United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Environmental Monitoring
Systems Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
Research and Development
EPA-600/S4-84-035 June 1984
<8€PA Project Summary
Guidelines for Determination of
Laboratory Acceptability for
Analysis of Volatile Organic
Pollutants Collected on
Tenax GC® Adsorbant
W. F. Gutknecht, R. K. M. Jayanty, and J. T. Bursey
This technical assistance document
(TAD) is intended to serve as a guide to
those responsible for evaluating and
selecting a laboratory to perform
sampling and analysis of volatile
organic compounds in the ambient air.
The sampling and analysis techniques
are limited to a discussion of Tenax GC®
adsorbant for collection of pollutants
and gas chromatography/mass
spectrometry (GC/MS) for identifica-
tion and analysis. Tenax GC® was
selected because it is the most widely
used medium for sampling of volatile
organic compounds in ambient air.
However, the techniques presented
here are general enough for use with
other types of solid adsorbants used to
sample for organic compounds and
evaluating a laboratory's ability to
provide valid air sampling data. It is
expected that technical personnel
within regional, state, and local
environmental regulating agencies will
be the primary users of this document.
This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Environmental Monitoring
Systems 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).
Summary
This document has two principal parts.
The first is a discussion of the Tenax GC®
and GC/MS techniques to be used for
analysis of volatile organic pollutants.
The specific analytical procedures
discussed include (1) preparation of
Tenax GC® sample collection devices; (2)
field sampling using Tenax GC® resin; (3)
recovery of the organic compounds from
the Tenax GC®. and (4) qualitative and
quantitative analyses of the compounds
using combined gas chromatography/
mass spectrometry. This technical
presentation is general in nature; that is,
specific details of the methods, for
example, type of GC column or thermal
desorption temperature to be used, are
not presented as the methods are in a
constant state of improvement. The
current literature and experts should be
contacted in order to determine the state-
of-the-art for the Tenax GC® and GC/MS
methods.
The second principal part of this docu-
ment is a generally objective procedure
for evaluating a laboratory's capabilities
to utilize the Tenax GC-» and GC/MS
methods in an acceptable manner. This
laboratory evaluation and selection
protocol has three principal components.
These are:
(1) Preparation and use of perform-
ance evaluation samples for
analysis by the laboratory in
question.
(2) Evaluation of key .personnel
function descriptions and written
standard operating procedures as
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provided by the laboratory in
question.
(3) A systems audit of the laboratory in
question.
This document is not intended to serve
as a single source of information upon
which all judgments concerning a
laboratory's analytical practices can be
made. The first part of the TAD should be
used as an overview document to be
consulted in preparation for a laboratory
evaluation, with the user directed to the
referenced literature or other specific,
detailed information as required. The
second part of the TAD, the evaluation
protocol, has been made as objective as is
reasonable so that it can be used by non-
experts. The document, however, does
not eliminate the need for sound
technical judgment on the part of the
person performing the evaluation. In
general, persons performing a laboratory
evaluation must have a strong technical
background with some specific know-
ledge in instrumental sampling and
analysis techniques. If such persons are
not available, the probability of
performing a successful evaluation will
be reduced and information obtained
inaccurate.
W. F. Gutknecht, R. K. M. Jayanty, and J. T. Bursey are with Research Triangle
Institute, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.
Howard Crist is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report, entitled "Guidelines for Determination of Laboratory
Acceptability for Analysis of Volatile Organic Pollutants Collected on Tenax
GC®Adsorbant," (Order No. PB 84-189 638; Cost: $10.00, 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:
Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
•ti U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE; 1984 — 759-015/772'
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
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