Attachment_2__-_Heated_Sample_Transfer_Lines_Testing_Plan.doc

ATTACHMENT 2:

“HEATED SAMPLE TRANSFER LINES TESTING PLAN”

The U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center’s (ECBC) Directorate of Program Integration, Environmental Monitoring Laboratory (EML), conducts Near Real-Time monitoring for various Chemical Warfare Agents (CWA’s) and select Toxic Industrial Compounds (TIC’s) using MINICAMS. Heated sample lines (HSL) are used to transport an air sample from a desired monitoring location to the MINICAMS. The lines are heated to maintain the sample above dew point and to increase transmission efficiency.

Vendors shall deliver one (1) 150’ heated sample transfer line to the address below at the Vendor’s cost:

ATTN: Mike Knudsen

U.S. Army, Edgewood Chemical Biological Center

RDCB-DPO-MS

5183 Blackhawk Road, Bldg E3330 room 184 Gunpowder, MD 21010

Due to the toxic nature of the compounds to be tested, Vendors shall be aware that HSL’s will not be returned following test completion. At their own expense, vendors may come to the military installation where the testing was conducted to inspect their product.

The objective of this test is to evaluate the performance of submitted HSLs in the normal configuration and operational use that the ECBC EML routinely performs while monitoring for airborne concentrations of toxic substances.

Performance Specifications

In order to meet acceptability criteria, HSL’s must be at the following specifications:

· 150’ in length

· Outer diameter no greater than 1”

· Inner material not made of Tygon® or rubber tubing, in accordance with (IAW) DA PAM 385-61, section 3-8

· 120 Volts

· Maximum amperage draw no greater than 20 amps

· Maximum weight no more than 50 pounds

· Quantitatively acceptable – meets the following for ambient and cold-weather recovery rate testing:

· Average recovery for each agent is between 75% and 125%, with no single challenge event less than 60% or greater than 140% of the target concentration.

· If multiple vendors achieve acceptable recovery, the data will be evaluated to determine which vendor achieved average recovery for all agents closest to 100%.

· Qualitatively acceptable – HSL not damaged during qualitative testing.

· HSL’s must arrive with 1/4" Swagelok ends. At the vendor’s discretion, 1/4" Swagelok plugs/caps may be connected in order to prevent foreign material from entering and potentially contaminating the line.

· HSL’s that arrive damaged or not in working order will be set aside and not tested. The vendor will be made aware of the condition it was received.

· HSL’s must be commercial off-the-shelf items available from the vendor.

Qualitative Testing Specifics Qualitatively, HSL’s will be tested by handling (uncoiling the line, plugging the line into power, and re-coiling the line onto a mobile monitoring platform) multiple times to simulate daily use for mobile field operations.

Quantitative Testing Specifics

Quantitatively, HSL’s will be tested by measuring the transmission efficiency and next-cycle carryover of the standard CWA’s and TIC’s that the EML monitors for using MINICAMS. The testing will be conducted on each type of MINICAMS/detector configuration (FPD, XSD/sorbent, XSD/fixed-volume sample loop). The test will be conducted in a climate-controlled setting (a Warehouse) at ambient conditions (approx. 70°F) to simulate ideal environmental testing conditions. The testing will also be conducted with the HSLs uncoiled outside during typical Maryland winter conditions (approx. 25°F), to evaluate performance in harsher weather conditions. In order to pass, the HSL needs to have an average recovery rate within ±25% of the target concentration for each of 12 military unique compounds, and the organic compound Chloroform*, with no single challenge event greater than ±40% for any compound. These include:

Cyanogen chloride (CK-Cyanogen chloride)

Carbonic Dichloride (CG-Phosgene)

Cyclohexyl methyl phosphonofluoridate (GF-Cyclosarin)

Trichloronitromethane (PS-Cloropicrin)

Bis(2-chloroethyl)amine (HN1)

Bis(2-chloroethyl)sulfide (HD)

Tris(2-chloroethyl) amine (HN3)

Dichloro-(2-chlorovinyl) arsine (L)

O-Ethyl-S-(2-diisoproylaminoethyl)methyl phosphonothiolate (VX)

Isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate (GB-Sarin)

Ethyl N,N dimethyl phosphoramidocyanidate (GA-Tabun) Pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate (GD-Soman)

Trichloromethane (CF-Chloroform)*

*The EML monitors for chloroform due to its historical use in military Chemical Agent Identification Set (CAIS) kits.

