Accession Number:

ADA280972

Title:

Losses of Trichloroethylene from Soil during Sample Collection, Storage and Laboratory Handling

Descriptive Note:

Special rept.

Corporate Author:

COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER NH

Personal Author(s):

• Hewitt, Alan D.

Report Date:

1994-04-01

Pagination or Media Count:

13.0

Abstract:

The losses of trichloroethylene TCE from soil samples transferred to and from a storage bottle were evaluated by comparing them to values obtained using a method that limits sample disruption and exposure and prevents vapor losses from a subsample after a single transfer step. The results strongly suggest that volatile organic compounds VOCs are readily lost from contaminated soils when care is not taken to limit surface area exposure and prevent vapor loss. For this site investigation and others using similar sample handling protocols, VOC losses are most abundant during field collection operations and storage. The magnitude of the VOC losses during these two steps far exceeds those anticipated when a subsample is transferred from these storage bottles prior to off-site laboratory analysis. Sample collection, Trichloroethylene, Soil samples, Volatile organic compounds.

Descriptors:

• *SOILS
• *SAMPLING
• *LOSSES
• *HANDLING
• *TRICHLOROETHYLENE
• *COLLECTION
• *STORAGE
• VAPORS
• BOTTLES
• ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
• TRANSFER
• LABORATORIES
• VOLATILITY
• SITES
• SURFACES

Subject Categories:

• Organic Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Soil Mechanics
• Test Facilities, Equipment and Methods

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE