Question

4.17 An abandoned hazardous waste site received contamination from improper disposal of nitroaromatic explosives. What 600 series EPA analysis would you recommend on groundwater samples collected at the site?

Answer 1

I would recommend the EPA 609 analysis on the ground water samples collected at the site.

• The EPA 609 analysis deals with nitroaromatics and isophorones. This analysis is used to determine the following compounds
• It deals with the following compounds

1. 2,4- dinitrobenzene
2. 2,6- dinitrobenzene
3. Isophorones
4. Nitrobenzene

• It is a gas chromatography technique

Gist of the method

A measured volume of sample generally 1L is extracted by liquid liquid extraction. And the solvent used for this purpose is methylene chloride.The ectract is then dried and exchanged to hexane. Isophorones and nitrobenzene are Measured by flame ionisation detector gas chromatography technique (FIDGC). While the dinitrobenzenes are measured using electron capture detector gas chromatography technique (ECDGC).