The % recovery rate is the found concentration from a distal challenge (injection made at opposite end of HSL connection to the MINICAMS) in relation to the target concentration. For example, an 85% recovery rate on a MINICAMS monitoring for CWA compounds means that a 1.00 VSL distal challenge (target concentration) generated a found concentration of 0.85 VSL.

In order to prevent excessive background noise from a HSL rendering a MINICAMS unusable, each HSL will be pre-screened to verify absence of excessive peaks.

Test Criteria

Testing will be conducted by certified MINICAMS Operators, using MINICAMS with current/valid PM stickers, flow meters with current/valid TMDE calibration, and with certified un-expired standard reference material. QC checks will be performed before and after testing of each sample line in order to bracket the data. All operations will be conducted IAW the EML QC plan and internal operating procedures. The ECBC EML air monitoring manager shall ensure each Vendors HSL is blind, or unknown to the operators performing the HSL testing. Vendor IDs or markings shall be covered up, and the HSL re-labeled with a letter designation (i.e. Vendor A, Vendor B, etc.).

The EML routinely uses solvents to clean/flush particulates (such as dirt and dust) and to prevent the build-up of 1,2 Ethanedithiol (EDT), needed for derivitization of Lewisite. HSL flushing when monitoring for Lewisite occurs on a weekly basis per ECBC EML internal operating procedures. After the initial pre-screening in the quantitative testing section, each HSL will be flushed with solvent IAW EML IOP MT-02 and MT-16. This ensures that all HSL’s begin ambient quantitative testing under the same conditions. HSL’s will be flushed again prior to cold-weather testing.

Instrument Calibration and Challenging

MINICAMS calibrations and challenges will be made at the 1.00 Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) monitoring level for TIC’s, and at the 1.00 Vapor Screening Limit (VSL) monitoring level for CWA’s. All calibration injections, post-calibration challenge injections and ending challenges (to bracket data) will be made as described below:

· FPD – injections into a silver fluoride tube connected to the MINICAMS inlet

· XSD/Sorbent – injections into the Lewisite sample probe connected to the MINICAMS inlet

· XSD/Loop – a 1 Liter Tedlar bag prepared IAW EML IOP MT-02/MT-16 will be connected to the MINICAMS inlet using a ¼”drilled Teflon ferrule.

Test Steps

1. Inspection

a. Unpack/uncoil HSL out of box.

b. Inspect the HSL for signs of damage.

c. Measure total line distance, outer diameter of line and total weight. Record all findings, noting any inconsistencies with performance specifications.

d. Plug line into 120 Volt power source. Make note of power draw.

2. Qualitative Testing

a. With the HSL uncoiled and plugged-in for a minimum of 30 minutes to achieve operating temperature, the line shall be wrapped around 2 hose reels (approximately 5 feet apart) on an EML mobile platform, in the standard EML configuration for mobile monitoring. Each HSL will be tested on the same mobile platform.

b. Uncoil and move the HSL away from the platform until each wrap has been removed from the hose reel.

c. Re-coil and hang the HSL back onto the hose reel. Repeat this for a total of 3 times in which the HSL was uncoiled and recoiled.

d. Re-inspect the HSL for signs of damage and record any findings.

e. HSL’s that are damaged during this test will be set aside and further testing placed on hold. The vendor shall be contacted and informed of the damage. The decision to continue to quantitative testing will be made by the ECBC EML air monitoring manager and/or his designee.

