Demonstration and validation of a regenerated cellulose dialysis membrane diffusion sampler for monitoring ground-water quality and remediation progress at DoD sites (ER-0313)

This final technical report documents the demonstration and validation of regenerated cellulose dialysis membrane diffusion samplers for use in collecting ground water samples for a range of inorganic and organic water-quality parameters. This project, ER-0313, was funded by the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP). The primary objectives of the project were; (1) to determine the usefulness of dialysis samplers in collecting a range of organic and inorganic water quality constituents from ground water, (2) to determine the optimum equilibration times for these constituents to diffuse into the dialysis sampler, (3) to compare water quality results and sampling costs from samples collected with dialysis samplers to samples collected with a low-flow purging technique and polyethylene diffusion bag (PDB) samplers, and (4) to transfer the technology while gaining regulatory acceptance. Field comparisons were conducted at three Department of Defense (DoD) sites: (1) Naval Air Engineering Station (NAES) Lakehurst, NJ, (2) Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC), Port Hueneme and Pt. Mugu, CA, and (3) Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC) West Trenton, NJ. Dialysis samplers were found to cost significantly less than samples collected with a low-flow purging procedure. Field sampling time was reduced by a factor of more than six times, compared to low-flow purging. The total sampling costs per sample was estimated to be three times less, compared to low-flow purging.