Geoklock imports a second high-resolution MIP for soil investigation

This high-cost tool was made in the US by Geoprobe. It enables accurate and fast assessments, with unprecedented cost-efficiency.

Geoklock, an environmental engineering and consultancy company, imported its second membrane interface probe. The MIP is a high-resolution tool that can significantly shorten the time required for the investigation of soil impact, providing streamlined and accurate results. According to Amauri Rodrigues Junior, Environmental Assessment director at Geoklock, the MIP enables immediate assessments, at the location. “What used to take 15 to 60 days and required laboratory analyses can now be achieved in a day or two,” he explained. This shorter schedule can be very interesting for someone interested in buying an area where an industrial facility was formerly installed, or where wastes were handled, for instance.

“This equipment allows us to detect an issue and suggest a solution. We can even estimate the costs associated with the remediation of the problem,” added Rodrigues. In addition to all of that, MIP also minimizes errors. Geoklock’s CEO Rubens Spina explained that this technology has only been available in the market for 5 years, and that acquiring it has high costs: “We are the only company in the environmental engineering and consultancy field in Brazil to have this equipment. We have two MIP units. This enables us to identify organic compounds, volatile compounds and oils very quickly, because we work practically in real time.”

Rodrigues informed that the equipment conducts analyses at every 1.5 centimeter of drilled soil, which ensures precise assessments. “We can also use it to check soil permeability and map the eventual pathway of a given pollutant. Understanding the mobility of chemical compounds is important in defining the solution for a problem, since the solution must consider how far the contaminants have reached.” Spina explained that while the costs for the use of such technologies may seem high at first, end results demonstrate significant benefits for clients both in speed and efficiency when compared to traditional assessments.

“This equipment is state-of-the-art worldwide and enables more assertive decisions. In just a couple of days we can provide a full report for a 5- or 6-thousand-square-meter area. This can be determining for the success of a new project, because it enables a very swift decision-making process on the acquisition of a site, or on what will be required to solve a problem.”

By using this tool, Geoklock can detect soil impacts with benzene, gasoline, paint, oil, grease, chromium and lead, among other organic and volatile chemicals. “This equipment provides more accurate assessments, since error margins are significantly minimized,” added Amauri Rodrigues Junior.