EPA Standard Method Research Articles

High-performance solid-phase microextraction based on a nanocomposite sorbent of MOF/COF hybrid for ultra-trace analysis of trifluralin in food samples using the ion mobility spectrometer

Two well-known porous hybrid materials, a metal-organic framework (MOF) based on manganese and a melamine-rich covalent organic framework (COF) were combined, resulting in a highly effective nanocomposite sorbent of Mn-terephthalic acid (TA) /COF. After investigating the properties of the synthesized adsorbent, it was finally used as a new fiber for solid-phase microextraction. The method, named high-performance solid-phase microextraction (HPSPME), was utilized for the extraction and ultra-trace analysis of trifluralin in agricultural waters, fruit, and vegetable samples by using corona discharge ionization-ion mobility spectrometer (CD-IMS). To increase the extraction efficiency, experimental parameters including, temperature and time of extraction and desorption, solution pH, and stirring rate were optimized. Considering the optimized conditions, the enrichment factor of 2002, the limit of detection (LOD) 0.08 ng mL−1 (S/N=3), and linear dynamic range (LDR) 0.25–10.00 ng mL−1 with a coefficient of determination (R2=0.9987) were obtained. Relative standard deviations (RSDs, n = 3) of <9.7, <3.5, and <8.9 % were obtained, respectively, for reproducibility of the prepared fibers, intra- and inter-day. The relative recovery values for the real samples were 84–124 %. The proposed method’s accuracy for the sample impregnated with trifluralin was also evaluated by the EPA standard method.

Geospatial Assessment of Karst Spring Water Quality in Northeast Tennessee, USA

Karst springs are an essential source of private water supply for about 10% of households in Tennessee. However, the water quality of these springs is unmonitored and unregulated even though many springs are highly productive yet vulnerable to contamination. This study assesses spatial patterns in the water quality of roadside springs in northeast Tennessee. Karst spring water samples collected from 50 springs were assessed using EPA Standard methods for pathogens, nutrients, radon, and physicochemical parameters. From statistical and spatial analyses, all but five samples contained E. coli, while all samples contained fecal coliform. High E. coli was spatially clustered (Local Moran’s I = 0.177, pseudo p-value = 0.012) in regions of high agricultural land use, resulting in a fecal contamination hot spot on the border of Washington and Sullivan Counties, Tennessee. Radon concentrations exceeded the 300 pCi/L proposed MCL in 29 (58%) of springs, with one spring in Unicoi County exceeding 1000 pCi/L. A radon hot spot was identified in northern Washington County (Local Moran’s I = 0.160, pseudo p-value = 0.014). Cokriging of E. coli with land use and radon with distance to mapped fault did not improve interpolation models for either parameter. Other parameters, including nitrate, pH, and total dissolved solids, were within recommended ranges for drinking water. This snapshot of spring water quality status identifies areas of poor spring water quality of which spring water users in the region should be aware, and establishes the need for longitudinal sampling of spring water quality in contamination hot spots.

Applying green chemistry approaches to EPA standard method of analysis for dioxins

Abstract Green Chemistry principles can be applied while following approved Environmental Protection Agency methods at an accredited lab. The decision-making process involved in selecting a method for the analysis of dioxins in solid matrices while considering green chemistry, method performance and overall cost are presented.

Removal of Heavy Metals from Wastewater in Hawassa Textile Factory Treatment Ponds by Shoenoplectus Lacustris: Opportunity of Phytoremediation by Aquatic Macrophyte

