Analysis of TPH in Soil (Part 1)

Introduction

Soil contamination with oil is being addressed as a social issue due to the disruption of the environment caused by infiltration of oil into underground water, oil slicks, oil odor and other deleterious effects. The Ministry of the Environment announced in June 2006 the "Oil Pollution Measures Guideline" and the "Policy for Action on Oil Odor and Oil Slick Problems due to Contamination of Soil with Mineral Oils by Landowners, etc.". Prescribed in Volume 2 of this Guideline, under the Technical Material Part 2 Specialty Section, Chapter 1 Situation Ascertainment Investigation is the "TPH Test Method using GC-FID" (hereafter, "Guideline"). Three types of analytical conditions are prescribed in the Guideline, two of which specify the on-column injection method using a 0.53 mm I.D. (wide-bore) column (column temperature programs start at -30 °C and 35°C, respectively), and one set of analytical conditions specifying the splitless method, using a 0.32 mm I.D. (capillary) column (column temperature program starts at 35 °C). The applicable range and compounds of interest are the same in both methods, but the instrument configurations, temperature conditions and columns differ. This Application News introduces the analysis of TPH in soil by the on-column injection method using a 0.53 mm inner diameter wide-bore column and the temperature program in which column temperature starts at 35 °C.

April 19, 2007 GMT