EPA's Region 6 Office
Serving: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and 66 Tribal Nations
Canister and Bucket Air Sampling SOP
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Collecting a Synchronous Canister and a Tedlar™ Bag Sample Using a Bucket
A. Perform all the following preparative operations on the bucket.
1. Make sure that the bucket is in working order and that all fittings
are snug. Use two 9/16" wrenches to tighten the "jam" nuts
if necessary. These are the nuts next to the washers on either side of
the lid. It is imperative that the entire assembly be tight.
2. Make sure that the nut and ferrule set on the inlet at the bottom of the lid will accommodate the Tedlar™ bag nozzle snugly. It must be airtight. If the nut at the bottom needs tightening, you must hold the "jam" nut on the outside of the lid securely. Do this with a Tedlar™ bag nozzle inserted. Use a ½" open-end wrench on this nut and a 9/16" open-end wrench on the outside of the lid. Do not over tighten if you later want to withdraw the bag and leave the nut in place, that is re-use this same nut and ferrule set.
3. Make sure the Tedlar™ bag valve (on the bag you will use for sampling) is closed and that the bag appears unused. If the valve is open or there is any air inside the bag, discard and use another bag.
4. If you have not already done so in step 2 above, insert the white nozzle of the Tedlar™ bag securely into the nut at the bottom of the lid. Use firm pressure. This must be airtight.
5. Close the black valve on top of the lid (inlet valve) by turning the
black handle to the horizontal position. Open the Tedlar™ bag valve
one full turn. One full turn means 360 degrees.
6. Close the bucket lid tightly with the Tedlar™ bag inside the bucket,
making sure the bag is not caught on anything or otherwise restricted.
7. Shove the 3/8" Tygon™ tubing from the brass fitting on the
lid all the way up into the vacuum pump.
B. The following describes the preparative steps for the canister.
1. Remove the canisters from their protective cases. Note the gauge reading
on the chain-of-custody.
2. Return any canister that reads more than -25 inches of mercury (for
example, -20" Hg) for an exchange.
3. Examine the inlet for dirt and moisture and remove as needed. (Note the canister can tolerate a little moisture but it takes much longer to clean and evacuate. It is better not to sample with a canister on rainy days.)
C. The following describes operations involving the bucket and the
canister.
1. Position the canister and the bucket at the same height and as close
to one another as possible but not so close as to be a hindrance.
2. Remove the brass plug from the canister.
3. Reset your stopwatch if required.
4. Start timing and turn on the vacuum pump and stand it on end or lay
it down near the bucket.
5. After 30 seconds simultaneously open the green valve on the canister
and the black inlet valve (to the vertical position, arrow pointing down)
on the bucket.
6. After three more minutes (3½minutes elapsed time since you starting
timing), close the green valve on the canister and close the black valve
on the bucket by turning it to its horizontal position.
7. Turn off the vacuum pump and replace the brass plug nut on the canister,
remove the lid on the bucket and close the Tedlar™ bag valve.
8. Package the Tedlar™ bag and pack the canister in its case. Fill
out Chain-of Custody (separate sheet).