was then scraped away and a cutting tool (a flat piece of steel) was inserted beneath the tool, cutting the sample free. Excess debris was blown or wiped off the cutter surface, and the sample was bagged and numbered. The deep core was obtained with a similar device, a hardened steel pipe with 1 cm increments marked on the side to a depth of 15 cm. in cross-section was driven into the soil. The pipe, 30 om” The surrounding soil was then removed, the cutter inserted, and the sample then treated as was the shallow core. Profite samples were obtained using another special tool designed by Wayne Bliss of the EPA. This consisted of a drawer-like sample collector, with the back of the drawer absent, which was inserted into the sidewall of a trench dug to total profile depth. with a depth of 5 cm. The drawer was 10 by 10 em on top, After the drawer was inserted into the soil, a cutter (large putty knife) was inserted as the back of the drawer, severing the sample free. The sample was then removed, bagged and numbered. The next sample was then taken immediately below the previous one, continuing down the groove thus formed until the bottom of the profile had been reached. The trenches used to collect the profiles were dug by hand on most islands. On those islands where deep (greater than 120 em) profiles were required, a backhoe was landed and used to dig the trenches. Each soil sample collected was placed in a plastic bag, that bag numbered, then placed inside of another plastic bag. The double -bagred sample was then placed in a field pack, with other samples, and transported to the shore where all samples were placed in large plastic bags for transport back to FRED, via’ rubber boat and larger craft. Upon arrival at FRED, the samples were taken to a sample processing area for short-term storage, sample control processes and bag checks (to assure rebagging of those samples whose bags were damaged in transport). 87