Schedule B3 - COAG Standing Council on Environment and Water

If soils are granular and easily sampled, place sample cores immediately into:
• two or more pre-weighed 40 mL glass volatile organic analysis (VOA) vials with PTFE—
lined pierce-able silicone septum caps
or
• one or more 125 mL wide mouth glass jars with PTFE lined lid (see Table 4-1 , Chapter 4 in
SW-846 revision 4, 2007), and sub-sample according to the procedures given below.
If soils are difficult to sample, for example, highly compacted or hard clays, it is recommended
that a minimum of three core samples be placed into pre-weighed 40 mL glass VOA vials
marked at a level corresponding to the required sample weight for analysis. One sample should
be used for preliminary screening analysis if desired, the others for analysis by purge and trap
analysis.
Note 1: The 40 mL VOA vials are particularly effective in conjunction with modified closures
(US EPA SW-846, Method 5035), or suitably designed purge and trap instruments, which allow
the vial to function as a sparge vessel for purge and trap analysis. This means there may be no
need to open the vial to prepare an analysis sample.
Note 2: Using larger containers may be more convenient and possibly result in fewer analyte
losses where removal of test sub-samples is required (Ilias et al. 1993).
Note 3: While immersion of samples into methanol in the field has been shown to be effective in
preserving volatile organics (Lewis et al. 1991), such a practice may not be practicable or
permissible according to local laws. Handling volatile chemicals in the field, and transporting
them, can have occupational health and safety implications, and is not generally recommended
unless so advised by the analyst to meet a specific requirement.
Once samples are taken, ensure that vial closures are free of soil particles before capping.
Samples should be sealed and transported under suitable cooling aids (for example, ice bricks,
refrigerated container) to ensure sample starts cooling as soon as possible, and should be stored
in a refrigerator (< 6°C) until analysis.
Note 4: For suspected acid sulphate soils or asbestos contamination, consult Analysis of acid
sulfate soil-dried samples-methods of test (AS 4969.0-14-2008/2009) or the Method for the qualitative
identification of asbestos in bulk samples, (AS 4964-2004) for guidance on sampling and handling.
5.3.2 Preliminary screening analysis
Some laboratories perform a preliminary screening analysis of soils to prevent contamination of
purge and trap equipment by samples with a high contaminant load. This is done by:
• methanol extraction of a core sample in a 40 mL VOA vial. (Methanol is added with a
syringe through the septum cap. A portion of the methanol extract is analysed by purge and
trap or other method.)
or
• headspace analysis (US EPA SW-846, Method 5021)
or
• hexadecane extraction (US EPA SW-846, Method 3820)
or
• rapidly removing a core sample from a chilled 125 mL jar sample and transferring to a vial
for analysis as in methanol extraction or headspace analysis above.
<strong>Schedule</strong> <strong>B3</strong> - Guideline on laboratory analysis of potentially contaminated soils 19