CALL US : 1-602-680-8176
SOIL SAMPLING FOR LEAD CONTAMINATION
How does lead get into the soil?
The soil surrounding a house can be contaminated with lead from the following sources:
- Weathering and chalking of lead-based paint on the building’s exterior painted surfaces.
- Nearby demolition or renovations on structures built prior to 1978.
- Previous scraping of exterior lead-based paint on your home or a neighbor’s.
- Airborne contamination from previous leaded gasoline burning engines.
- Emissions from industrial sources such as lead smelters and battery manufacturing plants.
How does Lead Contaminated Soil affect my family?
Several studies have shown that soil contaminated with lead significantly contributes to the blood lead levels found in children. The exposure to lead soil occurs through direct ingestion of bare soil, and/or, the ‘track-in’ of lead contaminated soil into the interior of a home. The lead in the soil may also be taken up by vegetables grown on contaminated soil and ingested by the residents of the home.
Although adults and children are both at risk of having an elevated blood lead level, children are especially vulnerable to and susceptible to lead poisoning. High levels of lead in the blood of young children can produce permanent nervous-system damage. Even at low levels, lead exposure continuing during childhood is known to slow a child’s normal development, causing learning and behavioral problems.
Lead in the body can cause serious damage to almost all systems within the body for adults and children.
The three systems where the effects are most dangerous are:
- The central and peripheral nervous system.
- The cardiovascular system, including the blood forming system.
- The kidneys.
Over the years we’ve performed soil sampling for many residents in the Phoenix area. Prior to one of our inspections, the homeowner’s direct neighbor was performing exterior remodeling on their house. The homeowner found out that their neighbor had not performed a lead test prior to the renovation and called us to perform a whole home lead inspection, as well as soil sampling on their own home.
We performed the lead inspection and determined the paint on their house did not contain lead; however, the soil surrounding the property was found positive for lead at hazardous levels. This homeowner had a few children living in the house at the time and they determined their soil was lead contaminated due to the neglect of their neighbor.
How can I tell if my Soil is contaminated with Lead?
Our inspectors here at XRF Services are all fully trained for Soil Sampling. Give us a call at 602-689-4573 and we will design a soil sampling strategy to identify the existing level of lead in the soil outside of your home.
We will collect soil samples using either a coring or spooning method depending on the consistency of the soil. Each sample will be carefully collected using the most current HUD and EPA standards and sent off to our laboratory to determine the presence of lead in the soil. The results are then reported in micrograms per gram (µg/g).
The EPA considers soil to be lead contaminated if the results meet or exceed the following levels;
- 400 µg/g - for high contact play areas. (Where children play outside. Typically around the drip-line of a house and in play areas or playgrounds.)
- 1200 µg/g – for other residential yards.
If you are concerned about levels of lead in your soil, contact us now at 602-689-4573 or fill out the form to your right and we will design a soil sampling strategy specific to your needs.
