Is it better to use Summa cannisters for this. Is it OK to use Charcoal tubes to measure TVOCs from this as (#2 fuel oil)?
A. Depending on your data needs both the summa canister and charcoal tubes are effective techniques for evaluating vapors potentially resulting from #2 fuel oil. You need to determine whether you want to evaluate specific volatile compounds or total volatile components and at what concentrations to better assist in choosing potential analytical techniques. For example a standard EPA SW-846 Method such as method 8260 analysis of the product would provide qualitative and quantitive results in the low part per billion (ppb) range for a number of volatile organic compounds likely found in the fuel. These include benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX), methyl tert butyl ether, and substituted benzenes such as 1,2,4 and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene. Specifics of the method can be found at http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/test/pdfs/8260b.pdf. An analysis of vapors specifically volatilizing and coming off the fuel (without the benefit of an inert gas purge of the free product as with
