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Dust Buckets and Passive Samplers – Simple Nuisance Dust
Collection Methods to Address Complex Problems
Steven
Schlaegle, RJ Lee Group, Inc., 350 Hochberg Road,
Monroeville, PA 15146, Email:
sschalegle@rjlg.com
April Snyder, RJ Lee Group, Inc., 350 Hochberg Road,
Monroeville, PA 15146, Email: asnyder@rjlg.com
David Williams, RJ Lee Group, Inc., 350 Hochberg Road,
Monroeville, PA 15146
, Email:
dwilliams@rjlg.com
Stephen Kennedy, RJ Lee Group, Inc., 350 Hochberg Road,
Monroeville, PA 15146, Email: skennedy@rjlg.com
The
analysis of airborne particulate is receiving a great deal
of attention as the EPA is paying attention to
increasingly small particulate.
Collection of this fine particulate is difficult
and requires rather sophisticated sampling equipment.
Although the issues involved in the finer
particulate are mostly related to health, the issues
related to the coarser material is that of nuisance.
In both situations it is desirable to identify the
source of the particulate.
However, the sampling requirements involved in the
coarser nuisance dust can be relatively simple, leaving a
greater portion of the budget for characterization and
source identification.
A dustfall collection monitor (i.e., dust bucket)
and a passive sampler of glue-covered acetate paper can be
deployed to collect continuous and/or event depositions.
Gravimetric analysis of these samples can be used
as a first analytical step which may indicate temporal
trends, or can be combined with meteorological data to
indicate the direction of potential sources. A series of more complex analytical procedures can be applied
to the particulate. Optical
analysis of the larger particulate at least may be
sufficient to identify source(s).
Bulk methods of XRD and/or XRF can be used to
identify mineral or elemental composition.
Scanning electron microscopy, either in manual or
automated mode, can be used to more completely
characterize the composition, size and shape of
particulate further refining the ability to identify
potential sources. The
method and case studies will illustrate the usefulness of
this combined collection and graduated analytical approach
in the identification of industrial and natural sources of
nuisance dust.
New
Strategies for the Development of Environmental Biosensors
Lance
G. Laing, Ph.D., Regenesis, 12 Leslie Road, Belmont, MA.
02478, Tel: 617-489-8076, Fax:
501-21-4635,
Email: lglaing@earthlink.net
Stephen S. Koenigsberg, Ph.D., Regenesis,
1011 Calle Sombra, San Clemente, CA
92672,
Tel: 949-366-8000, Fax: 949-366-8090, Email:
steve@regenesis.com
The
environmental industry is now being impacted by a paradigm
shift in analytical measurement that has been
traditionally called the “bench to in-line shift”, but
in reality is a “bench to biosensor shift”. The latter is tied to the recent biotechnology revolution and
offers a promise for a host of “better, faster and
cheaper” means of obtaining data in the field.
Biosensors
at their most fundamental level are small-scale binding
reactions between a sensor molecule and the target analyte.
The term biosensor is invoked here because the sensor
molecule in our system is a DNA-protein complex that can
react with the target analyte.
These reaction chemistries are then coupled to
special detection and signaling platforms.
Regenesis has completed proof-of-concept work that
shows it is possible to detect inorganic species, such as
arsenic, at very low levels with minimal interference and
with an output measured in a few minutes.
This technology can be extended to other inorganic
species, as well as organic molecules.
Ultimately these devices will be conveniently field
portable and hand-held.
A
discussion of basic binding, specific detection, and
signaling interactions will be discussed in contrast to
current options. Eventually, the goal is to multiplex the system to give a
suite of results at one time in the field as an
alternative to expensive and time-delayed results that
require off-site laboratory services.
Currently, the value of individual contaminant
tests is great as witnessed by the recent need for arsenic
monitoring under the lowered U.S. drinking water standard
(10 μg/L).
Direct
Mercury Analysis of Soil, Sediments and Waste Waters using
Method 7473
Mikhail
Mensh, Milestone, Inc., 160B Shelton Rd., Monroe, CT
06468, Tel: 203-261-6175, Fax:
203-261-6592
Mercury
contaminated soil, sediments, and waste water require
proper clean up procedures that vary significantly
depending on mercury levels. On site analysis can help to
reduce the cost of remediation by minimizing site
remobilization and assisting in the separation of
contaminated soil for treatment and disposal. The
challenge is finding a procedure that uses not only
field-portable equipment, but also provides quick, precise
and accurate results. Compliant with US EPA Method 7473,
the DMA-80 Direct Mercury Analyzer from Milestone Inc.
uses thermal decomposition, gold amalgamation and atomic
absorption spectroscopy to obtain an accurate result in 5
minutes. This procedure does not need any sample
preparation, uses no chemicals, and does not generate any
waste. The time savings, cost savings and comparative data
versus traditional cold vapor EPA Method 7473 will be
presented.
