A strategy to validate immunoassay test kits for TNT and PAHs as a field screening method for contaminated sites in Germany

Immunoassay test kits for TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene) and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) have been commercially available in Germany for about three years. However, there still is a lack of acceptance in using them for waste site characterization. Therefore, at the beginning of 1996 a three-year project was started in Germany to validate these test kits at German waste sites. Additionally, the project should provide more information and guidance for potential users of these tests as field screening methods for contaminated sites. An overview of the strategy of this validation project is presented.