VALIDATION OF A NEW SOIL VOC SAMPLER: PERFORMANCE OF THE EN CORE SAMPLER AT -7 C AND -21 C AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE ACCU CORE SUBSURFACE SAMPLING/STORAGE DEVICE FOR VOC ANALYSIS
Soil sampling and storage practices for volatile organic analysis must be designed to minimize loss of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from samples. The En Core{reg_sign} sampler is designed to collect and store soil samples in a manner that minimizes loss of contaminants due to volatilization and/or biodegradation. An ASTM International (ASTM) standard practice, D 6418, Standard Practice for Using the Disposable En Core Sampler for Sampling and Storing Soil for Volatile Organic Analysis, describes use of the En Core sampler to collect and store a soil sample of approximately five grams or 25 grams for volatile organic analysis. Prior to the study described in this report, D 6418 specified sample storage in the En Core sampler at 4 {+-} 2 C for up to 48 hours; at -12 {+-} 2 C for up to 14 days; or at 4 {+-} 2 C for up to 48 hours followed by storage at -12 {+-} 2 C for up to five days to minimize loss of volatile compounds due to volatilization and/or biodegradation. The study described in this report was conducted to evaluate the performance of the disposable En Core sampler to store low concentrations of VOCs in soil at -7 {+-} 1 C and -21 {+-} 2 C. In the study, data on the performance of the En Core sampler to store soils spiked with low-level concentrations of VOCs at 4 {+-} 2 C for 48 hours followed by storage at -7 {+-} 1 C for five days, at -7 {+-} 1 C for 14 days, at 4 {+-} 2 C for 48 hours followed by storage at -21 {+-} 2 C for five days, and at -21 {+-} 2 C for 14 days were generated. Based on these data, a new revision of D 6418 was prepared and balloted in ASTM. The new revision, which was approved on February 1, 2004, now specifies sample storage in the En Core sampler at 4 {+-} 2 C for up to 48 hours; -7 to -21 C for up to 14 days; or 4 {+-} 2 C for up to 48 hours followed by storage at -7 to -21 C for up to five days. The En Core sampler is designed to collect soil samples for VOC analysis at the soil surface. To date, a sampling tool for collecting and storing subsurface soil samples for VOC analysis does not exist. Development of a subsurface VOC sampling/storage device was initiated in 1999. This device, which is called the Accu Core sampler, is designed so that a soil sample can be collected below the surface using a dual-tube penetrometer and transported to the laboratory for analysis in the same container. During the past year, prototype devices have been tested for their performance in storing soil samples containing low concentrations of VOCs. Evaluation of the various Accu Core prototypes and the design selected for additional validation testing are described in this report.
- Research Organization:
- Western Research Institute (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FC26-98FT40323
- OSTI ID:
- 833485
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 1 May 2004
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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