University To Temporarily Close Part Of Route 112 Property

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - As part of a continuing chemical hygiene program, the University of Arkansas is assessing a site on Arkansas Highway 112 north of Fayetteville to determine the identity and evaluate the status of some chemical-filled containers that were reportedly buried on University property in the 1960s.

The site covers about 1/2 an acre in the southwestern corner of a 100-acre tract owned by the University on the outskirts of Fayetteville.

The University initiated the investigation and asked for and received approval from the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to begin the testing process.

The only clues left to the buried chemicals are anecdotal evidence in the form of accounts from retired University staff and two signs that say "Chemicals buried here: No digging" marking a corner of the little-used site.

"We believe it is our responsibility to our community to explore a potentially troublesome situation that may have been created decades ago and do our best to correct it," Lonon said.

The first step in the process was to find out where any pits that could contain chemicals might be located, said Miriam Lonon, manager of the office of environmental health and safety.

The University contracted with the United States Geological Survey and the Springdale-based company of consulting engineers Grubbs, Hoskyn, Barton & Wyatt, Inc. to assess the site to determine where these areas might be located and whether any chemicals are present in the soils surrounding the areas.

The researchers used three non-intrusive geophysical surveys - a magnetometer survey, an electromagnetic conductivity survey, and resistivity profiling. A magnetometer measures the intensity of the earth's magnetic field. Metal materials buried in the ground create variations in the local strength of that field, permitting their detection. The electromagnetic conductivity and resistivity studies measure the electrical conductivity and insulating properties of subsurface soil, rock, and groundwater by inducing or transmitting a current through the ground. Most soil and rock minerals are electrical insulators, that is, they are highly resistive. Hence, electrical current flows primarily through moisture-filled pore spaces and fractures within soil and rock. Trenches can be found by distinguishing between the conductivity or resistivity of undisturbed soil and disturbed soil. Disturbed soil generally has a higher water content than undisturbed soil; hence disturbed soil associated with trenches appears to be more conductive.

The surveyors discovered four to six anomalies, like blips on a radar screen, that may indicate the presence of buried material. The anomalies are a maximum of 30 feet long, 14 feet wide and six to nine feet deep.

The next step will be to take soil and water samples to determine what residual chemicals, if any, have leaked into the soil.

"We don’t yet have evidence indicating there’s anything hazardous out there," Lonon said. "But we are taking precautions."

The precautions include fencing off the investigation site in accordance with federal law and having the examiners use personal protective equipment and dress in fully protective clothing.

The samples obtained from the site will be analyzed for many different potential pollutants. Then the University, together with the ADEQ, will have the proper information to help assess the site and determine whether or not chemicals have leaked, before deciding how best to address the situation.

The first two phases of the investigation, the surveys and the sampling and analysis, will cost approximately $68,000, and will be paid from University funds.

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