Why Passive Diffusion Sampling?

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Passive diffusion sampling in air, soil, and water is a proven, effective compound collection method. The samplers can be deployed in unsaturated and saturated soils, in sediments, aqueous environments including groundwater, beneath building slabs, and outdoor and indoor air. Passive sampling has been successfully performed in site assessments, vapor intrusion studies, and air and groundwater sampling and monitoring, on a wide variety of site types, and geological and climatological settings.

Key Benefits & Features:

• low field sampling costs,
• simple, noiseless, unobtrusive samplers, no bulky equipment
• no energy needs, no mechanical parts to calibrate, monitor, or malfunction,
• minimal operator-induced variability,
• time-integrated sampling:
  • high sensitivity
  • minimizes variability associated with diurnal, temporal, meteorological and cultural variations,
  • VOC and SVOC compound reporting, ppm to ppt concentrations,
• for soil gas and subslab sampling, the ability to sample in virtually all soils (coarse to fine-grained), and soils with high water content - where collection by active methods is impractical,
• collection of compounds in difficult geological settings (e.g., depth to groundwater is great),
• data reporting in units of mass and concentration.

Sampler Requirements:

1. Unimpeded migration of target compounds to the collection media housed in the sampler,
2. Ease of installation to recommended sampling depths or heights,
3. Unattended operation of the sampler,
4. Protection of the collection media and therefore sample integrity
5. Proper selection of adsorbents that limit water vapor uptake
6. Analyses that match the sampler sensitivity, accuracy, and capability
7. Requires strong quality control over sampler manufacture, ensures cleanliness and uniformity

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