A passive diffusion bag sampler demonstration at multiple us department of defense installations

Groundwater sample collection using passive diffusion bag samplers (PDBSs) represents a relatively new technology that employs passive sampling methods for monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in groundwater. The potential benefits and cost savings associated with using PDBSs for long-term monitoring are significant, as no purge waters are generated, and labor requirements for sampler installation and retrieval are minimal. Results of a field-scale PDBS demonstration performed at 14 Department of Defense installations between May 2001 and May 2002 are presented. The primary objective of the PDBS demonstration was to assess the effectiveness of the PDBS method by comparing groundwater analytical results for VOCs obtained using the current (conventional) sampling method with results obtained using the PDBS method. The comparison of the conventional and diffusion sampling results will allow assessment of the appropriateness of implementing diffusion sampling for VOCs at each sampled well.