Application of portable gas chromatography–mass spectrometer for rapid field based determination of TCE in soil vapour and groundwater

The application of portable chromatography–mass spectrometer (GC–MS) is restrained by its detection limits without the development proper sample pre-concentration methods. primary focus this paper to introduce a practical field measurement methodology for analysis volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in soil vapour and groundwater using gas (GC–MS)system situ assessment intrusion from VOC contamination. A solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) technique was applied before GC–MS​ measurement. Practical in-field SPME sampling methods have been developed optimise extraction efficiency then ultimately improve GC–MS. An Australian site impacted chlorinated VOC, trichloroethylene (TCE), subject case study. To rapidly assess samples subsurface soil, in-house-developed retractable probes (SVSPs) were installed at clusters depths 1 m, 2 m 3 below ground level each location. Use SVSPs enabled generation three-dimensional map distribution contours TCE concentrations results GC–MS investigation. compared with conventional USEPA methods, such as TO-15 Method 8265 samples, respectively. This work demonstrates that system has capability quantitative VOCs rapid contaminated assessment.