Circular No. 33/2011/TT-BTNMT on the technical procedures for environmental monitoring of soil

CIRCULAR

TECHNICAL PROCEDURE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING OF SOIL

Pursuant to Decree No. 25/2008/NĐ-CP dated March 4, 2008 of the Government on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, amended and supplemented by Decree No. 19/2010/NĐ-CP dated March 8, 2010 and Decree No. 89/2010/NĐ-CP dated August 16, 2010;

Pursuant to the Government Decree No. 102/2008/NĐ-CP, September 15, 2008, on the collection, management, exploitation, and utilization of data on natural resources and the environment;

Pursuant to Decision No. 16/2007/QĐ-TTg dated January 29, 2007 of the Prime Minister approving the overall planning of the national environmental monitoring network until 2020;

Considering the proposal of the General Director of the Environmental Administration, the Head of the Science and Technology Department, and the Head of the Legal Affairs Department,

c) Enterprises may be granted permission for no more than one block out of the total three dual-frequency blocks (FDD) B

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular stipulates the technical procedures for environmental monitoring of soil, including: determining the objectives of monitoring, designing the monitoring program, and implementing the monitoring program.

Article 2. Applicability

This Circular applies to the following subjects:

1. Central and local state management agencies on the environment; stations and centers for environmental monitoring belonging to the national environmental monitoring network and the local environmental monitoring network;

2. Organizations with functions and tasks related to environmental monitoring activities and environmental monitoring service activities for submitting reports and data to central and local state management agencies on the environment.

Article 3. Principles for applying standards and methods

1. The application of standards and referenced methods must comply with the monitoring and analysis standards and methods prescribed in Chapter II of this Circular;

2. In cases where the monitoring and analysis standards and methods prescribed in Chapter II of this Circular are revised, supplemented, or replaced, the new standards and methods shall be applied.

Chapter II
TECHNICAL PROCEDURE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING OF SOIL

Article 4. Monitoring Objectives

The basic objectives in environmental monitoring of soil are:

1. Assessing the current status of the soil environment;

2. Determining trends, changes, warning risks of pollution, degradation, and environmental incidents;

3. Serving as a basis for policy formulation, pollution control, planning, land use for sustainable development (economic, social, and environmental);

4. Meeting other requirements of national, regional, and local environmental management work.

Article 5. Designing the Monitoring Program

After design, the monitoring program must be approved or accepted in writing by the competent authority or the agency managing the monitoring program. The design of the specific environmental monitoring program of soil is as follows:

1. Type of Monitoring

Based on the monitoring objectives, when designing the monitoring program, it is necessary to determine whether the type of monitoring is background environmental monitoring or impact environmental monitoring.

2. Monitoring Location and Position

a) To accurately determine the monitoring locations and positions, a field survey must be conducted beforehand;

b) The determination of monitoring locations and positions for soil environments depends on the general objectives and specific conditions of each monitoring position;

c) The scale of the soil environment monitoring position depends on the spatial and temporal sampling density and varies according to different types of soil. Monitoring positions are usually located at the center and around the border areas;

d) Soil environment monitoring positions are selected based on the principle of representativeness (terrain, soil group, land use type...) and must ensure the long-term nature of the monitoring position;

đ) Soil environment monitoring positions are chosen in places where the soil is primarily affected such as: regions with a risk of combined pollution (industrial waste, urban areas, downstream of urban waterways); regions with low natural fertility; intensively cultivated agricultural regions; regions at risk of salinization and acidification; sloping regions at risk of degradation due to erosion and runoff; desertification and selecting a few unaffected locations with similar conditions for comparison and evaluation.

