Ashtead Technology have an exclusive arrangement to offer for rent the innovative portable X-Ray fluorescence (XRF) analyser from Innov-X. This compact, handheld unit enables operators to quickly and easily identify a wide range of metallic elements in soil, solid and liquid samples. All results can be logged and easily transferred to a PC for subsequent analysis.

Churngold Remediation, a major contaminated land remediation contractor, recently rented the XRF analyser to assess the in-situ soil contamination at a brownfield site in the West Midlands, which was being prepared for redevelopment. The site was heavily contaminated with chromium, nickel, copper and zinc after many years of electroplating works. The depth to which the metals had leached into the soil was unknown and Churngold needed a quick way of assessing the concentration in material which was being stripped from the site surface. As material was removed, the XRF analyser was used in-situ, either on the ground surface or directly onto removed material. Soil which was heavily contaminated was stockpiled and subsequently disposed of as hazardous material, whereas suitable soil was stored and reused.

Results from the XRF analyser were also verified by independent laboratory analysis.
Gareth Leonard, the Project Manager within Churngold said: “the XRF analyser easily paid for itself by quickly and accurately determining material which was beyond economic treatment, ensuring contaminated volumes for disposal were kept to a minimum.” He added: “several project workers were trained to use the unit which they found extremely simple and intuitive to operate.”
The Innov-X is able to quickly provide a chemical analysis of samples in-situ, in dust wipes, filtered media, liquids, coatings or within a plastic core.

The problems and delays associated with either laboratory testing, or traditional analysers that utilise radio-active sources, are resolved by the Innov-X, and the ability to rent the instrument from Ashtead Technology ensures that costs are kept to a minimum.