives zero reading for C 10 to C 36, it is unlikely that there is significant C 6 to C 9 TPH present. 8. How then should the operator air-dry soils while minimising soil disturbance? We recommend that artificial heating is not used. Simply place the soil sample in a jar lid (or special tamp cup provided with the RemScan kit), firmly tamp the soil using the supplied tamping tool, and leave to air dry at ambient temperature with some air flow. As an example, wet sand contaminated with 10,000 mg/kg diesel will air dry sufficiently on the surface in less than 1 hour at 25 to 30 degrees Celsius. For heavy clays, physical drying tools may be required (Ziltek has a number of tools available). Remember RemScan is only scanning a thin surface of the soil so only the surface needs to be air dried, not the entire bulk sample. 9. Do the regulators accept the technology? Regulators are encouraging industry to use RemScan to provide supporting data for laboratory analysis, just as they do for XRF and PID instruments. The technology was developed with support from the HazWaste Fund (EPA Victoria). Results from an independent evaluation of the technology by Battelle in the USA will be reported in Does RemScan measure any other contaminants beside TPH? While the current instrument measures TPH only, methods for other contaminants including Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are currently under development. Because RemScan is a platform technology, for existing instrument owners it will be simply a matter of purchasing a software upgrade to access any new methods. 11. What in-field instrument support is available? An annual service agreement entitles the instrument owner to a 24/7 hotline backup service and a return to base instrument service annually. A 12 month warranty applies to all parts and software. Certified field technicians will visit site as soon as practicable for instrument related problems and a replacement instrument will be made available during the servicing period. 12. Is the data easy to access? In what format? Yes. Data is collected automatically on an SD card and this can be placed in a computer for easy download in.csv file format. Alternatively, the PDA can be connected via a USB connection to a computer to download the data if an SD card slot is not available

11 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 13. Is the instrument affected by hot or humid weather? The instrument has been tested up to 85% humidity at 35 degrees Celsius and is designed to work in temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius. Condensation on the lens is the only consideration that needs to be minimised in extreme weather conditions (including abrupt temperature changes). 14. Does it replace a Photo Ionisation Detector (PID)? No. A PID measures volatile organic compounds (generally <C 10 hydrocarbons) in gaseous phase. RemScan is designed to complement the PID in measuring hydrocarbon compounds above C 10 in solid phase. 15. Are there any special user training requirements such as those required for XRF use? No. We offer a two hour training workshop after which attendees are issued a certificate of competency. 16. Do you need to carry hazardous chemicals or gases or soils for instrument calibration such as those required for a PID? No. RemScan comes with two inert plastic caps that are each scanned for 1 minute to fully calibrate the instrument. The calibration is performed on start-up and then hourly thereafter the user is prompted by the software interface. The instrument also self-calibrates internally using a laser to ensure that the hardware mechanisms are optimised. 17. What if our site target criteria are bands or fractions of TPH? For larger sites with a consistent source of petroleum contamination (e.g. rail yards, refineries) a C 10 to C 14 number can be accurately derived using RemScan. Representative soil samples can be sent for laboratory analysis and the (C 10 to C 14 ) / (C 10 to C 36 ) percentage can be multiplied by the RemScan output to give a derived value for C 10 to C 14. This has been applied successfully at a rail refuelling yard in Australia. It is important to note that for validation applications banding is often irrelevant. ie. Because RemScan does not give false negatives, if RemScan gives a low or zero reading there are no TPH fractions present. 18. What is the detection limit of the instrument? Using the universal calibration model the detection limit is around 200 mg/kg. For site specific calibration models, the detection limit can be as low as 70 mg/kg. 19. Can you plot the global position of the sampling location? There is no Global Positioning System (GPS) in the instrument because a GPS this size would only have an accuracy to around 6 metres which in most situations is not useful. Most sites have at least one datum point already mapped and clients use a standard measuring wheel to plot the sampling locations using this datum point as a reference

12 International callers: Australian callers: info@ziltek.com Physical Address Postal Address BioSA Incubator PO Box West Thebarton Road Kent Town South Australia 5071 Thebarton South Australia 5031 Australia Australia