Approaches to Optimize Volatiles Analysis per EPA Method 8260
Poster Presentation
Prepared by C. Marvin
Agilent Technologies, Inc., 2850 Centerville Road, Wlimington, DE, 19711, United States
Contact Information: craig_marvin@agilent.com; 302-636-8423
ABSTRACT
Measuring volatile organic contaminants (VOCs) is critically important to protecting natural waters. As part of the SW-846 compendium of methods, US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Method 8260 defines parameters for analyzing VOCs in wastewater by purge-and-trap and GC/MS.
In today’s market laboratories look to reduce operating cost, improve operational efficiency, and increase sample throughput. Continued analysis of wastewater matrices increases frequency of source cleaning; a process that takes a system out of production thereby reducing throughput. To reduce cost of operation, laboratories consider the use of alternate purge and carrier gases to reduce cost of system operation. These changes require recalibration of, and perhaps revalidation of, a system to meet performance criteria specified by the EPA Method 8260.
This work will review optimization of system performance, maintenance of source cleanliness and reduction of operating expense through the use of a Self-Cleaning Ion Source; Helium Conservation Module with the Agilent 5977A Single Quadrupole MS with Extractor Source.
Poster Presentation
Prepared by C. Marvin
Agilent Technologies, Inc., 2850 Centerville Road, Wlimington, DE, 19711, United States
Contact Information: craig_marvin@agilent.com; 302-636-8423
ABSTRACT
Measuring volatile organic contaminants (VOCs) is critically important to protecting natural waters. As part of the SW-846 compendium of methods, US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Method 8260 defines parameters for analyzing VOCs in wastewater by purge-and-trap and GC/MS.
In today’s market laboratories look to reduce operating cost, improve operational efficiency, and increase sample throughput. Continued analysis of wastewater matrices increases frequency of source cleaning; a process that takes a system out of production thereby reducing throughput. To reduce cost of operation, laboratories consider the use of alternate purge and carrier gases to reduce cost of system operation. These changes require recalibration of, and perhaps revalidation of, a system to meet performance criteria specified by the EPA Method 8260.
This work will review optimization of system performance, maintenance of source cleanliness and reduction of operating expense through the use of a Self-Cleaning Ion Source; Helium Conservation Module with the Agilent 5977A Single Quadrupole MS with Extractor Source.
