Sampling equipment construction materials

Several existing protocols require a solvent (acetone, methanol, isopropanol) rinse as part of equipment decontamination for VOC sampling and 1 10 percent hydrochloric or nitric acid rinse for metal analysis sampling (DOE, 1996 USACE, 1994). These practices, successful as they may be in removing trace level contaminants, create more problems than they are worth. Organic solvents are absorbed by the polymer materials used in sampling equipment construction and appear as interferences in the VOC analysis. Acid destroys the metal surfaces of soil sampling equipment and induces corrosion. The use of solvents and acids is a safety issue and it also creates additional waste streams for disposal. 

It is important that the equipment used for sample collection and the subsequent handling and storage of samples do not contribute to the contaminant load of the sample, for example, by leaching organics. The following are common materials used in sampling equipment construction (after Canter et al., 1990) ... 

RCT are designed to successfully solve a whole number of tasks in nuclear power when testing fuel elements, in aviation and space industry when testing construction materials, nozzles and engine units, turbine blades and parts, in electromechanical industry-cables switching elements, electric motors in defense sphere- charges, equipment in prospecting for research of rock distribution and detection of precious stones in samples. 

To assess the well construction materials compatibility versus the subsurface environment and the pesticide of interest, manufacturers can provide data about the various well construction materials or samples can be acquired for laboratory analysis. Also, QC samples of each material can be collected during installation and preserved for laboratory analysis for potential sample bias, if necessary. In addition to well construction materials, the potable water used to clean drilling equipment and to prepare the grout and hydrate bentonite should also be collected for laboratory analysis (see Section 3.2.6). 

Production rates of total hydrogen and total helium are important parameters in the evolution of the microstructure during the irradiation of solids, especially for fission and fusion reactor construction materials. These data can be measured by using a vacuum furnace equipment connected to a mass spectrometer for the detection of H and He gases produced in an irradiated bulk sample. 

Unless laboratory studies on material compatibility establish otherwise, it is recommended that equipment used to collect groundwater samples for pesticide analysis be constructed of metal, fluorocarbon polymer, or glass.However, for a water-supply well, inert well, pump, and plumbing materials are not likely to have been installed for all components. In this case, in-place well, pump type, and plumbing materials should be documented. 

The evaluation process is completed with a thermal stability assessment of the products within the process temperature and time ranges. This assessment includes possible interactions of the products with the materials of construction of the equipment used. The methodology is the same as the one previously described for the reactants. It needs to be emphasized that depending on the circumstances the investigation cannot be limited to the pure products. Sometimes representative samples of reaction mixtures at different conversion stages need to be assessed as well. 

Two types of kits are discussed in this section, sample collection kits and field test kits. Sample collection kits will generally contain all sample containers, materials, supplies, and forms necessary to perform sample collection activities. Field test kits contain the equipment and supplies necessary to perform field safety screening and rapid field testing of the air, water, and/or soil. Sample collection kits will generally be less expensive to construct than field test kits. Sample collection kits can be pre-positioned throughout a system, while the more expensive field kits may be assigned to specific site characterization teams or personnel. 

---