VELP SER 158/6 Automated Solvent Extractor

Waiver Rationale Summary

This unit will be used to isolate pesticides and associated degradants in indoor dust and surface wipe samples in various workplaces to evaluate risk of exposure, as outlined in the proposal for funded NORA project “Sampling Strategies for Pesticides and their Transformation Products Indoors.” If an alternative piece of equipment were acquired without the above attributes, there will be profound limitations on the sample sizes that are amenable to extraction. Further, based on the alternative methodologies available, samples can be compromised from scorching, potentially leading to incorrect assignments of degradants, and subsequently drawing conclusions regarding exposure to workers on this inaccurate data. Further, there are increased opportunities for safety breaches with other offerings, including increased exposure to both the hazardous materials within the samples as well as the organic solvents that are necessary to the extraction.