QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, Safe) Water Slurry Preparation Method for Measuring PCBs in Soil and Sediments
Oral Presentation
Prepared by C. Lytle, J. Biittner, A. Biryukov
City of Portland (OR) Water Pollution Control Laboratory, 6543 N. Burlington Avenue, Portland, OR, 97203, United States
Contact Information: [email protected]; 503-823-5568
ABSTRACT
The City of Portland Water Pollution Control Laboratory (WPC) has validated a water slurry, micro-extraction method for the preparation of soil and sediment samples for subsequent laboratory analysis of PCB Aroclors by electron capture gas chromatography (ECD-GC). The procedure is based on a field method developed in the late 1960s by US EPA Region 1 and later abstracted in the US EPA Field Screening Methods Catalog User’s Guide (EPA/540/2-88/005, September 1988). When adapted to laboratory use and compared to the traditional microwave digestion procedure (EPA 3546, SW-846), the micro-extraction method exhibits comparable recoveries with better precision (+ 4.4% RSD vs. + 8.3% RSD) while realizing a preparation time reduction of 89% and elimination of all solvents used in extraction vessel cleanup. Typical, 10-sample batch vessel cleaning and extraction time is reduced from ~ 3.5 hours to less than 30 minutes with a solvent reduction of ~ 500 mL.
Oral Presentation
Prepared by C. Lytle, J. Biittner, A. Biryukov
City of Portland (OR) Water Pollution Control Laboratory, 6543 N. Burlington Avenue, Portland, OR, 97203, United States
Contact Information: [email protected]; 503-823-5568
ABSTRACT
The City of Portland Water Pollution Control Laboratory (WPC) has validated a water slurry, micro-extraction method for the preparation of soil and sediment samples for subsequent laboratory analysis of PCB Aroclors by electron capture gas chromatography (ECD-GC). The procedure is based on a field method developed in the late 1960s by US EPA Region 1 and later abstracted in the US EPA Field Screening Methods Catalog User’s Guide (EPA/540/2-88/005, September 1988). When adapted to laboratory use and compared to the traditional microwave digestion procedure (EPA 3546, SW-846), the micro-extraction method exhibits comparable recoveries with better precision (+ 4.4% RSD vs. + 8.3% RSD) while realizing a preparation time reduction of 89% and elimination of all solvents used in extraction vessel cleanup. Typical, 10-sample batch vessel cleaning and extraction time is reduced from ~ 3.5 hours to less than 30 minutes with a solvent reduction of ~ 500 mL.
