USGS Open-File Report 2008-1139: Leachate Geochemical Results for Ash and Burned Soil Samples from the October 2007 Southern California Wildfires

Overview

This report is the second release of leachate geochemical data included as part of a multidisciplinary study of ash and burned soil samples from the October 2007 wildfires in southern California. Geochemical data for the first set of samples were released in an Open-File Report (Plumlee and others, 2007). This study is a continuation of that work.

The objectives of this leaching study are to aid in understanding the interactions of ash and burned soil with rainfall. For this study, 12 samples collected in early November 2007 were leached using the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Field Leach Test (FLT). Following leaching, sub-samples of the leachate were analyzed for pH and specific conductance. The leachate was then filtered, and aliquots were preserved for geochemical analysis. This report presents leachate geochemical data for pH, specific conductance, alkalinity, anions using ion chromatography (I.C.), cations using inductively coupled plasma—atomic mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and mercury by continuous flow injection—cold vapor—atomic fluorescence (CVAFS).

Leachate Geochemical Results for Ash and Burned Soil Samples from the October 2007 Southern California Wildfires

By Philip L. Hageman, Geoffrey S. Plumlee, Deborah A. Martin, Todd M. Hoefen, Gregory P. Meeker, Monique Adams, Paul J. Lamothe, and Michael W. Anthony

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