Document ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2002-0085-0434
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2023-08-16T04:00Z

From: 
Shappley, Ned <Shappley.Ned@epa.gov>
Sent:
Wednesday, September 14, 2016 11:55 AM
To: 
William Cowell <WCowell@montrose-env.com>; Jones, DonnaLee <Jones.Donnalee@epa.gov>
Cc:
'Randy G. Wiler' <rwiler@eriecoke.com>; Matthew Dallesasse <MDallesasse@montrose-env.com>; Allen Dittenhoefer <adittenhoefer@montrose-env.com>; 'Clayton Johnson' <Clayton.Johnson@maxxamanalytics.com>; Dewees, Jason <Dewees.Jason@epa.gov>; Lowe, Theresa <Lowe.Theresa@epa.gov>; Raymond, Gabrielle <graymond@rti.org>; John Wilson <JWilson@montrose-env.com>
Subject: 
RE: Erie Coke - VOST analysis-EPA requests for more data

Mr. Cowell,

EPA recommends the lab perform a 3x dilution for remainder of the VOST samples associated with the source in question. For all other sources at this facility, we recommend performing the first set of samples undiluted, if any compound is observed 1.5 x above the upper calibration limit, EPA recommends performing a 3x dilution for the remainder of those samples (source specific).

Best Regards,

Ned Shappley

From: William Cowell [mailto:WCowell@montrose-env.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2016 10:56 AM
To: Jones, DonnaLee <Jones.Donnalee@epa.gov>
Cc: 'Randy G. Wiler' <rwiler@eriecoke.com>; Matthew Dallesasse <MDallesasse@montrose-env.com>; Allen Dittenhoefer <adittenhoefer@montrose-env.com>; 'Clayton Johnson' <Clayton.Johnson@maxxamanalytics.com>; Dewees, Jason <Dewees.Jason@epa.gov>; Shappley, Ned <Shappley.Ned@epa.gov>; Lowe, Theresa <Lowe.Theresa@epa.gov>; GABRIELLE RAYMOND <graymond@rti.org>; John Wilson <JWilson@montrose-env.com>
Subject: RE: Erie Coke - VOST analysis-EPA requests for more data

Attached is the lab's email of analysis for Tube Sets A, B and C for Run 1. 

William P. Cowell, QSTI
Client Project Manager
Montrose Air Quality Services, LLC.
1050 William Pitt Way, Pittsburgh, PA, 15238
T: 412.826.3636 | M: 412.527.5750 |F: 412.826.3640
wcowell@montrose-env.com
www.montrose-env.com

<< RE Erie Coke - VOST analysis-EPA requests for more data.pdf >>

From: Jones, DonnaLee [mailto:Jones.Donnalee@epa.gov] 
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 5:19 PM
To: William Cowell
Cc: 'Randy G. Wiler'; Matthew Dallesasse; Allen Dittenhoefer; 'Clayton Johnson'; Dewees, Jason; Shappley, Ned; Lowe, Theresa; GABRIELLE RAYMOND
Subject: RE: Erie Coke - VOST analysis-EPA requests for more data

Mr Cowell -- The measurement experts at EPA had a couple of requests to see additional data to help them consider your issue:

-- Results from the trip blank
-- Raw / non QC' d concentrations for the other compounds

Please cc everyone when you supply any answers. Will save time in resolving issue. Thanks
_____________________________________________________________
Regards,
Donna Lee Jones, Ph.D.
Senior Technical Advisor, Metals Sector
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
Sector Policies and Programs Division / Metals & Inorganic Chemicals Group (D 243-02)
Research Triangle Park, NC  27711  Tele:  (919)  541-5251  Fax  (919)  541-3207
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Reasonableness never fails to be appreciated."  - anon.

From: Jones, DonnaLee 
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 3:16 PM
To: 'William Cowell' <WCowell@montrose-env.com>
Cc: 'Randy G. Wiler' <rwiler@eriecoke.com>; Matthew Dallesasse <MDallesasse@montrose-env.com>; Allen Dittenhoefer <adittenhoefer@montrose-env.com>; 'Clayton Johnson' <Clayton.Johnson@maxxamanalytics.com>
Subject: RE: Erie Coke - VOST analysis

Ok. Will get back to you.

_____________________________________________________________
Regards,
Donna Lee Jones, Ph.D.
Senior Technical Advisor, Metals Sector
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
Sector Policies and Programs Division / Metals & Inorganic Chemicals Group (D 243-02)
Research Triangle Park, NC  27711  Tele:  (919)  541-5251  Fax  (919)  541-3207
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Reasonableness never fails to be appreciated."  - anon.

From: William Cowell [mailto:WCowell@montrose-env.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 3:11 PM
To: Jones, DonnaLee <Jones.Donnalee@epa.gov>
Cc: 'Randy G. Wiler' <rwiler@eriecoke.com>; Matthew Dallesasse <MDallesasse@montrose-env.com>; Allen Dittenhoefer <adittenhoefer@montrose-env.com>; 'Clayton Johnson' <Clayton.Johnson@maxxamanalytics.com>
Subject: FW: Erie Coke - VOST analysis

Dr. Jones,

The lab measuring our Method 0031 samples has experienced "high" results for Benzene and Toluene.  Looking at the method specifications, it is more than likely that these compounds are going to be detected at levels higher than the method limits.  We have done previous onsite testing on the Combustion using an onsite GC, and found Benzene to be near 1 ppm and Toluene maybe half of that.  

The labs question is what to do.  Diluting the samples will allow accurate measurement of the Benzene and Toluene fractions (at least assuming there was no breakthrough), but will ultimately cause us to increase the likelihood of getting BDL's on other compounds that will also be getting diluted.  I do not see this being an issue on the Pushing Baghouse Stack, as I expect lower levels of concentrations, but I would expect this to occur on Runs 2 and 3 tubes also for the Combustion Stack.

I have included Clayton Johnson's email on here as well if you have any technical questions, he would probably be better able to assist you in that.  

William P. Cowell, QSTI
Client Project Manager
Montrose Air Quality Services, LLC.
1050 William Pitt Way, Pittsburgh, PA, 15238
T: 412.826.3636 | M: 412.527.5750 |F: 412.826.3640
wcowell@montrose-env.com
www.montrose-env.com

From: Clayton Johnson [mailto:CJohnson@maxxam.ca] 
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 11:58 AM
To: William Cowell; John Wilson
Subject: Erie Coke - VOST analysis

Hi Bill,

We have started the VOST analysis and the first set (Run 1  -  11ABC) have compounds above our upper calibration limit.
This means the reported values for benzene and toluene will be estimated as we cannot quantify the levels without dilution.
Because we have one chance to desorb the samples, we always try to analyze without dilution first.
Now that we have seen compounds above our upper limit, we need to decide whether or not to dilute the remaining samples in order to quantify these compounds.

I may suggest that we analyze the remainder of the RUN 1 sets straight (to be consistent and so you have a good idea of all of the compounds found in the sample) and then dilute runs 2 & 3.

Please let me know when you have the chance and feel free to call if we need to discuss.

Thank you,

Clayton.

CLAYTON JOHNSON
Senior Project Manager - Air Toxics, Source Evaluation
 
Office 905 817 5769 / Mobile 416 873 8037 
Toll free 800 563 6266 / Fax 905 817 5775
 
6740 Campobello Rd / Mississauga, Ont. L5N 2L8
                                       
Maxxam Analytics - A Bureau Veritas Group Company
Success Through Science(R). maxxam.ca