We talk to Aleksandra Urbaniak-Słoma from SEGI-AT about how the work related to the remediation project is being verified.

What are the results of the research?

No pollutants were found in the near-surface zone, which was to be expected due to the distance, while the presence of pollutants was confirmed in the saturation zone, in groundwater and in irrigated soils. The substances that were identified were phenols, cresols, adsorbable halogenated compounds, heavy metals. The basic physicochemical parameters were also increased.

Environmental detectives?

When we start such projects, we know what we have to do, but in fact it is verified during the works. So both the depth of the holes is not always what we plan. Also the identification of pollution sources, about which nothing was previously known, we collect data, analyze and you can say that we are "Environmental Detectives".

What was the scope of work?

The scope of work is the execution of:

• 10 research holes, to a depth of 25 meters.
• Number of soil samples taken: about 200 tested.
• Number of groundwater samples: 74.

The project was carried out by us for about a year, with the first months of soil and soil testing, then gathering information about the environment and waiting for new wells and monitoring piezometers to be drilled. After these drillings were completed, we collected groundwater samples and were able to perform water tests. 

Has the current condition been diagnosed?

In order to design the entire remediation system, you need to know what will be purified and from what level it will be purified. Also, this was the input to designing a suitable treatment system.