Performance evaluation of a thermal desorption/gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric method for the characterization of waste tank headspace samples
Journal Article
·
· Environmental Science and Technology
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
A thermal desorption/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD/GC/MS) method was validated for the determination of volatile organic compounds collected on carbonaceous triple sorbent traps and applied to characterize samples of headspace gases collected from underground nuclear waste storage tanks at the U.S. Department of Energy`s Hanford site, in Richland, WA. Method validation used vapor-phase standards generated from 25 target analytes, including alkanes, alkyl alcohols, alkyl ketones, alkylated aromatics, and alkyl nitriles. The target analytes represent a group of compounds identified in one of the most problematic tanks. TD/GC/MS was carried out with modified injectors. Performance was characterized based on desorption efficiency, reproducibility, stability, and linearity of the calibration, method detection limits, preanalytical holding time, and quality control limits for surrogate standard recoveries. Desorption efficiencies were all greater than 82%, and the majority of the analytes (23 out of 25) had reproducibility values less than 24% near the method detection levels. The method was applied to the analysis of a total of 305 samples collected from the headspaces of 48 underground waste storge tanks. Quality control procedures were implemented to monitor sampling and TD/GC/MS method. 33 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-96OR22464
- OSTI ID:
- 484491
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Science and Technology, Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 31; ISSN 0013-936X; ISSN ESTHAG
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Characterization of volatile organic compounds by thermal desorption/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
32-week holding-time study of SUMMA polished canisters and triple sorbent traps used to sample organic constituents in radioactive waste tank vapor headspace
Triple sorbent thermal desorption/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry determination of vapor phase organic contaminants
Conference
·
Sat Dec 30 23:00:00 EST 1995
·
OSTI ID:210677
32-week holding-time study of SUMMA polished canisters and triple sorbent traps used to sample organic constituents in radioactive waste tank vapor headspace
Journal Article
·
Sat Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1998
· Environmental Science and Technology
·
OSTI ID:323759
Triple sorbent thermal desorption/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry determination of vapor phase organic contaminants
Book
·
Fri Dec 30 23:00:00 EST 1994
·
OSTI ID:197317