[ RadSafe ] A Question on the Appropriate Number of Soil Samples toCollect as a Function of Land Area

[Dahlskog, Leif]

Jerry

I don't know if the reference you seek is here or not but I recently
came across an IAEA document (IAEA-TECDOC-1415 titled 'Soil sampling for
environmental contaminants' October 2004) which might be of use to you
and from memory mentions number of samples to take per area.  It can be
downloaded at
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/ResultsPage.asp?p=2

Leif Dahlskog 
Senior Health Physicist
Radiation Health Branch 
Department of Health, Western Australia 
Ph    (+61 8) 9346 2260 
Fax (+61 8) 9381 1423 
The contents of this e-mail transmission are intended solely for the
named recipient(s), may be confidential, and may be privileged or
otherwise protected from disclosure in the public interest.  The use,
reproduction, disclosure or distribution of the contents of this e-mail
transmission by any person other than the named recipient(s) is
prohibited.  If you are not a named recipient please notify the sender
immediately.

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
Behalf Of Falo, Gerald A Dr KADIX
Sent: Wednesday, 25 May 2005 4:08 AM
To: RADSAFE
Subject: [ RadSafe ] A Question on the Appropriate Number of Soil
Samples toCollect as a Function of Land Area 

All,
 
While reviewing a document, I came across a table that lists "
Appropriate Number of Soil Samples to Collect" as a function of the land
area. The table also includes a column with an estimated coefficient of
variation (CV). For example, for a 7 acre (28000 square meters), it says
to collect 7 samples, which would result in an estimated CV of 15%. I've
been told that the values in the table come from an EPA document. To my
dismay, I've not been able to verify this. I understand that statistical
methods exist to determine the number of samples required. I'd like to
see how the table was derived because to use the table I'd like to feel
comfortable in understanding where it came from.
 
If anyone has a clue, I'd appreciate it.