ASTM D3871-84(2003)

Purgeable organic compounds, including organohalides, have been identified as contaminants in raw and drinking water. These contaminants may be harmful to the environment and man. Dynamic headspace sampling is a generally applicable method for concentrating these components prior to gas chromatographic analysis (1 to 5).⁵ This test method can be used to quantitatively determine purgeable organic compounds in raw source water, drinking water, and treated effluent water.

1.1 This test method covers the determination of most purgeable organic compounds that boil below 200°C and are less than 2 % soluble in water. It covers the low μg/L to low mg/L concentration range (see Section 15 and Appendix X1).

1.2 This test method was developed for the analysis of drinking water. It is also applicable to many environmental and waste waters when validation, consisting of recovering known concentrations of compounds of interest added to representative matrices, is included.

1.3 Volatile organic compounds in water at concentrations above 1000 μg/L may be determined by direct aqueous injection in accordance with Practice D 2908.

1.4 It is the user's responsibility to assure the validity of the test method for untested matrices.

1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific precautionary statements are given in 8.5.5.1.