The
Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP) Data Quality
Enhancement Program - Implementation
Overview and Lessons Learned from a Laboratory Perspective
James
F. Occhialini, Alpha Analytical Labs, Eight Walkup Drive,
Westborough, MA 01581, Tel:
508-898-9220
In
the spring of 2000, the Massachusetts Department of
Environmental Protection established the MCP Data Quality
Enhancement Workgroup.
The purpose of the Workgroup was to address
perceived shortcomings in the overall quality of data
submitted to the Department in support of MCP
decision-making. Three
years in the making, the Workgroup has established method
performance requirements, QA/QC and reporting criteria for
all of the commonly used EPA RCRA SW-846 analytical
methodologies as well as establishing guidance for the
inclusion of field quality control samples and performing
routine data usability assessments.
The author has been a member of the Workgroup since
its inception and provides insight into some of the more
subtle aspects of the policy as well as an overview of the
most commonly raised issues from a laboratory perspective.
Flame
Spectrometry In Environmental Analysis
Evgeniy
D. Prudnikov, Earth Crust Institute, St. Petersburg State
University, University embankment 7/9, St. Petersburg,
199034, Russia, Tel: 7 812 3289775, Email: evgeniy@EP2256.spb.edu
Yunona S. Shapkina, Earth Crust Institute, St. Petersburg
State University, University embankment 7/9, St.
Petersburg, 199034, Russia, Tel: 7 812 3289752
The
modern flame spectrometry with high resolving power
diffraction monochromators has the great possibilities in
environmental analysis of soils, sediments and water. The
relative detection limits of the flame emission
spectrometry (FES) are equal up to 10-5 mg/L
for alkaline and rare alkaline elements, up to 10-4
mg/L for the alkaline earth elements and up to 10-3
mg/L for the heavy metals and other elements in the liquid
samples. For the solid samples the relative detection
limits reach up to 10-6-10-3%
consequently. FES shows the excellent results in
biochemistry analysis. The application of the flame atomic
absorption (FAAS) and fluorescence (FAFS) spectrometry
gives the possibility to decrease the detection limits in
case the determination of heavy and nonferrous metals up
to 10-4-10-5 mg/L for liquid samples
and up to 10-4-10-5% for solid
samples. The attraction of the cold vapour method for
mercury and the hydride method for arsenic group elements
allows determining up to ng/L these component.
The
perspectives of the development of the flame spectrometry
in 21st century are discussed. The way of the
creation of the mobile and transportable apparatus for
flame spectrometry analysis is now most interesting. This
apparatus must be fit for the realization of the
multielement analysis and have the intellectual
capabilities.
The
examples of the flame spectrometry use for the analysis of
the alkaline, alkaline earth, heavy, nonferrous and other
metals in the soils, sediments, waters, plants of St.
Petersburg region are examined.
Project
Play-Safe: A Survey of City of Boston Tot-lots Using a
Field-Portable XRF
Leah
Ross, Environmental Studies Program, UMass-Boston, 100
Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125-3393, Tel:
617-287-4043, Fax: 617-287-7474
Daniel Brabander, Environmental Studies Program,
Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sciences, UMass-Boston,
100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125-3393, Tel:
617-287-4041, Fax:
617-287-7474
Robert Beattie, Environmental Studies Program, UMass-Boston,
100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125-3393, Tel:
617-287-4042, Fax: 617- 287-7474
A
tot-lot is a playground with equipment suitable for
children between the ages of three and five. We are
surveying surface soils for metals at 135 City of Boston
tot-lots. These areas were chosen because they are a
potentially high exposure setting for children, and
concentrations of arsenic, lead and other heavy metals in
tot-lot soil are currently unknown. This study is ideal
for field-portable x-ray fluorescence (FP-XRF) methods
that allow users to prospect for “hot-spots” and
analyze a large number of samples. The Niton XL700
provides detection limits appropriate to permit comparison
with Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
(MA-DEP) action levels for most of the heavy metals of
interest. This survey will eventually analyze >1000
soil samples.
In
tot-lot soil samples analyzed to date, Pb concentrations
have ranged from 17-676 mg/g.
Arsenic levels have ranged from below detection limits to
275 mg/g.
Six percent of the soil Pb concentrations exceed the MA-DEP
surface soil action level of 300 mg/g,
while 11% of As soil concentrations exceed the action
level of 30 mg/g.
Likely sources for Pb in urban soils include the legacy of
atmospherically derived leaded gasoline and the historic
use of lead in household paints. We have observed that
soils with elevated arsenic levels tend to be associated
with older playground structures containing
pressure-treated (chromated copper arsenate) wood. We are
developing studies to determine the mobility of As, Cr and
Cu from older playground structures into nearby soil.
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