Precision of the Performance of the En Core® Sampler to Store Low Concentrations of Volatile Organic Compounds

Abstract

Abstract Soil sampling and storage practices for volatile organic analysis must be designed to minimize loss of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from samples. The En Core® sampler is designed to collect and store soil samples in a manner that minimizes loss of contaminants due to volatilization and/or biodegradation. ASTM D 6418, Standard Practice for Using the Disposable En Core® Sampler for Sampling and Storing Soil for Volatile Organic Analysis, describes the use of the En Core® sampler to collect and store a soil sample for volatile organic analysis. To support the ASTM practice, a study was performed to estimate the precision of the performance of the En Core® devices to store soil samples spiked with low concentrations (<200 µg/kg) of VOCs. Data generated in the precision validation study show good precision of the performance of the samplers to store soil samples containing low concentrations of a variety of VOCs.