3. Monitoring Parameters

a) The location of the monitoring site must be considered as residential, production area, type of production, or emission sources to select characteristic and representative parameters for the monitoring site;

b) For background environmental monitoring: the selected monitoring parameters should reflect all the characteristic factors of the soil environment on three aspects: current status, processes, and factors affecting those processes;

c) For impact environmental monitoring: the monitoring parameters are specific to each type and have designated characteristics;

d) Based on the nature of the parameter, they are divided into two main groups: slowly changing parameters and rapidly changing parameters:

- Slowly changing parameters include: mechanical composition, cation exchange capacity, organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium;

- Rapidly changing parameters include: exchangeable cations, dissolved ions, toxic substances, residual fertilizers, pesticides, etc.;

đ) The selection of soil environmental monitoring parameters is based on the objectives of the soil environmental monitoring program. If it is the first time conducting soil environmental monitoring, it is necessary to analyze all common physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil;

e) Common monitoring parameters for soil environments are:

- Physical parameters

+ Mechanical composition;

+ Soil structure (water stable aggregates);

+ Moisture characteristics (maximum water holding capacity, permanent wilting point);

+ Porosity, bulk density, specific gravity;

+ Permeability and degree of permeability;

- Chemical parameters

+ pH (H₂O, KCl);

+ Redox potential (Eh or ORP);

+ Total N, P, K;

+ Organic matter;

+ Available P, K;

+ Exchangeable cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, Na⁺);

+ Cation exchange capacity (CEC);

+ Base saturation (BS% = (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ + K⁺ + Na⁺) x 100/CEC);

+ Electrical conductivity, total soluble salts;

+ HCO₃^- (only for saline soils);

+ Anions (Cl^‑, S₄^2- );

+ Percentage of exchangeable Na; (ESP = %Na x 100/CEC);

+ Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR=1,41Na/(Ca+Mg)^0,5);

Bank D: 48 billion VND (at 4.7%/year).₄⁺), nitrite (NO₃^-;

+ Heavy metals: Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, As, Hg, Cr;

+ Residual pesticides (insecticides, herbicides).

- Biological parameters

+ Total microorganisms in soil;

+ Bacteria;

+ Fungi;

+ Earthworms.

In addition to these parameters, other parameters may be considered and added according to the expert's instructions to meet the research objectives.

4. Monitoring Time and Frequency

The determination of monitoring time and frequency is as follows:

a) The time for soil environmental monitoring must be selected appropriately in accordance with the monitoring objectives, type of monitoring, and ensure that soil environmental monitoring is not obstructed by external factors;

b) Based on the objectives of the monitoring program and the cycle of changes in concentration levels, the frequency of soil environmental monitoring shall be as follows:

- For parameters that change slowly: at least once every 3-5 years;

- For parameters that change rapidly: at least once per year.

5. Develop a Monitoring Plan

A monitoring plan shall be developed based on the monitoring program, including the following contents:

a) List of personnel responsible for monitoring and assignment of tasks to each participating staff member;

b) List of organizations and individuals participating and cooperating in environmental monitoring (if any);

c) List of field monitoring equipment, tools, chemicals, and laboratory analysis equipment;

d) Safety equipment and measures to ensure safe labor during environmental monitoring activities;

đ) Types of samples to be collected, sample volume, and sample retention time;

e) Laboratory analysis methods;

g) Budget for implementing environmental monitoring;

h) Plan to ensure quality and quality control in environmental monitoring.

Article 6. Implementation of the Monitoring Program

The organization and implementation of the monitoring program include the following tasks:

1. Preparation work before going to the field

Before conducting monitoring, the following preparatory work should be carried out:

a) Prepare documents, maps, diagrams, and general information about the area where sampling will take place;

b) Monitor weather conditions and weather trends;

c) Prepare necessary tools and equipment; check, clean, and calibrate the sampling, measuring, and testing devices and tools before going to the field;

d) Prepare chemicals, materials, and tools needed for sampling and sample preservation;

đ) Prepare sample labels, forms, observation logs, and analysis records according to regulations;

e) Prepare means of transportation and support for sampling activities and sample transport;

g) Prepare safety equipment and ensure labor safety;

h) Prepare funding and personnel for monitoring;

i) Prepare accommodation for staff working for extended periods;

k) Prepare other related documents and forms.

2. Sampling and Measurement at the Field Site

a) Conduct soil sampling

Soil sampling methods at the field site shall follow the current standards specified in Table 1 below:

Table 1. Soil Sampling Methods at the Field Site

At one monitoring point: collect one main sample and four auxiliary samples from surrounding locations (considering the same plot of land, field, or research area as uniform):

+ Main Sample: collect through cross-sections at two soil layers (depending on the shape of the soil profile, it can reach up to 30 cm deep for the surface layer and 30-60 cm deep for the adjacent layer) of five single samples mixed evenly;

+ Auxiliary Samples: collect the surface layer up to 30 cm deep of single samples mixed evenly.