A phytoremediation study was made on Hawassa Textile Factory Treatment ponds to assess the potential of Shoenoplectus lacustris to accumulate heavy metals in the plant tissues with reference to water. To achieve the objectives of this study, roots and shoots of Shoenoplectus lacustris along with surface water in the two treatment ponds having the macrophyte at their shoreline were analyzed by EPA standard methods for six heavy metals, i.e., Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Mn and Zn. The results showed that the concentration of heavy metals were higher in macrophytes than water. The accumulation of heavy metals in water and in the macrophytes had the same pattern with descending order of Zn&gt;Mn&gt;Cu&gt;Cr&gt;Cd while Cu and Zn were more accumulated in macrophytes. Lead was below detection in all samples analyzed for heavy metals. There were significant differences in accumulation of the different heavy metals in roots and shoots of Shoenoplectus lacustris . Results from both ponds showed that higher heavy metals accumulation generally occurred in the root of Shoenoplectus lacustris than the shoot. However, the shoot accumulated higher concentration of Mn than the root. Therefore, the present study revealed that Shoenoplectus lacustris can serve as bioremediant due to its ability to remove heavy metals from contaminated water and accumulate in its roots and shoots thereby improving water quality. Thus, in order to improve the efficiency of biological lagoons constructed for the treatment of the city sewage industry wastes, it is very important to growth the Shoenoplectus lacustris. Keywords : Heavy metals, Bioremediant, Macrophytes, Phytoremediation, Ponds, Textile factory DOI : 10.7176/JEES/9-4-02 Publication date : April 30 th 2019

Quantifying Arsenic Metal in Drinking Water, Comments on: Highly Sensitive &amp; Low Cost Colorimetric Method for Quantifying Arsenic Metalin Drinking Water of Malwa Punjab and Comparison With ICAP-AES by Sidhu et al.

Comments on Highly Sensitive & Low Cost Colorimetric Method for Quantifying Arsenic Metal in Drinking Water of Malwa Punjab and Comparison with ICAP-AES, has been presented. There is no validation of this new developed method using recovery/standard addition method, optimization of variables pH, reagent concentration, λ max, nor any study of effect of foreign ions/tolerance limits and its comparison with EPA-standard method reported in the literature, instrument manufacturer/models, etc. Moreover, the procedure described in the manuscript is practically impossible. There is no update of literature survey on arsenic determination in water. The authors claims are selfcontradictory, highly misleading and has no scientific basis.

Gowanus Canal Superfund Site. II: Stabilization/Solidification of MGP-Impacted Sediments

AbstractThe Gowanus Canal Superfund site is located in Brooklyn, New York. The sediment of the 2.9-km (1.8-mi) long canal is impacted at multiple locations by nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) mainly from three historic manufactured gas plant (MGP) sites with measured NAPL saturations up to 50%. A stabilization/solidification (SS) treatability study was completed using 15 mix designs in a tiered testing suite that included unconfined compressive strength, hydraulic conductivity, and contaminant leach testing by equilibrium (as per U.S. EPA standard methods) and semidynamic leach methods, where semidynamic leach testing was modified with polydimethylsiloxane liners. Mix designs containing 5–10% (by dry weight) of a cement blend paired with 0.5% bentonite, or 1–4% organoclay added to wet NAPL-impacted sediments were characterized by unconfined compressive strength values greater and hydraulic condictivity values lower than 345 kPa (50 psi) and 1×10−6 cm/s, respectively. Leaching reductions for naphthalene (...

A very simple and fast analytical method for atmospheric particulate-bound mercury determination

Glass fiber filters analyzed by a combustion-AAS technique: no sample preparation; no contamination risks; method validated by the U.S. EPA standard method.

Analysis on Mercury Emission and Control Technology of Typical Industries in China

The mercury emission characteristics of coal-fired power plant boilers, industrial boilers, cement kilns, and sintering of iron and steel industry were studied in this paper. The reducing effect of mercury emissions by pollution control technology was analyzed. The EPA standard method was used to measure the mercury concentration of the pollution sources. For coal-fired boilers, the mercury removal efficiency of the existing electrostatic precipitator and wet FGD is up to 60%-70%, and the mercury concentration in the flue gas is below the standard 30μg/Nm3. The main mercury emissions of cement industries are at the kiln outlet, the mercury concentration of which is 2.5 to 5.4 times that of the kiln inlet. For the iron and steel industry, the mercury concentration of the exhausting gas after dust removal and desulfurization can not meet the emission limits and need to be further controlled. The research did in the paper made a scientific basis for the improvement of atmospheric mercury emission inventory and the mercury control.