3. Quantitative Testing

a. Initial Pre-Screening Test

i. Each HSL shall be plugged in to power for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to testing.

ii. Calibrate and challenge a FPD, XSD/Loop and XSD/Sorbent MINICAMS for each of the required agents/compounds. Calibrations and challenges will all be made IAW EML IOP MT-02, and at the injection location as described in the “Instrument Calibration and Challenging” section of this test plan.

iii. Following a successful challenge, allow a single clear out cycle on the MINICAMS.

iv. Connect the proximal end of a HSL to the inlet of the MINICAMS. For FPD, a silver fluoride tube shall be connected to the distal end of the HSL. For a XSD/sorbent, the Lewisite probe shall be connected to the distal end of the HSL.

v. Allow a full cycle to collect and be analyzed by the MINICAMS. If results are below 0.20 VSL/PEL, the HSL can be removed and taken to the next MINICAMS for testing. If results are above 0.20 VSL/PEL, allow another cycle to elapse. If, after a maximum of 3 cycles the readings are not below 0.20 VSL/PEL, set aside and inform ECBC EML air monitoring manager. The decision to proceed forward or cease testing will be made by the ECBC EML air monitoring manager.

b. Ambient Temperature Recovery Rate Test

i. In this test, HSL’s will be challenged for each compound that the EML monitors for under ideal environmental conditions (in a climate-controlled warehouse, approximately 70°F). Testing for XSD/sorbent MINICAMS shall occur after FPD and XSD/Loop testing, due to the introduction of EDT.

ii. Calibrate and challenge each type of MINICAMS at 1.00 VSL/1.00 PEL. Calibration and challenges will be made IAW EML IOP MT-02, and at the injection location as described in the “Instrument Calibration and Challenging” section of this test plan.

iii. Uncoil the HSL into the warehouse used for testing. The HSL shall have been plugged in to power for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to testing.

iv. On the MINICAMS, allow a clear out cycle to elapse. Connect the proximal end of the HSL to the MINICAMS inlet. For FPD MINICAMS, connect a silver fluoride tube to the HSL distal end. For XSD/sorbent MINICAMS, connect the Lewisite sample probe to the distal end of the HSL. For a XSD/Loop MINICAMS, nothing will be connected to the distal end of the HSL until a 1.00 PEL challenge, made by preparing a 1 Liter Tedlar bag, is needed for challenges.

v. Perform a 1.00 VSL/1.00 PEL challenge using every compound for the specific MINICAMS configuration (FPD – VX, GA, GB, GD, GF; XSD/Sorbent – HD, HN-1, HN-3, L; XSD/Loop – CK, CG, PS, Chloroform).

vi. Allow a cycle to elapse for clear-out purposes.

vii. Perform 2 more distal challenges followed by clear-out cycles, so that a total of 3 distal challenges have been made, and 3 clear-out cycles have been collected.

viii. Following the final clear-out cycle, disconnect the HSL from the MINICAMS.

ix. Perform a challenge at the inlet to the MINICAMS to bracket the HSL data.

x. Steps i through ix of this section shall be performed for each type of MINICAMS configuration.

xi. At the conclusion of ambient testing, each HSL will be flushed again so that there are no traces of EDT in the subsequent cold-weather testing.

c. Cold Weather Recovery Rate Test

i. In this test, HSL’s will be challenged for each compound that the EML monitors for under typical Maryland winter conditions (outdoors, approximately 25°F). Testing for XSD/sorbent MINICAMS shall occur after FPD and XSD/Loop testing, due to the introduction of EDT.

ii. Calibrate and challenge each type of MINICAMS at 1.00 VSL/1.00 PEL. Calibration and challenges will be made IAW EML IOP MT-02, and at the injection location as described in the “Instrument Calibration and Challenging” section of this test plan.

iii. Uncoil the HSL outdoors, in a manner that allows the HSL to be laid as far away from the MINICAMS as possible, to simulate how HSL’s typically are used in field operations. The HSL shall have been plugged in to power for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to testing.

iv. Follow the same steps listed in the above section (3.a, steps iv-x) to measure the recovery rates.

v. At the conclusion of cold-weather testing, each HSL will be flushed again so that there are no traces of EDT remain in the HSL.

Data Evaluation

All data generated from the testing will be evaluated by senior members of the ECBC EML Air Monitoring Team. The results of the testing will be discussed in a report that will be made available to the vendors. Each vendor shall be made aware of their letter designation, thus ensuring vendors are unaware of test results other than their own product.

Test Conclusion

Following the end of the testing, each HSL will be coiled and placed back into the original box/packaging in which it was received, and capped/plugged on the distal and proximal ends. The HSL’s will be placed in to a warehouse and set aside undisturbed for 6 months, so that vendors have opportunity to inspect their product, if desired. The HSL’s will not be returned to the vendors due to potential contamination.