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ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT - RAPID ASSAY SYSTEM FOR PCB ANALYSIS - STRATEGIC DIAGNOSTICS INC.
Citation:
Dindal, A. B., C. K. Bayne, AND R. A. Jenkins. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT - RAPID ASSAY SYSTEM FOR PCB ANALYSIS - STRATEGIC DIAGNOSTICS INC. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-98/111 (NTIS PB2001-100490), 1998.
Description:
In July 1997, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted a demonstration of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) field analytical techniques. The demonstration design was subjected to extensive review and comment by EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Environmental Sciences Division in Las Vegas, Nevada; Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL); EPA Regional Offices; the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE); and the technology developers. The demonstration study was conducted at ORNL under two sets of environmental conditions.
The reference laboratory method used to evaluate the comparability of data was EPA SW-846 Method 8081. The field analytical technologies tested in this demonstration were the L2000 PCB/Chloride Analyzer, the PCB Immunoassy Kit, the 4100 Vapor Detector, and three immunoassay kits: D Tech, EnviroGard, and RaPID Assay System. The RaPID Assay system is a field portable instrument that applies the principles of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to the determination of PCBs. The raPID Assay System"s quantitative results were based on initial calibrations. The data of the extract samples were highly correlated with the reference laboratory.
The demonstration found that the RaPID Assay System was light, easily transportable, and rugged, requiring about one hour for initial setup and preparation for sample analysis. Once operational, the sample throughput of the RaPID Assay System was 10 to 1 samples/h. Three operators analyzed samples during the demonstration, but the technology can be run by a single operator. Minimal training (2 to 4 h) is required to operate the RaPID Assay System, provided the user has a fundamental understanding of basic chemical and field analytical techniques. No terms of the accuracy of the measurements; however, the significant (but comparable to the best case precision of the reference laboratory) site effect for precision should be considered when using this technology. Overall, the performance of the RaPiD Assay System was characterized as slightly biased and precise, under a given set of environmental conditions.