Statistical Analysis to Distinguish Contamination-Related and Background Arsenic Sources
Integral scientists performed a multiple-phase statistical evaluation of arsenic as a background, inorganic constituent in soil at a Superfund site in West Virginia. Preliminary statistical analyses were used to determine the numbers of samples required to achieve the desired statistical accuracy. A variety of parametric and non-parametric techniques were then applied to soils data to test for differences between onsite and offsite arsenic concentrations. Results demonstrated that appreciable arsenic was present as a background constituent at this site. These findings, which were accepted by EPA Region III, greatly reduced the areal extent of remediation required for soils at the site.
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