Volatile organic compounds (VOC) were investigated at a dry-cleaning facility of a former military site in Germany. VOCs have leaked into the unsaturated soil zone consisting of sandy aggragated material and fine to medium sand.
The groundwater table is located at 1.50 to 2.00 m.
The following investigations were performed:
·Soil sampling using an open window sampler, layer specific determination of VOC in the soil using gas chromatography after the following sample preparation procedure
- extraction with methanole
- extraction with pentane
- multiple headspace extraction (MHE) [1]
·Soil gas measurements, sampling using concentrating steps [2]
The various extraction procedures for VOC analysis in soil have yielded different
results. The results will be discussed with an emphasis on risk assessment, and recommendations for the procedure will be presented.
References
[1 ] DIN EN ISO 10301: 08.97: Wasserbeschaffenheit - Bestimmung leichtflüchtiger halogenierter Kohlenwasserstoffe - Gaschromatographische Verfahren
[2] VDI-Richtlinie 3865:06.98: Messen organischer Bodenverunreinigungen, Blatt 3: Gaschromatographische Bestimmung von niedrigsiedenden organischen Verbindungen in Bodenluft nach Anreicherung an Aktivkohle oder XAD-4 und Desorption mit organischen Lösungsmitteln