Characterization of Indoor-Air Bioaerosols in Southern Taiwan

This study investigated indoor air quality (IAQ) at 39 public sites in southern Taiwan including hospitals, schools, office buildings, hypermarkets, libraries, railway stations, theaters, etc. Indoor air quality was preliminarily assessed using handy digital apparatus. Items detected include carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), formaldehyde (HCHO), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), total bacteria counts (TBC), total fungi counts (TFC), PM10, PM2.5, ozone (O3) and temperature. Based on the results of walk-through detection, the spatial distribution of indoor air contaminants was further measured over a 24 hour period using the EPA standard method. Major indoor air pollutants were found to include CO2, TBC, and TFC. The measured CO2 concentrations ranged between 438 and 1527 ppm, and only 38.9% of them met the Taiwan EPA suggested threshold of 600 ppm. In the schools and hospitals (Category 1), the measured TFC and TBC concentrations ranged from 62 to TNTC CFU/m3 and from 196 to 4875 CFU/m3, respectively. 33% TFC and 83% TBC concentrations exceeded the suggested threshold, and CO2 concentrations were moderately correlated with TBC levels. In a case study of hospital bioaerosols, high TBC and TFC levels were effectively lowered through disinfectant housekeeping as well as ClO2 spray. Three filamentous fungus genera were identified as Cladosporium perangustum, Cladosporium tenuissimum, and Fusarium incarnatum from outdoor samples with high TFC concentrations.

Investigation on Indoor Air Quality of Public Sites in Tainan Area

This study selected 21 representative public sites for the survey of indoor air quality in Tainan area, including hospital, school, fitness center, government office, library, theater, transport station, and supermarket. Indoor air quality was first assessed by direct detection apparatus, including CO2, CO, HCHO, TVOCs, bacteria, fungi, PM10, PM2.5, O3 and temperature. Based on the results of walk-through detection, the spatial distribution of indoor air contaminants was further measured in a 24 hour period by the EPA standard method. The detailed measurements illustrated HCHO, O3, PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations are lower than the suggested threshold levels in all public sites. CO2 concentrations at hospitals and school are all exceeding category 1 threshold of 600 ppm. Bacteria exceeding the suggested threshold of 500 CFU/m3 for category 1 and 1000 CFU/m3 for category 2 is popular at most public sites. One fitness center was found exceeding the TVOCs threshold of 3 ppm, and outdoor air can be a potential source. The high levels of CO2 and bacteria were a common indoor air quality problem, and the regulated strategy of crowd control and air conditioning management was required for a healthy indoor environment.

Comparison of Indoor Air Quality Measurement by Using Direct Detection Apparatus and Standard Methods

People usually spend almost 90% of time under various indoor surroundings in their daily lives, and thus the impact of indoor air quality (IAQ) on human health has received much attention recently. In this study, 20 public sites were selected as case studies to compare the difference of indoor air quality measurements. Indoor air quality was first assessed by direct detection apparatus, including CO2, CO, HCHO, TVOCs, PM10, PM2.5, and O3. Based on the results of walk-through detection, indoor air contaminants at hot-spot location were measured in a 24 hour period by the EPA standard method. The use of direct detection apparatus has the advantages of easy operation, high mobility, rapid detection, and less cost. However, official data of indoor air quality measurement is based on the detailed measurement by Taiwan EPA’s standard methods that possess high precision and accuracy. The comparison of direct detection data and the detailed measurements by standard methods illustrated that there exists a high linear relationship for CO2, PM10 and PM2.5 measurements. It means that direct detection data of CO2, PM10 and PM2.5 are reliable, and direct detection apparatus can be applied to monitoring of these indoor air contaminants for the better control of their accumulations.

