New Hydrocarbon Test Methods Submitted to U.S. EPA SW-846 ProgramNew Organic Monitoring Techniques
Oral Presentation
Prepared by S. Greason
Sitelab Corporation, 86 Coffin Street, West Newbury, MA, 01985, United States
Contact Information: [email protected]; 978-363-2299
ABSTRACT
In 2024, Sitelab Corporation submitted five new methods for measuring hydrocarbons using Ultraviolet Fluorescence (UVF) instrumentation for approval in U.S. EPA's SW-846 Compendium. The methods provide quick, low cost, quantitative screening results and detect a wide range of petroleum contaminants in soil and water using solvent extraction. Proposed method numbers and names given are below.
8000 Series: Organic Determinative Methods
86xx UVF Determinative - New!
8630 Gasoline Range Organics (GRO)
8640 Diesel Range Organics (DRO)
8650 Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH as GRO+DRO)
8660 Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH, using source oil)
8670 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
These methods were peer reviewed and edited by two industry experts and were created using U.S. EPA's SW-846 Style Guide. The format and boilerplate descriptions used and repeated in many of the sections were taken from these guidelines for consistency with other methods.
Method performance tables listed in each method were developed to meet EPA's Validation and Peer Review of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chemical Methods of Analysis. This includes general fluorescence of hydrocarbons within each method, proficiency sample analysis and correlation to other determinative methods. These methods were written to not show favoritism. Other UVF instruments made by other manufacturers exist and can be used.
This presentation will summarize how UVF technology works, where it's used, method limitations and why getting SW-846 approval will benefit this industry.
