In general, the Membrane Interface Probe (MIP) system has the ability to detect concentrations of Volatile Organic Constituents in the soil down to concentrations of roughly 200-500 ppb, depending on the compound and the detector used for the analysis. The results obtained from the MIP system are only semi-quantitative as each chemical has a different transfer rate across the MIP membrane and each compound reacts differently in different sub-surface mediums. This transfer rate simplistically relates to: the volatility of the compound, the solubility of the compound, it’s concentration in the surrounding lithology, the permeability of the material in contact with the probe, the gas flow in the MIP system, the status of the membrane.
