Environmental Science: Chemistry / Forensics

A box full of data has little value unless properly interpreted. Our clients often ask "how much of the problem is ours?" and "what are other sources?" Our scientists use a variety of forensic methods to answer these and other questions.

Gradient's tools include chemical fingerprinting and statistical techniques to differentiate sources, define release timing, and predict weathering for constituents such as petroleum hydrocarbons, tars, PAHs, PCBs, dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs, and solvents. Our fate and transport modeling skills are often a useful adjunct to fingerprinting for source differentiation and release timing. We have even used "garbology" methods to understand timing and content. Communicating our results clearly in ways that clients, agencies, the public, and the courts can understand is our hallmark and is especially important for forensic analysis.

Example Projects