![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
R9 Laboratory SOP 330
Organochlorine Pesticides & PCB by Gas Chromatograpy
Summary
This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) describes the procedures used for the analysis of selected chlorinated pesticides and PCB's as Aroclors by gas chromatography with electron capture detectors in extracts prepared from samples by USEPA Region 9 Laboratory SOP # 212 for aqueous samples and SOP # 290 for solid samples. This SOP is based on procedures contained in EPA SW-846 method 8081A and is applicable to ground water, aqueous sludges, soils, and sediments. The target analytes for which this method has been calibrated are listed below. If PCBs are the contamination of concern then analytical procedures based on EPA SW- 846 method 8082 should be employed for sample analysis.
This method describes the analysis of sample extracts contained in hexane for selected organochlorine pesticides and Aroclors. The sample components are separated, identified, and quantitated by injecting micro-liter quantities of the extracts into a pair of high resolution fused silica capillary columns with dissimilar stationary phases in a gas chromatograph equipped with electron capture detectors.
A temperature program is used in the gas chromatograph to separate the organic compounds. Detection is achieved by an electron capture detector (ECD).
Tentative identifications are obtained by analyzing standards under the same conditions used for samples and comparing resultant GC retention times. Confirmatory information for single response analytes is obtained by comparing their retention times and quantitative results from each column. Concentrations of the identified components are determined by comparing the response of a compound to the average response of that compound in the initial calibration standards. The lower of the results from the two columns is reported.