수계에 존재하는 곰팡이속 분리동정 및 관리방안 조사

병원성과 독성을 포함하는 곰팡이속은 사람의 건강에 직접적인 영향을 끼치며, 수계에 분포할 경우 수처리 공정에서 소독과정을 방해할 뿐만 아니라 잔류염소의 유지를 어렵게 하여 여러 가지 맛과 냄새문제를 야기 시키는 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서는 부산시 상수원으로 사용하고 있는 물금, 매리 지점을 대상으로 수계에 존재하는 곰팡이속에 대한 분포실태를 2009년 3월부터 10월까지 조사하였다. 곰팡이속은 4월에 최소, 9월에 최대 농도를 보이는 특성을 보였으며, 검출농도는 5~64 CFU/100 ml 범위로 분포하였다. 그리고 곰팡이 농도는 여러 가지 수질인자 가운데 수소이온농도, 수온 및 총대장균군과 상관관계를 보였으며 지점별로는 물금 지점이 매리 지점보다 개체수가 높게 나타났다. 검출되어진 곰팡이속을 대상으로 종 동정을 실시한 결과 Aspergillus fumigus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Mucor pusillus, Penicillum notatum 등 9종이 분리되었으며, 이중 Aspergillus flavus, Penicillum notatum이 우점종으로 조사되었다. 그리고 지점별로는 물금에서 6종, 매리에서 9종이 검출되어 매리 지점이 물금 지점보다 종 수는 많은 것으로 확인되었다. Fungi, including allergenic, pathogenic or toxigenic species, may have direct effects on human health, interfere with the disinfection process and maintenance of chlorine residual, and add to taste and odor problems. We surveyed distribution of waterborne fungi from raw water in Busan metropolitan city using the EPA standard method. According to the survey, conducted from March 2008 to October 2008, the number of fungi in raw water was high in September and low in April. Quantitative enumeration of fungi per 100 ml of raw water ranged from 5 to 64 CFU, and a higher number was detected in the Mulgum region compared to the Maeri region. Total fungi numbers highly correlated with pH, water temperature and total coliform in this area. Predominant fungi genera grown in medium were identified as Aspergillus, Penicillum, Histoplasma, Rhizopus, Trichophyton, Mucor and Sporthrix species. Aspergillus flavus and Penicillum notatum were particularly dominant in both areas. There were a total of 6 and 9 species detected in the Mulgum and Maeri regions respectively, and the number of species was more verified in the Maeri region than the Mulgum region.

Body burdens of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in childbearing-aged women at an intensive electronic-waste recycling site in China

This study is the first to investigate PBDE body burden with regard to the concurrent analyses of multiple human matrices, namely milk, placenta, and hair, collected from a group of childbearing-aged women at an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling site to determine the partitioning of PBDEs in these different human matrices and the possible health risks imposed to infants at the e-waste recycling site. Five sets of milk, placenta, and hair samples were collected from an e-waste site (Taizhou, Zhejiang Province) and a reference site (Lin'an city, Zhejiang Province; 245 km away from Taizhou) in China. The concentrations of total PBDEs in different human tissues were analyzed according to US EPA standard methods. PBDE body burdens of women from the e-waste site (milk 117 +/- 191, 8.89-457 ng/g fat, placenta 19.5 +/- 29.9, 1.28-72.1 ng/g fat, hair 110 +/- 210, 8.47-486 ng/g dry wt.) showed significantly higher levels than those from the reference site (milk 2.06 +/- 0.94, 1.0-3.56 ng/g fat, placenta 1.02 +/- 0.36, 0.59-1.42 ng/g fat, hair 3.57 +/- 2.03, 1.56-5.61 ng/g dry wt.) and were higher than those reported in other studies, due to e-waste recycling operations, especially open burning. On a dry-weight basis, the following trend was found for PBDE among the samples from Taizhou: hair>>milk>placenta. Among the donors, the body burden of an e-waste worker ranked second. Higher brominated BDEs (hepta-BDEs) contributed a significantly greater proportion to total PBDEs in hair of the Taizhou women (20%) than that in milk (2.9%) and in placenta (2.6%). The estimated intake of PBDEs of 6-month-old breastfed infants living at the e-waste site was 572 +/- 839 ng/kg body wt/day, which was 57 times higher than that of infants from the reference site (10.1 +/- 4.60 ng/kg body wt/day). Moreover, the maximum calculated value (2,240 ng/kg body wt/day) exceeded the chronic oral reference dose for penta-BDE (2,000 ng/kg/day) of US EPA. BDE-47 was the dominant congener accounting for 20-30% in all the individual samples, while higher-brominated congeners, for example, BDE-183 and BDE-190, contributed between 2% and 20%. The presence of hepta-BDE congeners (BDE-181, BDE-190) in hair of the women in Taizhou suggest that thermal degradation of Deca-BDE from the open burning of e-waste may have been their source because these congeners are not found in either Penta-BDE or Octa-BDE technical products. Of the three types of samples analyzed, it was also suspected that hair may be more favorable to higher-brominated compounds which might explain why the hair samples contained the highest total PBDE concentrations and the highest proportion of higher-brominated BDEs (hepta-BDEs). This study provides evidence that primitive e-waste recycling in China leads to high PBDE body burdens in local residents and can potentially threaten the health of infants. Control measures should be imposed to minimize the level of pollutants resulting from e-waste processing operations to the environment and to humans. In-depth investigations on epidemiological studies of health impacts caused by e-waste recycling operations should be conducted. It is recommended that further measurements of PBDE levels in local food (e.g., fish, shellfish, dairy products, meat, fruits, and vegetables), dust, air, water, and human specimens be collected from a larger sample size at the e-waste processing site for the determination of human exposure pathways to PBDEs.

