Forums > Social Chat > You're going to be working with soil samples

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Sir_Sheepold hand
725 posts
Location: Chester, UK


Posted:
I'm going for my new job tomorrow. All I know is that I shall be working with soil samples. Naively, at first, I just thought this meant playing around with mud - great fun! But...it is a water company I'll be working for and the idea has been suggested that I could infact be working with sewage.

So, you may choose only one.

Does 'You're going to be working with soil samples' mean

Spoiling Christmas for small children since 2003.


JauntyJamesSILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,533 posts
Location: Hampshire College, MA, USA


Posted:
i enjoy mud, and if it's poo, you can pretend its mud and bring clothespins for your nose

-James

"How do you know if you're happy or sad without a mask? Or angry? Or ready for dessert?"


SkulduggeryGOLD Member
Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
8,428 posts
Location: Wales


Posted:
Poo isn't so bad! I used to test pig slurry for microbes. You get used to it. hug

Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!


BirdGOLD Member
now available in "advanced"
6,086 posts
Location: Cornwall, United Kingdom


Posted:
I talk censored a lot of the time, does that count??

I'm sure they refer to working with mud though! hug

My state of mind is not yours to define!

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."


SkulduggeryGOLD Member
Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
8,428 posts
Location: Wales


Posted:
What is mud after all if its not just broken down poo!?

Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!


Dr_MollyPooh-Bah
2,354 posts
Location: Away from home


Posted:
water companies have lots of mud at the bottom of their pondy things smile
it's got a funny long german name that I can't remember
*oo, looked it up it's schmutzdecke - good word!*
and there are larvae that live in it and turn into chironomids (non-bitey midges) which is why I know so much about such things.

did they tell you anything about what you're going to be doing with your samples?

BirgitBRONZE Member
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)


Posted:
hehehe... actually you can spin the chironomid larvae at about 20,000 rpm in the centrifuge (in sewage samples!) and they'll survive! My friend does sewage analyses, it's not that bad at all biggrin

"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)

Owner of Dragosani's left half


Dr_MollyPooh-Bah
2,354 posts
Location: Away from home


Posted:
You didn't appreciate my funky German word Birgit! I feel cheated.

Maybe we should take our midgies and that centrifuge off to one corner and not geek up the poor thread wink

linden rathenGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
6,942 posts
Location: London, UK


Posted:
could be worse at least there wasnt an "ed" at the end of soil :P and samples arnt going to be that big - just buy so industrial strength air freshner

back


StoneGOLD Member
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
There's money in mud.

(old farmer saying)

wink

If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
See, soil is this stuff that you find on the ground.

STOOL is....something different. Although soiling one's pants is a term for stooling in one's pants, I think they would have probably made it more clear.

However, the old raver trick of the vick's vapo-rub in the dustmask is a great way of hiding the smell of stool if you ever have to work with it. That or invest in some lavendar oil or peppermint oil and spread that in the onside of a dustmask.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


polytheneveteran
1,359 posts
Location: London/ Surrey


Posted:
I reckon you could be having to deal with either or both, depending if you're testing samples from treatment/purification sites or from reservoir sites.

I know we never trusted our lecturers when next weeks samples sounded innocent...

Ah, microbiology, in all its smelly, underpaid glory biggrin

The optimist claims that we are living in the best of all possible worlds.
The pessimist fears this is true.

Always make time to play in the snow.


GelflingBRONZE Member
Watcher of 80s cartoons
665 posts
Location: Chepstow & Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
Either way sounds great - used love watching activated sludge -sigh...

And soil sampling is great and the analyses is great (presuming the equipment work - bad ICP ES machine - grrrr - better use the AA and look at each metal separately - 10x previous workload). In the interview check out their resources - if they have a reliable ICP ES machine go for it and enjoy watching argon plasma.

>What do you think about the state of the Earth?
>I'm optimistic.
>So why do you look so sad?
>I'm not sure that my optimism is justified.


NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
Written by: •L•I•G•H•T•N•I•N•G•


However, the old raver trick of the vick's vapo-rub in the dustmask is a great way of hiding the smell of stool if you ever have to work with it. That or invest in some lavendar oil or peppermint oil and spread that in the onside of a dustmask.




Hrmmm... the image of Sir Sheep as a Candy Raver up to her knees in poo. Not sure which part of that is more troubling.

ubblol

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


Sir_Sheepold hand
725 posts
Location: Chester, UK


Posted:
Thanks for all your input guys. It turns out it is mud I'm working with. Yay! mud!

And that is a very scary image NYC. I've perviously been ankle deep in puppy poo, but never knee deep.

Spoiling Christmas for small children since 2003.


linden rathenGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
6,942 posts
Location: London, UK


Posted:
lol your welcome
so whatcha doing with the soil?

back


Sir_Sheepold hand
725 posts
Location: Chester, UK


Posted:
I *think* I'm working with TPH analysis, I'll ask more questions tomorrow.

Spoiling Christmas for small children since 2003.



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