Abstract
Japan has a wide distribution of soil and rocks containing naturally-occurring heavy metals like arsenic. In recent years, cases of construction workers encountering geological features with heavy metals are on the rise. In particular, construction of tunnels involves the excavation of soil and rocks containing heavy metals, and there is a rising demand for environmental solutions to reduce the impact on surrounding sites. Implementing solutions for excavation of heavy metals requires a quantitative analysis of those excavation procedures; such analysis requires a period of several days, over which time considerations could include storage of excavated contents while in transit and prevention of dispersion or outflow of harmful substances when removed. This research demonstrates how the rapid analysis of excavated content onsite and creation of a practical management system based on communications technology could point a way towards improved disposal and care of heavy metal substances.
