Semi-volatile organic compound

Contractors at Sites B, D, G, I, and J had incomplete sampling practices and as a result were not able to evaluate PPE levels based on monitoring data. Eor example, both contractors SSAHPs at Site I lacked provisions for monitoring site hazards such as metals, pesticides, herbicides, and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) that could not be evaluated with a PID. Since worker exposures to the range of hazards on site had not been characterized, PPE was not selected based on its performance relative to the nature and level of site hazards. 

This is a relatively new technique that is used for PCBs and other nonpolar, volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds. Typically, a small aliquot of soil sample (0.5-20 g) is used for the extraction. Soil samples are extracted with one or more organic solvents using microwave energy at elevated temperature (100-115 °C) and pressure (50-175 psi). This method uses less solvent and takes significantly less time than Soxhlet extraction but is limited to thermally stable compounds. 

Limited data is available on the concentration of volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from gasification processes. The data that is available indicate that VOCs, SVOCs, and PAHs are either non-detectable in flue gas streams from IGCC process or, in some cases where they were detected, they are at extremely low levels (on the order of parts per billion and lower). The analysis of syngas also indicates greater than 99.99 percent chlorobenzene and hexachlo-robenzene destruction and removal efficiencies and part per billion or less concentration of selected PAHs and VOCs.9-14... 

Harkov R. 1986. Semi volatile organic compound in the atmosphere A review. J Environ Sci Health... 

Schauer et al. (2001) measured organic compound emission rates for volatile organic compounds, gas-phase semi-volatile organic compounds, and particle-phase organic compounds from the residential (fireplace) combustion of pine, oak, and eucalyptus. The gas-phase emission rates of acenaphthene were 2.02 mg/kg of pine burned, 1.15 mg/kg of oak burned, and 0.893 mg/kg of eucalyptus burned. 

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