ASTM_D_4979_-_19.pdf

Designation:D497919Standard Practice forPhysical Description Screening Analysis in Waste1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D4979;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This practice is used to identify wastes by describingcertain physical properties.It has been developed as a rapid buteffective means for visually screening wastes when received inthe laboratory or during collection at the sampling site.1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety,health,and environmental practices and deter-mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.Specific hazard and warning information is given in 8.1.6.1.3 This international standard was developed in accor-dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-ization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recom-mendations issued by the World Trade Organization TechnicalBarriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D5681 Terminology for Waste and Waste Management3.Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 For definitions of terms used in this practice,refer toTerminology D5681.3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:3.2.1 screening analysisa preliminary qualitative or semi-quantitative test that is designed to efficiently give the userspecific information about a waste that will aid in determiningwaste identification,process compatibility,and safety in han-dling.4.Summary of Practice4.1 Samples are inspected and the physical appearance isrecorded,including color,turbidity,viscosity,physical state,layering,and any other observable attribute(for example,texture).5.Significance and Use5.1 This practice is intended for use by those in the wastemanagement industries to aid in describing the physical char-acteristics of waste.5.2 This practice has two uses.One is to visually screenwastes being received at the laboratory to identify discrepan-cies between the waste,manifest,and historical descriptions.The other use is to visually examine soil and water sampleswhile they are being collected.This information,along withprofessional judgment during sample collection,can be used toincrease the knowledge of the site contamination by increasingor reducing the number of samples collected based on visibleindication of contamination or lack of visible indication ofcontamination.For example,if a soil or groundwater sample iscollected“up gradient”of the area of known or suspectedcontamination to obtain site background concentrations,andthe sample appears contaminated,the up-gradient area can berelocated during that sampling event.Visual observation couldalso show that the sampling parameters need to be increased ordecreased.This may reduce or eliminate the need for additionalsampling trips to the field.6.Apparatus6.1 Disposable Spatula or Eye Dropper.6.2 Clear Glass Sample Containers.7.Sampling7.1 Samples should be obtained in clean,clear glass con-tainers.NOTE1If chemical analysis at the laboratory is required,follow thesite sampling plan and use additional sample containers appropriate for therequired testing.7.2 Liquid samples may require time to stabilize(that is,until layers reform).7.3 It may be helpful to pick up the sample container andtilt,rotate,swirl,or invert it or to manipulate the sample witha clean,disposable spatula or eye dropper.1This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D34 on WasteManagement and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D34.01.05 onScreening Methods.Current edition approved Feb.1,2019.Published February 2019.Originallyapproved in 1989.Last previous edition approved in 2012 as D4979 12.DOI:10.1520/D4979-19.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United StatesThis international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.1 7.4 In the laboratory,if necessary,allow the sample to cometo room temperature in a sealed container.For example,frozenmaterial should be allowed to thaw completely.8.Procedures8.1 Inspect the waste sample and describe the physicalattributes,noting the foll