Low Level MIP
Low Level MIP (LL MIP) is a technology developed by Geoprobe Systems® that greatly increases the sensitivity of the MIP logging tool. The primary feature of LL MIP technology is that the carrier gas stream that sweeps the internal surface of the MIP membrane is pulsed. This results in an increase in the concentration of VOC contaminant delivered to the MIP detectors.
Low Level MIP can be performed with standard MIP probes or MiHPT probes. The addition of the LL MIP to the system is simple and requires only the rearrangement of gas line connections. This controller can then be easily removed from the system to return to standard MIP logging. Switching between methods requires only a few minutes of time.
General Operation:
In standard MIP operation, the carrier gas continually sweeps across the membrane transporting contaminates to the detectors at the surface. In the LL MIP method, the trunkline sweep flow is temporarily stopped when the MIP probe is brought to rest at a discrete depth in the soil. Stopping the sweep gas flow allows the contaminant concentration to build behind the membrane. This results in a larger and narrower contaminant response peak at the detectors for a given chemical concentration. Switching valves located inside the MP9000 create separate flow paths for the MIP trunkline and detectors; trunkline flow can be stopped and restarted without impacting detector baseline or stability. When the trunkline flow is restarted the contaminant mass (peak) is quickly swept to the surface with a trunkline flow rate of approximately 60ml/min. and is routed to the detectors via a sample loop located in the MP9000.
Low level MIP will not replace standard MIP logging, but will expand MIP capabilities. LL MIP is most useful when low contaminant concentrations are present. Projects with contaminant concentrations too low to proceed with traditional MIP methods may be good candidates for investigation using the LL MIP method. The LL MIP method will greatly increase the sensitivity of a MIP system but the resulting detection limits are dependent on the sensitivity of the detectors. To achieve the lowest possible detection limits the probe and trunkline need to be new or verified clean with a system blank. The detectors also need to be fully current within their maintenance program and sensitivity should be tested prior to mobilization. Equipment that has been used to map high level contaminants will result in false positive results due to contaminant desorption from the membrane and return carrier gas line.