Periodic Monitoring Protocols
For many small soil clean-ups that require air permits as well as other permitted facilities with low air impact, the Department may require that emissions routinely be monitored by hand held portable monitors. Such monitoring is performed by the sources themselves or may be contracted out to consultants. It is critical that such monitoring be performed in a consistent and acceptable manner in order assure the sample results are accurate.

Portable monitoring is often used for small or temporary projects such as soil and groundwater
clean-ups. Shown here is a sparging system that is removing chlorobenzene at a contaminated
groundwater site. In many of these cases the pollution control device is periodically checked
for proper operation utilizing hand-held monitors.

Protocols
Facilities that receive air permits that contain requirements for periodic monitoring of VOC through the use of hand held/portable instrumentation are required to submit protocols that identify the type and manufacturer/model number of the equipment proposed for such monitoring. The protocol must also contain the procedures for sampling and a quality assurance/quality control plan. The Bureau of Technical Services approval of the protocol is required as part of the air permit. The protocol assures the proposed equipment has the ability to adequately measure contaminant levels, and the facility has the knowledge to properly use the equipment and interpret the results.

Field Demonstration
The Department may require the facility to provide an on-site demonstration of a periodic monitoring event in order to assure protocol procedures are understood and implemented. The Department may or may not require this demonstration be coordinated with concurent stack testing.

For More Information
For more information download: Guidance Document for the Use of Periodic Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Monitors at small NJ Sources.(in .pdf format) There are two guidance documents. One, "Periodic Monitoring Protocol and Portable Equipment Guidance," is general in nature and applies to all parameters and instruments. The other is specific for VOC periodic (portable) equipment, "Guidance Document for the Use of Periodic Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) monitors at small NJ sites".