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R9 Laboratory SOP 312
SUMMA Canister Leak Check and Cleaning Procedure
Summary
This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) applies to the cleaning, leak testing and certification of specially prepared canisters that are used for collection of air samples that are subsequently analyzed for volatile organic compounds. Canisters included are SUMMA® polished interior canisters, SilcoSteel⁜ silica coated interior canisters, TO-Can⁜ electro-polished interior canisters, and Silonite⁜ coated interior canisters. The procedures are based on EPA methodologies, specifically Compendium Method TO15, titled "The Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Air Collected in Specially-Prepared Canisters and Analyzed by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)".
The canister cleaning procedure involves the use of an Entech Model 3100 Canister Cleaning System that cleans, leak tests, and evacuates up to four canisters at a time.
Canisters are certified clean by pressurizing them to a pressure of 5 psig with zero air. An aliquot (400mL) of the air in the canister is then analyzed according to SOP #310 to verify the absence of target analytes.