Discharge monitoring control program:
At REIC we use our Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) to provide instant notification of potential NPDES permit violations. This information is downloaded daily and provides real-time notification for every analysis. REIC clients do not have to wait for a completed analytical report to determine if there are any compliance issues. Our clients have found that this service saves them both time and money.
Program advantages:
- Immediate notification of permit violations via telephone, fax or e-mail.
- A professional electronically produced DMR, ready for immediate submission to any state regulatory agency.
- Advanced notifications of important dates and permit testing requirements.
- Electronic delivery of analytical report and completed DMRs.
- Allows clients the opportunity to correct potential deficiencies and avoid reporting violations by making systems changes, re-sampling, etc.
- Reduces laboratory time and work required to manually prepare DMRs.
- Virtually eliminates the risk of transcription errors and missed deadlines.
- Allows plant managers and operators to concentrate their time on system control.
Data validation:
REI Consultants is widely respected for its extensive experience relating to data validity and defensibility. Over the years REIC has participated in numerous legal cases by offering evaluations and technical assistance in all levels of the court system. REIC has provided assistance to federal and state agencies such as the US Environmental Protection Agency, US Department of Labor, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. REIC's data is seldom challenged and has never failed to pass a technical validation review. REIC's services are guaranteed to be performed in a technically responsible manner and to be legally defensible for all aspects under REIC's control. Validation services include:
- Data interpretation and data audit reviews
- Program review and evaluation services
- Expert testimony services
- Regulatory evaluation services
- Method evaluation and recommendations
Statistical monitoring:
Statistical analysis methods employed by REIC have been proven to perform reliably in a variety of applications, such the evaluation of groundwater analytical data for landfills in the Eastern United States. Some basic statistical approaches include:
- A parametric analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by multiple comparison procedures to identify specific sources of difference
- An analysis of variance (ANOVA) based on ranks followed by multiple comparison procedures to identify specific sources of difference
- Control charts that give control limits for evaluated constituents
- Procedures of tolerance intervals or prediction intervals to enact action plans relative to client need and/or regulatory guidelines
Plume monitoring:
All aspects of the dynamics of plumes of contamination can be monitored by REI Consultants. These services include:
- The definition of the plume geometry through subsurface investigations and the chemical characterizations of soil and groundwater.
- The planning and installation of groundwater monitoring wells.
- The establishment and execution of monitoring programs through groundwater sampling, laboratory testing, and statistical analyses, as conducted on a regular, scheduled basis.
- Computer modeling of the contamination zones to visualize the plume geometry in 2D and 3D representations.
- The estimation of the groundwater flow velocity and direction to predict the migration route and speed of the plume movement.
- The overall modeling of the area geology and the preparation of graphical illustrations such as geologic maps, cross sections, and 3D diagrams.
Potentiometric mapping:
Potentiometric Maps are drawings showing contour lines representing the top of a groundwater potentiometric surface for an aquifer. REIC uses state of the art computer programs to prepare contour mapping of geological features. The contour lines illustrate the potentiometric surface much in the same way as the contour lines of a topographic map represent a visual model of the ground surface. The potentiometric surface is generally not the physical top of the water table, however. It is a representation of the potential energy that is available to move the groundwater laterally and vertically. Potentiometric Maps are used in groundwater studies of all types, including landfills, mining, and many environmental studies. Potentiometric Maps are used to illustrate the direction of groundwater flow, to calculate the gradient or slope, and to estimate the groundwater flow velocity.
Analytical method development:
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Environmental impact statements:
Environmental Impact Statements performed by REI Consultants look at a wide variety of data collected and analyzed for clients within the mining, logging, and road-building industries. Water chemistry, detailed riparian and vegetation analysis, benthic macroinvertebrate analysis, fish resources data, stream substrate composition, wetlands evaluations, and use of wetlands by amphibians can all be analyzed to provide an accurate portrayal of present conditions. This is critical when disturbances to the ecosystem are anticipated so that project location and construction methods can be designed to minimize negative impacts. REI Consultants' team of chemists, aquatic entomologists, fisheries biologists, soil scientists, and aquatic biologists perform the necessary fieldwork, analyze the wide array of collected data, and can assist the client from merely providing background information, to assisting with the design and mitigation planning of streams, ponds, and wetlands. In addition, we work very closely with all State and Federal regulatory agencies, attorneys, and all interested parties for each project we perform.
Toxicity evaluations:
Toxicity evaluations (bioassays) have been performed at REI Consultants since 1986. Types range from the 24-48 hour static screening tests that look only at the toxicity of a full-strength sample, to the 6-8 day chronic toxicity tests that not only look at survival, but encompass other more subtle parameters such as growth rates and reproduction. All tests are conducted in walk-in environmental chambers that accurately control lighting, photo period, and test temperature. In addition, all test organisms used, such as the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and several daphnia species, are raised in-house to ensure proper age and health of the test organisms prior to testing.
More complicated toxicity testing procedures such as Toxicity Identification Evaluations (TIEs) are designed to identify a certain toxic substance, or a group of toxic substances within an effluent, which are toxic to aquatic life. This is done by performing a battery of tests in conjunction with detailed analytical chemistry analysis to identify which parameters exceed tolerance limits of aquatic organisms. When the source of the toxicity is identified, further testing is designed to reduce the toxicity of the final effluent. These tests are known as Toxicity Reduction Evaluations (TREs), and involve a battery of tests performed on samples that have been manipulated in various methods in attempts to cause a reduction in toxicity in the final product.