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SIBS Field Screening Monitor for Metals

SIBS Heavy Metal Detector

SIBS Heavy Metal Detector Industrial Hygiene Monitor

SIBS Heavy Metal Detector

Description

The SIBS Heavy Metal Detector has been developed under contract to the Department of Energy. The goal is to provide a field-portable instrument capable of screening site contamination to facilitate rapid analysis and decision-making and to evaluate clean-up operations to verify compliance. The target contaminants are RCRA metals and select radioisotopes.

Applications

The monitor is designed to be versatile owing to the wide variety of hazardous waste streams present at contaminated sites. Possible applications include site characterization and remediation, continuous emissions monitoring and industrial health and safety.

The SIBS Heavy Metal Detector is directly applicable to gaseous, aerosol, and particulate species. The SIBS technique employs a powerful electrical spark discharge to create a small volume of hot plasma and measures metal concentrations by monitoring atomic emissions in selected wavelength bands.

The contaminant species that can be sensitively monitored include lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, arsenic, selenium, antimony, U-238, and Th-232. Testing on a Tc-99 surrogate (Mn) is in progress.

PSI is teaming with industrial partners to commercialize this technology in applications including industrial hygiene and process control. We are also evaluating methodologies to extend the sensor capabilities into condensed phases: water, soil, and surfaces.

Benefits of the SIBS Heavy Metal Detector

The SIBS Heavy Metal Detector uses selective atomic emission to produce a rugged, reliable, low maintenance field instrument that is highly sensitive to a wide variety of compounds. Advantages of this technology include:

Broad applicability to RCRA metals and radioisotopes
Limited interferences
Ability to process gaseous, aerosol, and particulate samples
Portable real-time detection
In-situ (nonextractive) measurement
Robust, inexpensive instruments.

Hazardous Waste Monitor Specifications

Methodology: Atomic emission
Speed of response: <1 minute (normal mode)
Accuracy: ±10% of reading or minimum sensitivity, whichever is greater
Repeatability: ±5%, design goal
Sensitivity: See table below
Contaminants: See table below
Outputs: Display screen
Digital communication: RS-232 and RS-485 planned
Sampling: Direct extraction of gaseous, aerosol, and particulate air samples
Application: Portable for field deployment; also suitable for system integration.

Hazardous Waste Monitor Specifications:

Demonstrated Sensitivites for Aerosols and Particulates
Metal	Sensitivity	Regulatory Limit	Regulatory Source*
Pb	10 ppbw	82 ppbw	NIOSH limit (1990), as metal dust
Pb	10 ppbw	41 ppbw	OSHA limit (1990), as metal dust
Cd	100 ppbw	82 ppbw	OSHA limit (1990), as fuming metal
Cr	10 ppbw	410 ppbw	NIOSH/OSHA limit (1990), Cr^+2, Cr⁺³
Cr	10 ppbw	0.8 ppbw	NIOSH limit (1990), Cr⁺⁶
Hg	<100 ppbw	41 ppbw	NIOSH/OSHA limit (1990), as vapor
²³⁸U	5 ppmw	80 ppmw	Corresponds to DoE cleanup target of 20 pCi/g**
²³²Th	1 ppmw	19 ppmw	Corresponds to DoE cleanup target of 1.5 pCi/g**
Preliminary or Projected Sensitivities, Work in Progress
Metal	Sensitivity	Regulatory Limit	Regulatory Source*
⁹⁹Tc	TBD	2.5 ppbw	Corresponds to DoE cleanup target of 30 pCi/g**
Se	< 1 ppbw	16.5 ppmw	Selenium compounds as Se
Sb	< 0.2 ppmw	0.4 ppmw	Antimony and compounds as Sb
As	< 0.2 ppmw	0.4 ppmw	Arsenic and compounds as As

*Unless otherwise noted, the regulatory limits are eight hour TLVs for a 40 hour work week
**Condensed phase

David M. Sonnenfroh
Physical Sciences Inc.
20 New England Business Center
Andover, MA 01810-1077

Telephone: (978) 689-0003
Fax: (978) 689-3232
sonnenfroh@psicorp.com