Do phosphates or PCB's bind to soil in rivers, and if they do how do you remove them for testing?

Question

I am doing a research paper and would appreciate any helpful links to sites that would help me test for phosphates/PCB's (I have all the equipment) and help me clean up the water for testing (vacuum filtration?). Thanks.

Answer 1

You need to look at the different EPA methods (reference). For phosphate you digest the soil in acid, for the PCBs you extract them with organic solvents.

Answer 2

Don't know about phosphates, but PCBs do bind to soil. They pretty much have to be dredged out or sucked with a huge vacuum pump (a form of dredging).

There are several firms in the Green Bay WI and other areas in the northeast that do this kind of work and I have talked to a few people that work in one of these before.

PCBs are very tough to remediate.