Methodology and Quality Assurance/Quality Control of Environmental Analysis - Fundamentals of Environmental Sampling and Analysis - page 102

amended by the Resource Recovery Act of 1970 (40 CFR 240-299). The complete
sets of methods are available online at http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/test/
main.htm. The manual presents the state-of-the-art routine analytical tests adapted
for the RCRA program. It contains procedures for field and laboratory quality
control, sampling, determining hazardous constituents in wastes, determining
hazardous characteristics of waste (toxicity, ignitability, reactivity, and corrosivity),
and determining physical properties of wastes. The manual also contains guidance
on how to select appropriate methods. SW-846 contains over 200 documents,
including the Table of Contents, Disclaimer, Preface, Chapters 1 through 13, and
specific methods from 0010 to 9000 series (Table 5.1). To locate a particular method
such as Method 1311 in the 1000 series method, just click on the phrase ''1000
Series,'' which will take you to a listing of the SW-846 methods in the 1000 series.
In addition to know the method structure as shown in Table 5.1, it is also helpful
to note the following general guidance regarding SW-846 methods:

Unlike EPA 500 and 600 series methods for chemical analysis, the SW-846
separates analytical methods into two basic subsets: (a) extraction, concen-
tration, digestion; (b) instrumental methods. A sample is usually first treated
by a method from (a), and the extract aliquot/digestate is analyzed by a
technique in subset (b).
For metal analysis, typical SW-846 methods include series 3000 (digestion)
followed by either series 6000 or 7000. The multielement ICP method (6000
series) is becoming more common in place of the single element method in
series 7000 using atomic absorption spectroscopy.

Table 5.1 Illustration of EPA SW-846 methods by method series numbers

Method series Description of methods

0010-0100 Methods for gaseous and volatile compounds from stationary sources.

1000 Methods for hazardous characteristics of wastes, including

toxicity, ignitability, reactivity, and corrosivity.

3000 Methods for sample preparation for metals and organic analysis,

including digestion (3000) for metals, extraction (3500),
and clean-up (3600) for SVOCs.

4000 Immunoassay screening methods for various compounds.

5000 Methods for sample preparation for VOCs (headspace,

purge-and-trap, azeotropic distillation, vacuum distillation,
volatile organic sampling train).

6000 Instrumental methods for metal analysis using inductively coupled

plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP).

7000 Instrumental methods of metal analysis using atomic absorption

with direct aspiration and furnace techniques.

8000 Instrumental methods of organic analysis using GC, HPLC, and IR.

9000 Other methods for inorganic anions, total organic, radioisotopes,

and so forth.