Schedule B3 - COAG Standing Council on Environment and Water

11.1 Volatile organics
11.1.1 Scope and application
Unless indicated otherwise, the methods described in this section are contained in SW-846. This
section lists methods for the following classes of volatile compounds:
• MAH
• VHC
• miscellaneous volatile organic compounds
• volatile TRH.
11.2 Monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAH)
This method is applicable to most volatile compounds with boiling points less than 200°C and
which are insoluble or only slightly soluble in water, including (but not limited to):
Benzene
Toluene
Styrene (vinyl benzene, ethenyl benzene)
Trimethylbenzenes
11.2.1 Preliminary screening
Ethyl benzene
Xylenes
Propyl benzene
Cumene
Preliminary screening by headspace analysis (Method 5021) or hexadecane extraction (Method
3820) is appropriate for samples which may contain high concentrations.
Note: Headspace analysis may not be as rigorous or reliable as purge and trap (Method 5035);
however, it is suitable as a ‘screening analysis’.
11.2.2 Sample extraction
Low concentration: (individual compounds approx < 200μg/kg)
• purge and trap technique (Method 5035, Method 5030B)
Analysts should determine an appropriate concentration limit and ensure that quantitative
results are based on sample concentrations that do not exceed the instrumental range.
High concentration: (individual compounds ≥ 200μg/kg)
• methanol extraction followed by purge and trap technique (Method 5035 or 5030B).
11.2.3 Sample clean-up
Not applicable.
<strong>Schedule</strong> <strong>B3</strong> - Guideline on laboratory analysis of potentially contaminated soils 33