Interactions of Hazardous Materials

1. You are the project manager of an environmental company that was hired to cleanup a historical arsenic contamination site. Soil sampling results indicated the area impacted with arsenic above action levels is 30 feet by 55 feet. The depth of the arsenic plume is three feet below ground surface. The land owner wanted to clean this site for future development. Answer the questions below to help you prepare a cost estimate for this portion of the project. Your solutions and any assumptions to justify your estimate must be shown.

a. What is the chemical symbol of arsenic, and what group/family does it belong to?

b. Solve for the minimum volume of soil that will be excavated in cubic yards?

c. If each dump truck can transport 18 cubic yards, determine how many dump trucks loads will be transported? For calculation purposes, add a 15% "fluff factor" (add to the volume that will be transported).

d. If the bulk density of soil is 1350 kg/m3 (84.3 lb/ft3), solve for the weight of the soil that will be transported to a disposal site in kilograms?

Your total response to parts a-d must be at least 200 words in length.

2. This is a two-part question:

Part 1: Methanol and toluene are flammable liquids whose vapor pressures at 68ºF (20ºC) are 96 and 22 mmHg, respectively. Based solely on this data, determine which compound poses the greater risk of fire and explosion at 68ºF (20ºC). Explain your choice. In general, discuss how vapor pressure affects the volatility of a liquid?

Part 2: If the liquid in Part 1 is transferred into a container for transportation, why does DOT require that the container not be filled to the brim? Discuss your answer.

Your total response to Part 1 and Part 2 must be at least 200 words in length.