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Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation |  |
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EPA/600/R-04/028
Abstract: MTI’s PDV 6000 was demonstrated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program in June 2003 in Las Vegas, NV. The purpose of the demonstration was to collect reliable performance and cost data for the PDV 6000. Four other field measurement devices for mercury in soil and sediment were evaluated in May 2003 at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, TN. The key objectives of the demonstration were: 1) determine sensitivity of each instrum ent with respect to a vendor-generated m ethod detection limit (MDL) and practical quantitation limit (PQL); 2) determine analytical accuracy associated with vendor field measurements; 3) evaluate the precision of vendor field measurements using field samples and standard reference materials (SRMs); 4) measure time required to perform mercury measurements; and 5) estim ate costs associated with mercury measurements for capital, labor, supplies, and investigation-derived wastes. The demonstration involved analysis of SRMs, field samples collected from four sites, and spiked field samples for mercury. The performance results for a given field measurem ent device were compared to those of an off-site laboratory using reference method, “Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste” (SW-846) Method 7471B. The sensitivity, accuracy, and precision measurements were successfully completed. Results of these measurement evaluations suggest that the MTI field instrument does not perform as well as the laboratory analytical method but does provide a rough estimate of mercury concentrations in soils and sediments often suitable for field analysis. During the demonstration, MTI required 38 hours for analysis of 197 samples. The cost per analysis, based on measurement of 197 samples, when incurring a minimum 1-month rental fee for the PDV 6000, was determined to be $43.74 per sample. Excluding the instrument rental cost, the cost for analyzing the 197 sam ples was determined to be $32.57 per sample. Based on the 3-day field demonstration, the total cost for equipment rental and necessary supplies was estimated at $8,600. The PDV 6000 exhibited good ease of use and durability, as well as no m ajor health and safety concerns. However, there is the potential for gas-producing reactions to occur during the digestion procedure used to prepare the samples. MTI sells kits, containing extraction reagents and disposable supplies, for the analyses of samples. When conducting a large number of analyses, purchase of bulk reagents and disposable supplies should be considered to reduce costs. Contact:Dr. Stephen Billets
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