Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/11681/12218
Title: Decontaminating materials used in groundwater sampling devices
Authors: Science and Technology Corporation (Hampton, Va.)
U.S. Army Environmental Center
Parker, L. V. (Louise V.)
Ranney, Thomas A.
Keywords: Cleaning
Decontamination
Groundwater-sampling devices
Decontaminating
Detergent wash
Solvent rinse
Water
Sampling
Equipment
Publisher: Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (U.S.)
Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.)
Series/Report no.: Special report (Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (U.S.)) ; 97-24.
Description: Special Report
Abstract: In these studies, the efficiency of various decontamination protocols was tested by using small pieces of materials commonly used in groundwater sampling devices. Three types of materials that ranged in their ability to sorb organic solutes were tested: stainless steel, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). These test pieces were exposed to two aqueous test solutions: one solution contained three volatile organic compounds and one nitroaromatic compound, and the other solution contained four pesticides of varying hydrophobicity. Also, three types of polymeric tubing were exposed to pesticide solutions. Generally, contact times for sorption and desorption were 10 minutes and 24 hours. The test results indicate that, generally, organic contaminants are removed from these materials simply by washing with a hot detergent solution and rinsing with hot water. The exceptions were low-density polyethylene tubing that was exposed to a pesticide test solution for 24 hours and allowed to desorb for 24 hours, and PTFE that was exposed to volatile organics for 24 hours. For these, a hot detergent water wash and rinse followed by oven drying at ~105°C was the most effective treatment. With this treatment, VOCs were not detected desorbing from the PTFE, and pesticide contamination desorbing from LDPE was substantially reduced. Solvent rinsing did not improve removal of VOCs and only marginally improved removal of pesticides from LDPE.
Rights: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/11681/12218
Appears in Collections:Special Report

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