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Development and Testing of a Field Screening Method Based on Bubbling Extraction and Photoionization Detection for Measurement of Benzene and Total VOCs
Author(s) -
Devine Catalina Espino,
Bennett Peter,
Synowiec Karen,
Nelson Sheldon,
Mohler Rachel,
Einarson Murray
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
groundwater monitoring and remediation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1745-6592
pISSN - 1069-3629
DOI - 10.1111/gwmr.12070
Subject(s) - sparging , benzene , groundwater , extraction (chemistry) , air sparging , chemistry , environmental science , gasoline , soil vapor extraction , photoionization , environmental chemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , chromatography , contamination , environmental remediation , geology , ion , ecology , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , biology , ionization
A field screening method was developed for rapid measurement of benzene and gasoline range total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHg) concentrations in groundwater. The method is based on collecting photoionization detector (PID) measurements from vapor samples. The vapor samples are collected by bubbling air through groundwater samples (air sparging) with a constant volume, temperature and sparging rate. The level of accuracy, sensitivity, precision, and statistical significance of the estimated concentrations, derived from the screening method, are comparable to conventional laboratory analytical results at concentrations equal to or greater than 150 µg/L for benzene and greater than 50 µg/L for TPHg. The method's concentration estimations can assist in making real‐time decisions regarding location of dissolved plumes and light nonaqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) source zones at many fuel release sites. The screening method was tested in the laboratory and in the field with 208 and 107 samples, respectively. The study concludes that the screening method can be used as a tool to aid in completing a site conceptual model as well as analyzing groundwater from monitoring wells.