How to Test Soil Pollution

Soil pollution is the contamination of soil in a particular region and can be caused by the penetration of pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and other chemicals leached through the soil. These chemicals can contaminate the soil to the point that it becomes unfit for use. Agricultural runoff from animal wastes, industrial waste materials such as arsenic and lead, and leakages from sanitary sewage can also pollute the soil. You can have tests done to determine if your soil is polluted.

Things You'll Need

• Trowel or spade
• Stainless steel spoon
• Permanent marker
• Resealing plastic bags
• Bucket
• Water
• Brush
• Liquid soap

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Instructions

Create a Diagram of Area for Testing

• 1

  It is important to indicate from what area the sample was taken.

  Make a diagram of your yard or farm where you want to test for soil pollution, and indicate on the diagram from where the samples have been collected. Write "X1" for areas where the area has high activity (children frequently play there, for example) or "X2" for low activity.

• 2

  Clear the area of debris before digging the hole.

  Remove grass, pebbles, twigs, etc. from the soil surface of the area you plan on digging. With a trowel or spade, dig a six-inch deep hole (you might need to dig deeper for certain chemicals) from the surface of the soil and set aside that chunk of soil. Scrape soil from the sides of the hole with a spoon. Collect about an ounce of soil from around the entire hole.

• 3

  Choose any color marker for writing on plastic bag.

  Place soil collected in a resealing plastic bag. With a permanent marker, write on the bag whether it was "X1" or "X2," your name, date of test, and what tests you want done, e.g. arsenic and lead. Seal the bag. Wash the spoon with soap and water, and use a clean spoon for each sample.

• 4

  Labs will analyze the soil sample and notify you of results.

  Collect a total of four to six samples from areas throughout your land or farm, doing the same thing you did for the first sample, each time using a clean spoon. When all the samples have been collected, labeled and sealed, place them in a larger bag and store them in a container together with the diagram that you created. Deliver samples to the lab for testing.