Citation:

SCHUMACHER, B. A. AND J. H. ZIMMERMAN. VALIDATION OF STANDARD ANALYTICAL PROTOCOL FOR SEMI-VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS. Presented at National Environmental Monitoring Conference, Cambridge, MA, August 20 - 24, 2007.

Impact/Purpose:

The overall objective of this task is to provide the Agency with improved state-of-the-science guidance, strategies, and techniques to more accurately and effectively collect environmental samples. Under this umbrella objective, research is being conducted to: (a) reduce/minimize the loss of VOCs during sample collection, handling, and preservation, (b) collect undisturbed surface sediments so that the effects of recent depositional events (e.g., flooding or dredging) can clearly be delineated as to their influence on the contamination concentrations present downstream (or where the sediments are deposited), and (c) to determine an effective method to effectively and efficiently separate asbestos in soils from the rest of the soil matrix while maintaining the integrity (i.e, no fiber size reduction) of the asbestos fibers.

Description:

There is a growing concern with the potential for terrorist use of chemical weapons to cause civilian harm. In the event of an actual or suspected outdoor release of chemically hazardous material in a large area, the extent of contamination must be determined. This requires a system with the ability to prepare and quickly analyze a large number of contaminated samples for the traditional chemical agents, as well as numerous toxic industrial chemicals. Liquid samples (both aqueous and organic), solid samples (e.g., soil), vapor samples (e.g., air) and mixed state samples, all ranging from household items to deceased animals, may require some level of analyses. To meet this challenge, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) National Homeland Security Research Center, in collaboration with experts from across U.S. EPA and other Federal Agencies, initiated an effort to identify analytical methods for the chemical and biological agents that could be used to respond to a terrorist attack or a homeland security incident. U.S. EPA began development of standard analytical protocols (SAPs) for laboratory identification and measurement of target agents in case of a contamination threat. These methods will be used to help assist in the identification of existing contamination, the effectiveness of decontamination, as well as clearance for the affected population to reoccupy previously contaminated areas. One of the first SAPs developed was for the determination and measurement of the semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). The SAP was based on U.S. EPA SW-846 Methods 3520C, 3535A, 3540C/3541, 3545A, and 3580A for the sample preparation and Method 8270D for analysis. The matrices of concern for these methods include soil/sediment, wipes, and drinking water samples. To address the potential for contamination via air, the air toxic method Task Order 13-A (TO) was selected.

Record Details: