Groundwater investigation
Aquifers are disturbed by a wide variety of anthropogenic influences, for example, landfills, excavations, or contaminated sites. Any of these areas can have a negative impact on the groundwater balance and quality.
As the name suggests, contaminated sites are areas that have been polluted by past use. Especially in the Ruhr area, these are old colliery and coking plant sites. In these areas, there are partly very strongly, locally polluted groundwaters. A sampling of these waters requires particularly responsible handling in order not to contaminate other groundwater strands. Very high demands are also placed on analytics, because the analytical instruments, which are usually designed for trace ranges, have to measure high concentrations. This places high demands on man and machine, which we can offer you with our know-how.
When taking samples in the area of influence of landfills, current influences or influences occurring over a longer period of time on an aquifer become the focus of analysis. Until January 2014, the investigations were carried out in accordance with the guideline "WÜ 98" and have since been regulated in the 28th communication of the Federal/State Working Group (LAGA). In addition, by comparing the measured values of an aquifer in the upstream and downstream in conjunction with the associated landfill leachate, leakages at landfill seals can be detected and can subsequently be remedied by the operator.
Surface water
A discharge, whether intentional or not, can have serious consequences for the ecosystem. Examining receiving waters, which are used to discharge treated wastewater, among other things, is the first step toward a healthy aquatic ecosystem. By monitoring the condition upstream and downstream of a discharge, eutrophication of water bodies due to the discharge can be ruled out. Proactive detection is also an effective means of assessing the safety of a discharge.
The physicochemical investigations primarily represent a water body condition that prevails at the current time of sampling. Here, it is particularly important to directly sample and investigate an occurring foreign discharge. Biological investigations, such as those of saprobity or macrozoobenthos (MZB), consider population ecological time periods. This process can be used to assess long-term damage to organisms in a waterbody.
These chemical and biological status reports are prepared in close cooperation with our
limnological department. The basis for the investigation of the receiving waters is, on the one hand, the Surface Water Ordinance (OGewV) or the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and, on the other hand, the discharge permit of the polluter.
