US EPA Method 8260 with the Teledyne Tekmar Lumin P&T Concentrator, AQUATek LVA and the Agilent 7890B GC/5977A MSD

Significance of the Topic

Reliable determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water is essential for environmental monitoring and regulatory compliance. US EPA Method 8260 remains a gold standard for trace-level analysis, but excessive moisture can compromise sensitivity and instrument longevity. Integrating advanced purge‐and‐trap concentrators with moisture control enhances detection accuracy and laboratory throughput.

Objectives and Study Overview

This application study evaluates the performance of the Teledyne Tekmar Lumin purge‐and‐trap concentrator equipped with a moisture control system (MCS), paired with the AQUATek LVA autosampler and an Agilent 7890B GC/5977A MSD. Key goals include construction of a linear calibration curve (0.5–200 ppb), determination of method detection limits (MDLs), and verification of accuracy and precision at low‐ppb levels under EPA 8260 conditions.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Samples were spiked with 97 target VOCs using a 50 ppm working standard in methanol. Four internal standards and four surrogates were added to yield 25 ppb per sample. Calibration involved seven concentration levels (0.5–200 ppb), and MDLs were calculated from seven replicate injections at 0.5 ppb. Purge parameters (flow, temperature, time) and desorb conditions were optimized on the Lumin concentrator. GC separation employed an Rtx®-VMS capillary column with a multi‐step oven program, while the MSD scanned m/z 35–260 under standard tuning.

Used Instrumentation

• Teledyne Tekmar Lumin P&T Concentrator with moisture control system (MCS)
• Teledyne Tekmar AQUATek LVA liquid autosampler
• Agilent 7890B Gas Chromatograph equipped with Rtx®-VMS column
• Agilent 5977A Mass Selective Detector

Results and Discussion

The calibration response factors exhibited relative standard deviations (%RSD) below 20% for all compounds. MDLs ranged from 0.06 to 0.26 ppb, and accuracy at 0.5 ppb fell between 70 and 130% with precision ≤20% RSD. The Lumin MCS removed up to 60% of transferred water vapor, eliminating interference and preserving chromatographic resolution. A representative 50 ppb total‐ion chromatogram confirmed consistent peak shapes and baseline stability.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Sensitive and reproducible quantification of a broad VOC panel in aqueous samples
• Minimized water interference extends GC column life and reduces maintenance
• Automated sample handling and reliable leak-tight design improve laboratory efficiency
• Scalable solution for environmental monitoring, QA/QC laboratories, and industrial analytics

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Optimizing the GC oven program could shorten cycle times and boost sample throughput. Future developments may include integration with high-throughput robotics, expansion to emerging contaminants (e.g., PFAS), coupling with real-time data analytics, and miniaturized P&T modules for field applications.

Conclusion

The combined Teledyne Tekmar Lumin P&T concentrator with AQUATek LVA and Agilent GC/MS fully meets US EPA Method 8260 requirements. It delivers low detection limits, robust precision and accuracy, and effective moisture removal, enabling high-confidence VOC analysis in water matrices with enhanced laboratory productivity.

References

1. US EPA. SW-846 Method 8260B, Revision 2, December 1996.
2. US EPA. SW-846 Method 8260C, Revision 3, August 2006.
3. US EPA. SW-846 Method 5030B, Revision 2, December 1996.
4. US EPA. SW-846 Method 5030C, Revision 3, May 2003.