Superfund innovative technology evaluation (site) program evaluation report for antox BTX water screen (BTX immunoassay)

Technical Report · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:5386148

Gerlach, R W; White, R J; O'Leary, N F; Van Emon, J M

The results of a demonstration of a portable immunoassay for the detection of benzene, toluene, and xylene(s) (BTX) are described in the report. Seventy-nine field samples were obtained from monitoring wells at several sites with gasoline contaminated ground water. Sample splits were analyzed on-site by the BTX immunoassay and in the laboratory by gas chromatography (GC) using EPA Method 8020. The BTX immunoassay was rapid and simple to use. It performed well in identifying high level contamination and gasoline contaminated samples having BTX concentrations greater than 100 ppb. It did not fully meet the claims of the developer of identifying contamination levels down to 25 ppb BTX. Two field samples determined by GC to have between 25 and 100 ppb BTX failed to be classified correctly by the immunoassay. Results from quality assurance samples with BTX concentrations of 2.5, 25, and 100 ppb also showed that false negative results would be expected at higher than a 5 percent rate when BTX contamination levels were between 25 and 100 ppb. However, for samples with higher BTX levels, the immunoassay gave excellent results. Two field samples yielded false positive results compared to GC values, but these samples showed signs of low-level gasoline contamination.

• Research Organization: Lockheed Engineering and Sciences Co., Inc., Las Vegas, NV (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5386148
• Report Number(s): PB-93-218337/XAB; CNN: EPA-68-CO-0049
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900* -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
FUELS
GASOLINE
LAWS
LIQUID FUELS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MONITORS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLLUTION LAWS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
US SUPERFUND
WATER POLLUTION MONITORS