Chromatographic Separation and Analytic Procedure for Priority Organic Pollutants in Urban Air

AbstractA separation procedure was developed for analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in urban air, while simultaneously eliminating the interfering compounds. This was carried out by optimization of a column chromatograph with regard to the eluent type (n‐hexane and n‐pentane), volume of eluent, type of sorbent material (silica gel and florisil) and activation level of the sorbent material. The determination of the level of PCBs and PAHs was carried out using gas chromatography (GC) equipped with a mass selective detector (MSD), while determination of the OCPs was carried out by GC equipped with an electron capture detector (μ‐ECD). The use of a silica gel column (10 g, 5% deactivated with H2O) with 70 mL of n‐hexane gave satisfactory separation of PCBs from PAHs and OCPs. After collecting the PCBs with 70 mL of n‐hexane, 3·20 mL of n‐hexane:ethyl acetate, (1:1, v:v) was adequate for elution of the PAHs and OCPs from the column. The primary aim of this study was to develop a multimethod for analyses of PCBs, PAHs, and OCPs in urban air as well as reducing solvent and sorbent consumption and analysis time during the clean‐up procedure compared to the US EPA standard methods (EPA methods TO‐13A for PAHs and TO‐4A for both PCBs and OCPs).

Comparison of mercury removal characteristic between fabric filter and electrostatic precipitators of coal-fired power plants

By applying the Ontario Hydro Method (OHM) and the US EPA standard methods, the sampling of mercury in the flue gas before and after fabric filter (FF)/electrostatic precipitator (ESP) located at five coal-fired power plants was carried out on site and various mercury speciation such as Hg 0, Hg 2+, and Hg P in flue gas were analyzed. The solid samples, such as coal, bottom ash, and FF/ESP ash, were analyzed by DMA 80 based on EPA Method 7473. According to mercury balance, the mercury speciation and its distribution in different locations downstream the flue gas were obtained. The mercury removal efficiency of coal-fired power plants 1 and 2 installed FF is higher than 80% and 20%, respectively, while that of plants 3, 4, and 5 installed ESP is around 6%, 20%, and 4%, respectively. It can be concluded that the performance of mercury removal in FF is better than ESP, and then various factors have important effects on the mercury removal.

Forensic Identification of Anthropogenic and Naturally Occurring Sources of Perchlorate

Perchlorate (ClO4 −) is an emerging contaminant whose presence and origin is of considerable environmental interest. This article discusses known sources of perchlorate and available forensic techniques to distinguish between naturally occurring and anthropogenic origins. Forensic techniques presented include stable isotopic analysis (37Cl/35Cl, 87Sr/86Sr, 16O/17O), surrogates analysis (nitrates, sodium, chlorides, phosphate, nitroglycerins, metals, strontium), historical information assessment (aerial photography, propellant use and chemistry, firing range usage), geologic analysis (limestone, caliche, playa crusts, hanksite [Na22K(SO4)9 (CO3)2Cl], potash, phosphate ore, etc.), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In this article, the detection of a source of naturally occurring perchlorate in soil and groundwater associated with the Mission Valley Formation in San Diego California is presented. Modification of existing agricultural soil sampling techniques USDA 60-6(26) and USDA 60-6(27a) were used for sample preparation along with EPA Standard Method 314 for extract analysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD), polarized light microscopy (PLM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), surrogates analysis, geologic evaluation, and aerial photography were used in this investigation. The results of this analysis indicated a naturally occurring source of perchlorate is associated with the Mission Valley Formation. No statistical relationship between major ions (sulfate, total nitrate, chloride) and perchlorate was identified.

Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Energetic Nitroaromatic Compounds and Their Degradation Products in Soil Samples

This paper explores the use of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), in combination with various analyte collection strategies, for extracting energetic nitroaromatic compounds and their degradation products from soil samples. The required selectivity has been achieved by a combination of an SFE program and active trapping. Several different collection strategies were tested, using a selection of liquids (methanol, toluene, methyl tert-butyl ether, acetonitrile), inert and solid-phase extraction materials (Nexus, Oasis, LiChrolut), and 1-cm liquid chromatography precolumns (porous graphitic carbon, PGC). The best results were obtained using SFE in combination with a PGC precolumn. This setup allows on-line cleanup of the extract, and comparable results were obtained using either GC-ECD or GC-chemical ionization-MS for confirmatory analysis. The time required for a complete analysis was less than 60 min, and only 1 mL of toluene was needed for a 0.5-g representative sample. In contrast, the EPA standard method 8330 required 18-h sonication and 20 mL of acetonitrile for a 4.0-g sample and further time for sample cleanup and HPLC analysis. The method presented here provides method detection limits in the low-nanogram range, with relative standard deviations lower than 7%. The optimized method has been compared and validated with EPA method 8330 in terms of efficiency parameters such as robustness, accuracy (trueness and precision), and capability of detection. The validation demonstrated that the two analytical methodologies give comparable performance for the determination of nitroaromatic compounds, but SFE is superior for analyzing amine degradation products.

Determination of Oxygenates in Gasoline by GC×GC

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) has been applied to the quantitation of oxygenates in reformulated gasoline. Target oxygenates were C1–C4 alcohols, tert-pentanol, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), diisopropyl ether (DIPE), ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE), and tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME). These were separated from the gasoline matrix using a volatility-based selectivity in the first chromatographic dimension, followed by a mixed-phase polarity/shape selectivity in the second dimension. The high resolving power of this stationary phase combination completely separated all oxygenates except DIPE, ETBE, and TAME, which exhibited coelution with other nonpolar gasoline components. Oxygenates quantitation was achieved with the use of an internal standard, an FID detector, and calibration curves. Quantitation results are in good agreement with ASTM and EPA standard methods. When coupled with our previous method for BTEX and aromatics, a single GC×GC method can now quantitate MTBE, alcohols, BTEX, and aromatics in a one-hour analysis.

Constructing Environmental Impact Statements. An Organizational Focus for Teaching Analytical Environmental Chemistry

Preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) is the organizational focus for an undergraduate lab course in environmental chemistry. Students work collaboratively through the semester to prepare an EIS following National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) guidelines. This involves several stages of activity including a scoping process, field sampling, and laboratory analyses, modeling of the results to predict impacts, and report writing. To maximize student interest and make sampling practical, the proposed activity for which the EIS is prepared is locally based. Laboratory analyses are performed using the U.S. EPA's standard methods for turbidity, color, coliforms, nutrients, trace metals, alkalinity, petroleum hydrocarbons, and chlorinated pesticides. The completed EIS is defended in a mock public hearing at which students play assigned roles. In addition to requiring a high degree of group work, this approach emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of environmental chemistry and the difficulty of using scientific data to perform risk assessments. Preparation of an EIS is a federal or state requirement for many construction projects and hence students get a chance to experience a potential career area as well as acquire a marketable skill.

Development of a rapid procedure for the measurement of uranium in drinking water by PERALS® spectrometry

A new method has been developed for the measurement of U in water samples by selective and quantitative extraction from DTPA solution into an extractive scintillator containing HDEHP and alpha-counting by PERALS® spectrometry. Because this method offers several advantages over the current EPA and ASTM standard test methods for U in drinking water, including speed, simplicity and isotopic information, it has been proposed as a new ASTM standard test method. Sample preparation requires from 1–4 h. Less than 0.5% of Am, Pu, Po, Ra and Th were found to extract under the prescribed conditions. Typical backgrounds are ≤0.01 cpm. A comparison of this method with EPA standard method 908.0 and the results of two interlaboratory tests of this method are reported.