Soil examination

Recognize and evaluate existing pollutants

Soil is a legally protected asset. Harmful changes to soil and groundwater can result in particular from industrial, commercial, military and agricultural use.

Proper precautionary measures, hazard prevention and remediation of contaminated sites are based on legally defined precautionary and test values. Extensive chemical analyses for substances contained in the soil are required for the following measures, among others:

Orienting investigation and detailed investigation of contaminated sites and old deposits according to BBodSchV (Federal Soil Protection Ordinance)
Investigation of abandoned armament sites
In-situ sampling before the start of construction work
Investigation of excavated soil and topsoil from piles
Monitoring of soil treatment plants

The pollutant concentrations determined in this way are an important decision-making criterion for

Necessary remediation measures
Preparation of monitoring programs
Calculation of costs for recycling or disposal
Professional disposal or reuse of excavated soil

We are your experts in soil analysis

New version of the Federal Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Ordinance (BBodSchV) enters into force on 01 August 2023

The Mantel Ordinance (MantelV) adopted in June 2021 also includes an amendment to the BBodSchV. The scope of the regulation has been expanded to include the placement or introduction of materials below or outside of a rootable soil layer. This means that in future backfilling of excavations and opencast mines will also be covered.

We have the competence to carry out all elution tests required by the Mantle Ordinance. Our laboratories have sufficient capacities for the detailed column test and column short test (DIN 19528) as well as the shaking test (DIN 19529).

SGS is accredited according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018 for sampling and analysis. In addition, we have notifications in accordance with the specialist module Soil and Contaminated Sites.

What are old sites, old deposits and contaminated sites?

Legacy sites: contaminated land from former industrial operations (e.g., gas plants, abandoned tanneries, or dry cleaners).

Old landfills: Sites where waste was previously treated, stored, or deposited (e.g., municipal landfills or company landfills for production residues) and from which soil or groundwater contamination emanates.

Military waste sites: Sites where soil, water or air contamination by chemicals from conventional and chemical warfare agents is present and which pose a risk to individuals or the general public, e.g. former production sites, ammunition storage sites, blasting and firing ranges, and intermediate and final storage sites for explosive ordnance.

Our services

Physicochem. Properties

TOC
Water content/dry matter
Bulk density
Particle size distribution
pH value

Inorganic substances

Antimony, barium, beryllium, cobalt, molybdenum, selenium, vanadium, tin
Arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium total, copper, nickel, mercury, thallium, zinc
Chromate, Cyanide u Fluoride

Organische Stoffe

BTEX u. LHKW
Alkylether
Kohlenwasserstoffe (MKW)
Polycyclische aromatische Kohlenwasserstoffe (PAK)
Polychlorierte Biphenyle (PCB)
Chlorphenole
Chlorbenzole
Pflanzenschutzmittel (PBSM)

Organic special analytics

Explosive-typical compounds (STV)
Organotin compounds (OZV)
Per- and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFC)
NSO heterocycles
Dioxins/furans and dl-PCBs

Elution and column methods

10:1 shaking process (DIN EN 12457-4)
2:1 percolation process (DIN 19528)
2:1 shaking method (DIN 19529)
Extraction with ammonium nitrate solution (DIN 19730)
Resorption availability (DIN 19738)

Further investigations

Measures, test and precautionary values according to BBodSchV for the impact paths "soil-human", "soil-useful plant" and "soil-groundwater".
Precautionary values "soil" according to BBodSchV
Allocation values LAGA-Notice 20
Country-specific allocation values for the implementation of LAGA M20, e.g.
Allocation values according to DepV