United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Industrial Environmental Research
Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
Research and Development
EPA-600/S8-84-002 Mar. 1984
Project Summary
Sampling and Analysis
Methods for Hazardous
Waste Combustion
Judith C. Harris, Deborah J. Larsen, Carl E. Rechsteiner, and Kathleen E. Thrun
This report is a reference document
that describes sampling and analysis
methods for measuring the hazardous
constituents (as defined in 40 C.F.R.,
Part 261, Appendix VIII) which might
be designated as principal organic haz-
ardous constituents (POHCs) in various
influent and effluent streams of inciner-
ation facilities. The sampling and anal-
ysis methods for these constituents are
described in the text. Also included is a
concise summary sheet for each recom-
mended method which states the name
and number of the method, the types of
samples and specific analytes to which
the method applies, a brief description
of the method, instrument, and oper-
ating conditions, and reference(s) to
more detailed descriptions of the pro-
cedure. Technician-level protocols are
thus incorporated by reference, rather
than by reproduction in this report. In
addition to presenting the methods for
sampling and analysis of POHCs at
these facilities, information concerning
additional sampling and analysis require-
ments, general strategies for preparing
sampling and analysis plans to meet the
regulatory requirements, and guidelines
for reporting and documentation are
discussed.
This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Industrial Environmental He-
search Laboratory, Research Triangle
Park. NC, to announce key findings of
the research project that is fully docu-
mented in a separate report of the same
title (see Project Report ordering Infor-
mation at back).
Discussion
As part of the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act of 1976, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
has proposed regulations for owners and
operators of facilities that treat hazardous
wastes by incineration to ensure that the
incinerators are operated in an environ-
mentally responsible manner. The pri-
mary criterion upon which the operational
specifications are based is the destruction
and removal efficiency (ORE) of the
incinerator. The ORE value, defined in
terms of waste input and stack output
levels of designated principal organic
hazardous constituents (POHCs), must be
equal to or greater than 99.99 percent
according to the performance standards
(§264.343) for hazardous waste inciner-
ation. Additional performance standards
limit the particulate and hydrochloric acid
emissions in the stack gas effluent.
This report reviews the regulatory
requirements for sampling and analysis
activities for hazardous waste incinera-
tion, with emphasis on the data needs for
trial burns (Section III). Subsequent sec-
tions describe the sampling methods
(Section IV), sample preparation methods
(Section V),and analysis methods (Section
VI) appropriate for the various types of
streams, sample media, and analytes
which might be encountered in a trial
burn situation. Section VII describes
general methods which will aid in the
collection of high-quality sampling and
analysis data; it also discus*** the re-
porting and documentation concerns for
the data which are collected during
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sampling and analysis activities at a
hazardous waste incineration facility.
The sampling methods which are pre-
requisite for the analysis of hazardous
waste and incinerator effluents during
trial burns may be required to address a
variety of media. The hazardous waste
prior to incineration may be in the form of
a solid, liquid, slurry, or sludge. Following
combustion, POHCs may be found in
solids (bottom ash, fly ash/ESP catches),
in liquids (scrubber water), or in the stack
gas with its entrained particulate mate-
rial. This report discusses the sampling
methods appropriate to each of the influ-
ent and effluent streams of a hazardous
waste incinerator.
Liquid sampling methods and gaseous
sampling methods are the most important
methods for both routine and trial burn
monitoring. It is expected that most of the
hazardous wastes to be incinerated will
be liquids, sludges, or slurries. Often
these wastes will be contained in drums
following transportation from the gener-
ator to the disposal facility. Such wastes
are amenable to sampling with a Coliwasa
(composite liquid waste sampler).
The overall strategy for hazardous
waste incinerator stack gas effluent char-
acterization, to determine compliance
with the Part 264 performance standards,
is to collect replicate 3 to 6 hours (5-30
dscm) samples of stack exhaust gas, using
a comprehensive sampling train, such as
a modified EPA Method 5 (MM5) train or
the EPA/IERL-RTP Source Assessment
Sampling System (SASS). Either train
provides a sample sufficient for deter-
mination of particulate mass loading,
concentrations of particulate and vapor
phase'organics, concentration of HCI, and
concentrations of particulate and volatile
metals. If the POHCs of interest are
volatile (B.P. < 100°C), the Volatile
Organic Sampling Train (VOST) described
in Appendix F may be necessary.
The overall strategy for the analysis of
the wastes and stack emissions includes
both test procedures to determine the
characteristics of the waste, and ana lysis
procedures (proximate, survey, and di-
rected) to determine the composition of
the waste and related emissions (stack
gas, scrubber water, bottom ash). Both
the preparation and analysis methods
were chosen to be as widely applicable as
possible. The directed and survey ana lysis
procedures were selected to be appropri-
ate to a large number of compounds, and
are not necessarily optimized for each
specific POHC. The primary rationale for
this approach is to minimize the cost of
providing assessments of the levels of
POHCs while meeting the constraints of
the permitting process.
The sampling, sample preparation, and
analysis methods described are primarily
in the form of brief descriptions with
reference to other documents whichl
contain highly detailed method descrip-"
tions. Existing collections of sampling
and analysis methods have not been
directly incorporated into this report but
are incorporated by reference.
The structure of this manual is intended
to permit quick access for the user. Brief
summary descriptions of each sampling,
sample preparation, and analysis method
are grouped at the ends of their respective
chapters. Appendix A provides basic
information (structure, CAS registry
number, molecular weight, melting point,
boiling point, and heat of combustion,
when available) for all compounds listed
in Appendix VIII of the May 20, 1981,
Federal Register. Additional appendices
list specific Appendix VIII compounds with
the appropriate sampling and analysis
methods. Mass spectral analytical ions
for compounds analyzed by GC/MS are
tabulated in report Appendix E.
J. C. Harris, D. J, Larsen, C. E. Rechsteiner, and K. E. Thrun are with Arthur D.
Little, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02140.
Larry D. Johnson is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report, entitled "Sampling and Analysis Methods for Hazardous
Waste Combustion," (Order No. PB 84-155 845; Cost: $32.50, subject to
change) will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
U S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, 1984 — 759-015/7606
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
PS 0000339
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