CollectionofSurfaceWipeSamplesforAnalysisofSemiVolatileOrganic Compounds(SVOCs)

BkAGuide1001 July2010
Introduction Thisguideisintendedforinvestigationsinvolvingwipesamplingforsemivolatileorganic compounds(SVOCs)onpotentiallycontaminatedsurfaces.Wipesamplessubsequentlyare analyzedinthelaboratoryforindividualSVOCs(i.e.,polycyclicaromatichydrocarbonsand/or phthalateesters)bygaschromatography/massspectrometry(GC/MS).Determiningthe appropriatesamplingstrategyisacriticalfirststeptoachievingastudysobjectives. Additionally,fieldwipesamplesmustbecollectedproperlytoobtainmeaningfulresults.Specific procedurescoveredinthisguideincludeselectingthetypeofwipe,wettingthewipewith solvent,controllingthesamplingprocess,reducingsourcesofSVOCcontamination,and handlingofthewipesample. SamplingStrategy 1. Inordertoachievequantitativeresults,theareatobesampledmustbemeasuredand delineatedpriortosampling.Theminimumrecommendedsamplingareais10cmby10cm, or100cm2.Thisareacanbeincreasedtoproducelowerquantitationlimitsifrequiredby theinvestigation.Thequantitationlimitsaredeterminedbythesensitivityoftheanalytical systemforthetargetcompoundsandtheblanklevels,ifany.Forexample,theanalytical lowerlimitsofquantitation(estimatedasthreetimesthemethoddetectionlimits)are approximately0.02g/wipeforPAH,0.1g/wipeforphthalateestersconsistingofasingle isomer,and1g/wipeforphthalatemixtures.Assumingasamplingareaof100cm2andno backgroundcontamination,thecorrespondinglowerlimitsofquantitationforthearea sampleare2g/m2forPAH,10g/m2forsingleisomerphthalates,and100g/m2for phthalatemixtures.Thesevaluescanbereducedbyafactorofninebywipinganarea30cm by30cmor900cm2. 2. Individuallywrapped,sterile,surgicalgauzepadsarerecommendedformostsurface samplingprojects.Werecommend4inchx4inchor3inchx3inchgauzepads,Johnson& Johnson,FirstAidbrandasthesehavebeenshowntohavelowbackgroundlevels.Asingle padiswettedwithapproximately1to2milliliters(mL)ofsolvent.Formostapplications, isopropylalcohol(rubbingalcohol)isrecommended.Thiscanbeobtainedindrugstoresasa 70%solutionofisopropylrubbingalcoholinwater.Priortosampling,ensurethatthe solventwillnotadverselyaffectthesurfacematerial. 3. Differentgovernmentagenciesrecommenddifferentwipeproceduresforvarious compounds.Evenwithinaparticularfield(suchasoccupationalexposureassessments), variationsinwipesamplingmethodologieshavebeenreported.Mostwipesampling proceduresareamanualprocess,andthetechniqueandthepressureappliedforawiping proceduremayvarysignificantlyamongfieldoperators.Attempttostandardizethe procedureusedwithinaninvestigation.Thesamplingrecordshouldcompletelydescribethe procedurethatisused.

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4. Ifameasureofsamplingandanalysisprecisionisrequired,itisrecommendedthattwoor moresamplesbecollectedateachlocation. 5. Afieldblankishighlyrecommended.Typicallyonlyonefieldblanksampleisneededwith eachbatchofwipesamples.Theblanksampleshouldbehandled,transportedandstored identicallytotheothersamples,theonlydifferencebeingthatnosampleiscollected. SamplingProcedure 1. Uselowstickmaskingtape(e.g.,3MScotchBluepainterstape)tomarkoffa10cmx10 cmarea(4inchx4incharea=103cm2)ofthesurfacetobesampled.Asdiscussedabove,a largerareamaybeuseddependingupontherequirementsoftheinvestigation. 2. Cleanglovesarerequiredforhandlingthesamplingmedia.Nitrileglovesareacceptable. Changegloveswitheachsampletoavoidcrosscontaminationofsamples.Removethe Johnson&Johnson,FirstAidbrandgauzepadfromitspackage.Unfoldthepadsothesize isfourtimesitsoriginalsize.Wetthesamplepadwith1to2mLofsolvent(i.e.,70% isopropylrubbingalcohol).Applyonlyenoughsolventtomoistenapproximately80%ofthe areaofthepad.Avoidexcesssolventonthepadasitmaycausedripsandrunningonthe surfacethusdilutingthesample. 3. Unlessanothertechniqueisdictated,collectthesamplebywipingthemarkedpartofthe surfaceinonedirectionwithfirmstrokesusingfullcontactpressure.Foldthepadinhalf withtheinitiallyexposedsurfacefacinginwardandwipethesurfaceagainintheopposite direction.Foldthepadinhalfagain(i.e.,inquarter)withtheexposedsurfacefacinginward. Wrapthepadinaluminumfoilmakinganairtightpackage.Placethepackageinitsownzip lockplasticbagandlabelthebagwiththesampleidentification. 4. Ifthesurfaceisveryrough,adabbingactionmaybesubstitutedforthefullcontactpressure rubbingofthemediaacrossthesurface.Whendabbing,makesuretocompletelycoverthe sameareaasinthepressurerubbing.Recordtheprocedure. 5. Recordthesampleidentification,surfaceareasampledandthedescriptionofthesample andsurfaceinyourfieldnotesandonthechainofcustody(COC)form. Handling,StorageandTransport 1. Store,transportandshipwipesamplestightlyenclosedintheirpackages.Avoidsubjecting thewipesamplestoelevatedtemperaturessuchasmightoccurinclosedvehiclesparkedin thesun.Itisrecommendedthatwipesamplesbetransportedandshippedinanicechest usinganicepacktokeepthewipesamplescool.ReturnthewipesamplestoBerkeley Analyticalforanalysisassoonaspossibleafterthecollectionofsamples.Ifwipesamples mustbestoredpriortoshipment,keeptheminacleanrefrigeratororfreezer. 2. WhensubmittingsamplestoBerkeleyAnalyticalforanalysis,besuretoclearlyindicatewhat servicesaredesired.TheCOCformisavailablefordownloadontheBerkeleyAnalytical websiteifyoudonotalreadyhaveanappropriateform. ENDOFGUIDE

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