vvEPA

United States

Environmental Protection Agency

^ Office of

13J Research and Development

The Children's Total Exposure to Persistent
Pesticides and Other Persistent Organic
Pollutants (CTEPP) Study

Collection of Soil Samples for Persistent

Organic Pollutants

Title: Collection of Soil Samples for Persistent Organic Pollutants
Source: Battelle

Notice: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through its Office of Research and Development (ORD), partially funded
and collaborated in the research described here. This protocol is part of the Quality Systems Implementation Plan (QSIP)
that was reviewed by the EPA and approved for use in this demonstration/scophg study. Mention of trade names or
commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendatbn by EPA for use.

Battelle

Columbus, OH 43201
Contract No. 68-D-99-011

Standard Operating Procedure

CTEPP-SOP-2.20

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
Human Exposure & Atmospheric Sciences Division
Exposure Measurements & Analysis Branch


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CTEPP 2.20
Version#: 1
Date: October 5, 1999
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STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (SOP)
FOR THE COLLECTION OF SOIL SAMPLES
FOR PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS

Prepared by:		Date:

Reviewed by:		Date:

Approved by:		Date:

Approved by:		Date:

Approved by:		Date:

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CTEPP 2.20
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1.0 Scope and Applicability

This standard operating procedure (SOP) describes the method for collecting soil samples
from a child's outdoor play area to measure for persistent organic pollutants (POP).

2.0 Summary of Method

Soil samples will be collected by scraping up the top 0.5 cm of soil in a 0.095 m2 (1 ft2)
area in the middle of the child's play area.

3.0	Definition

3.1	Per sist ent Org anic P ollutants: semi-vo latile or ganic chemic als ( SVO C) and no n-vo latile
organic chemicals (NVOC).

4.0	Cautions

4.1	Field staff will wear latex gloves when collecting the soil samples.

5.0	Responsibilities

5.1	The field teams will be responsible for implementing the appropriate QA/QC action plans
for field blanks. The field teams will also be responsible for packaging the soil sample jars
for transfer to Baltelle Columbus Laboratory in Ohio.

5.2	The field teams will be responsible for generating the Chain-of-Custody form for each
sample, and for shipping these with the samples to Battelle Columbus Laboratory.

6.0	Apparat us and M aterials

6.1	Materials

6.1.1	Glass sample j ar

6.1.2	Scrape (putty) knife

6.1.3	House/Building Characteristics Observation Survey (Form #2 or #3)

6.1.4	Large (15" x 15") lint-free laboratory tissue (example: Kimwipes, available from
Kimberly-Clarke Corp., Roswell, GA 30076)

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6.1.5	Disposal latex gloves

6.1.6	Blue ice

7.0	Procedures

7.1	Confirm with the parent or day care center teacher about the child's outdoor play area.

7.2	Scrape up the top 0.5 cm of soil in an 0.095 m2 (1 ft2) area in the middle of the child's play
area.

7.3	Use the scraping (putty) knife to pick up the soil sample and put it in the glass jar.

7.4	Store the glass jar in a cooler with blue ice until it is returned to the laboratory. At the
laboratory, store the jar in a freezer at<-10°C.

7.5	Ship the jar by cooler with dry ice to Battelle Columbus Laboratory by FedEx.

7.6	In the event that there is no bare dirt or soil in the child's play area (e.g., only grass),
collect the sample from the area around the house (e.g., sidewalk, driveway, garden).

[Note: Also make notes about no bare dirt or soil was in the child's play area.]

8.0	Records

8.1	The sampling location will be recorded in the Field Notebook.

8.2	A Chain-of-Custody record will be used to document the sample collection and shipping.

9.0	Quality Control and Quality Assurance

9.1	The Field Notebooks will be reviewed and verified by the Field QA Officer, the Field Team
Leader, and the Task Order Leader through internal field audits and quality control audits.

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10.0	References

10.1	R. G. Lewis, R. C. Fortmann, and D. E. Camann, "Evaluation of Methods for the
Monitoring of the Potential Exposure of Small Children to Pesticides in the Residential
Environment." Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol., 26, 37-46 (1994). HIPES study.

10.2	J. C. Chuang, P. J. Callahan, R. G. Menton, S. M. Gordon, R. G. Lewis, andN. K. Wilson,
"Monitoring Methods for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and their Distribution in
House Dust and Track-In Soil." Environ. Sci.Technol., 29, 494-500 (1995).

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