Man sits on a cooler holding a bottle of clear liquid and a syringe

CSS supports the Environmental Protection Agency with assessing contamination within abandoned mines. There are thousands of abandoned mines throughout the western United States. Many of these mines are leaching heavy metals into nearby streams or have contaminated soils causing vegetation die off.  

CSS employee owners conduct field work to assess the extent of this contamination. During field excursions, staff collect soil and water samples and characterize the extent of contamination. The team analyzes sample on site and in the laboratory for heavy metals. This information informs remediation plans for contaminated sites.

Feature image credit: Peter Robbins, Unsplash

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Atmospheric Processing System Support

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Assisting South Carolina Marine Mammal Stranding Network

CSS employee owner and Marine Mammal Microplastic Specialist supporting NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science assists the South Carolina Marine Mammal Stranding Network in responding to dead marine mammals when they strand on beaches or estuaries throughout South Carolina. This is work is critical for human and environmental health because it provides invaluable samples…

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Continued Analysis of Contaminants from East Palestine Train Derailment

In February 2023, a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio spilling chemicals that contaminated surrounding soil, water, and the air. Several Portable High-throughput Integrated Laboratory Identification Systems (PHILIS) – the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) suite of mobile laboratories designed to provide on-site analysis of chemical agents – and staff were mobilized to the site following the accident to conduct analysis of various contaminated media. The CSS…