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Final Report on the Performance of the Eichrom Technologies Procept® Rapid Dioxin Assay for Soil and Sediment Samples
Citation:
BILLETS, S. Final Report on the Performance of the Eichrom Technologies Procept® Rapid Dioxin Assay for Soil and Sediment Samples. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/540/R-11/002, 2011.
Impact/Purpose:
Conventional analytical methods for determining concentrations of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds are time-consuming and costly. For example, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard methods require solvent extraction of the sample, processing the extract through multiple cleanup columns, and analyzing the cleaned fraction by gas chromatography (GC)/high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Turnaround times for HRMS results are typically three weeks. Use of these traditional methods for high volume sampling or screening a contaminated site often is limited by budgetary constraints. The cost of these analyses can range from $800 to $1,200 per sample, depending on the method selected, the level of quality assurance/quality control incorporated into the analyses, and reporting requirements. The use of a simple, rapid (i.e., real-time or near real-time), cost-effective analytical method would allow field personnel to quickly assess the extent of contamination at a site and could be used to direct or monitor remediation or risk assessment activities. This data could be used to provide immediate feedback on potential health risks associated with the site and permit the development of a more focused and cost-effective sampling strategy.
Description:
A demonstration of screening technologies for determining the presence of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds in soil and sediment was conducted under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program in Saginaw, Michigan in 2004. The objectives of the demonstration included evaluating each participating technology’s accuracy, precision, sensitivity, sample throughput, tendency for matrix effects, and cost. The test also included an assessment of how well the technology’s results compared to those generated by established laboratory methods using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The demonstration objectives were accomplished by evaluating the results generated by each technology from 209 soil, sediment, and extract samples. The test samples included performance evaluation (PE) samples (i.e., contaminant concentrations were certified or the samples were spiked with known contaminants) and environmental samples collected from 10 different sampling locations. The PE and environmental samples were distributed to the technology developers in blind, random order. One of the participants in the original SITE demonstration was Hybrizyme Corporation, which demonstrated the use of the AhRC PCR™ Kit. The AhRC PCR™ Kit was a technology that reported the concentration of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) binding compounds in a sample, with units reported as Aryl hydrocarbon receptor Binding Units (AhRBU). At the time of the original demonstration, this particular technology was intended for use as a screening tool to rank samples from those inducing the greatest AhR activity to those inducing the least AhR activity rather than to provide highly quantitative dioxin concentration in units of toxic equivalents (TEQ). After the SITE Dioxin demonstration, this technology was exclusively licensed to Eichrom Technologies. Eichrom focused its efforts on developing optimal sample preparation procedures for the assay and reporting bioanalytical equivalent (BEQ) values instead of AhRBU. BEQ takes into account the response factors for dioxin-like compounds and involves site-specific calibration, whereas AhRBU units represent the analytical output uncorrected for site-specific factors. The technology is now marketed under the trade name Procept® Rapid Dioxin Assay.