- For soil profiles: soil sampling and description according to the profile (including descriptions and identification of soil types) must be conducted by soil science experts, with the depth of the sampled layer varying depending on the type of soil;

- For depleted soils, collect samples from depths of 0-15 cm in the surface layer and 15-40 cm in the second layer based on each monitoring point;

- For soils contaminated with acid sulfate, salinity, or heavy metals, sampling must be done along the profile to assess and compare. Depending on the monitoring objectives, the depth of sampling along the profile ranges from 0-150 cm. The number of layers sampled depends on the specific stratification throughout the profile, which may involve up to 4-5 layers within one profile;

- The amount of soil sample required for chemical analysis is at least 500 grams of soil. Reference material samples or samples stored in a soil sample bank must have a weight greater than 2000 grams;

- When collecting soil samples containing large materials (gravel, organic debris, etc.) due to heterogeneous soil conditions or oversized particles, these materials must be described, weighed, or estimated, recorded to allow evaluation of analytical results related to the original sample structure.

b) Measurement at the Field Site

- On-site measurement: Eh or ORP, EC, pH, salinity... must be directly measured outside the field according to the requirements of each monitoring objective, following procedures similar to laboratory measurements;

- Collection of samples for on-site measurement: similar to collection of samples for laboratory analysis, following the current standards specified in Table 1.

c) Quality assurance and quality control work at the field site shall be carried out in accordance with the guidelines and regulations of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment regarding quality assurance and quality control in environmental monitoring.

3. Preservation and Transport of Soil Samples

a) Soil samples shall be preserved in specialized sample containers or clean polyethylene bags, sample labels must be placed in polyethylene bags to ensure they do not smudge due to water seepage, then tightly sealed with rubber bands, packed in sample boxes, and transported to the laboratory using appropriate means of transport;

b) For biological parameters requiring fresh sample analysis, special preservation procedures must be followed. Soil samples must be kept cold at 2-5°C and avoid contact with air. Soil samples after collection should be transferred to the laboratory and analyzed as soon as possible.^°Preserve sample C and avoid exposure to air. The soil sample, once collected, needs to be transferred to the laboratory for analysis as soon as possible.

4. Laboratory Analysis

a) Based on the laboratory's capacity, the analysis of parameters must follow one of the methods specified in Table 2 below:

Table 2. Laboratory Analysis Methods for Parameters

b) When there are no national standards to determine the values of the parameters specified in Table 2 of this Circular, international standards as specified in Table 2 or other international standards with equivalent or higher accuracy shall be applied;

c) Quality assurance and quality control activities in the laboratory shall be carried out in accordance with the guidelines and regulations issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on quality assurance and quality control in environmental monitoring.

5. Data processing and reporting

a) Data processing

- Data verification: comprehensive review of the rationality of the monitoring and analysis data. Verification is based on sample documentation (field sampling records, sample transfer records, field measurement results, laboratory analysis records, etc.), quality control sample data (blank samples, replicate samples, standard samples, etc.);

- Statistical processing: based on the number of samples and the content of the report, statistical processing may employ different methods and software but must include minimum descriptive statistics (minimum value, maximum value, average value, number of values exceeding standards, etc.);

- Commenting on data: commenting on data must be based on processed, verified monitoring and analysis results and relevant technical standards and norms.

b) Reporting

After completing the monitoring program, the monitoring results report must be prepared and submitted to the competent state authority as prescribed.

Chapter III
IMPLEMENTATION

Article 7. Implementation Organization

1. The General Department of Environment shall be responsible for guiding, inspecting, and supervising the implementation of this Circular.

2. The Minister, Heads of Ministries, Heads of Governmental Agencies, Chairpersons of People's Committees at all levels, and related organizations and individuals shall be responsible for implementing this Circular.

Article 8. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from September 15, 2011.

2. During the implementation of this Circular, if there are difficulties or obstacles, agencies, organizations, and individuals are requested to reflect them to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (through the General Department of Environment) for timely consideration and resolution./.