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The identification and isolation of organic contaminants in ground water at Rocky Mountain Arsenal : a systematic analytical approach
Dombrowski, Tonya R.
Dombrowski, Tonya R.
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Abstract
A systematic analytical approach (SAA) for identification of organic contaminants in ground water was developed for Rocky Mountain Arsenal (RMA), featuring a sequence of increasing specificity in analytical methodology to characterize total organic contaminant mass distribution. General methods included dissolved organic carbon (DOC), purgeable organic carbon (POC), and total organic halogen (TOX) analyses. Concentrations were 0.2 to 13.1 mg/L (carbon) for POC, 0.2 to 75 mg/L (carbon) for DOC, and 10 to over 3200 mg/L (halogen) for TOX. Contaminant plumes originated at manufacturing and disposal basins and extended north-northwest of the boundary containment systems. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), was used as a class-specific screening method. Triazine and cyclodiene pesticide concentrations were determined by ELISA and confirmed by solid-phase extraction (SPE) gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) procedures. Concentrations were <0.1 to 23.1 μg/L for the triazines, and <15 to 2200 μg/L for the cyclodienes. Linear correlation was observed between ELISA and GC/MS data. Antibody cross-reactivity for triazine and cyclodiene assays lead to the identification of cyanazine and dieldrin-diol (respectively), previously unknown contaminants. Cyanazine concentrations were <0.1 to 174.6 μg/L. A spread sheet was developed to calculate the percent of organic contaminant mass identified by specific analyses. Most wells showed that less than 10% identification.
An in-depth characterization of anion-exchange, particle-loaded membranes (PLMs), for the extraction of charged species from ground water was performed. PLMs ( 47 mm diameter, 0.5 mm thickness) contain porous, 8 μm styrenedivinylbenzene particles imbedded in a PTFE fibril network. Kinetic properties determined included total membrane porosity, total porosity, residence and diffusion times, dynamic capacity, breakthrough volumes, and recovery efficiencies for selected probe compounds. Predicted porosity, capacity, diffusion, and residence times were proven experimentally to be adequate for efficient adsorption of incoming analytes, up to flow rates of 70 mL/min. The attachment of antibodies to PLMs for increasing capacity was investigated. Protein loading was uniform at ~42 pmoles/cm2 . Dynamic capacity for the antibody-loaded PLMs was 33.09 μg 2,4-D/47 mm disk. Reproducibility was ± 10%. No significant changes in capacity were observed for flow rates to 70 mL/min.
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Date
1997-08-31
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University of Kansas