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Module 5: Applications of Stable Isotope Analyses: Data Interpretation and Data Quality Issues
Citation:
WILSON, JOHN T. Module 5: Applications of Stable Isotope Analyses: Data Interpretation and Data Quality Issues. Presented at Advanced Tools for In-Situ Remediation, Oakland, CA, October 20, 2010.
Impact/Purpose:
Presentation for the a workshop on Advanced Tools for In-Situ Remediation - (October 20, 2010 – Oakland, CA)
Description:
When organic contaminants such as benzene, TCE or MTBE are degraded, the ratio of the stable isotopes of carbon in the organic contaminants will often change in a predictable fashion. In the last ten years, advances in analytical chemistry have made it possible to measure these changes, even when the organic contaminants are present in water at low concentrations. A determination of the ratio of the stable isotopes can reveal whether the contaminant has been degraded. If the mechanism of degradation is understood, and laboratory studies are available that define the relationship between the extent of degradation of the contaminant and the shift in the ratio of isotopes, it is often possible to estimate the extent of biodegradation of the contaminant. U.S. EPA has released A Guide for Assessing Biodegradation and Source Identification of Organic Ground Water Contaminants using Compound Specific Isotope Analysis (CSIA) [EPA 600/R-08/148 | December 2008 | www.epa.gov/ada]. Data quality issues are discussed in detail in the guide. The presentation will review important issues related to data quality for analysis of stable isotopes, and will provide recommendations for requirements in Quality Assurance Project Plans and Project Statements of Work.
