---
kind: "section"
citation: "40 C.F.R. § 761.386"
title: "40"
number: "761.386"
heading: "Required experimental conditions for the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/40/761.386"
---

# §761.386. Required experimental conditions for the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination.


The following experimental conditions apply for any solvent:

- (a) **Temperature and pressure.** Conduct the validation study and perform decontamination at room temperature (from ≥15 °C to ≤30 °C) and at atmospheric pressure.
- (b) **Agitation.** Limit the movement in the solvent to the short-term movement from placing the contaminated surface into the soak solvent and from removing the surface from the soak solvent.
- (c) **Time of soak.** Soak the surface for a minimum of 1 hour.
- (d) **Surface conditions for the validation study.** Prior to beginning the validation study, ensure that there are no free-flowing liquids on surfaces and that surfaces are dry (i.e., there are no liquids visible without magnification). Also ensure that surfaces are virtually free from non-liquid residues, corrosion, and other defects which would prevent the solvent from freely circulating over the surface.
- (e) **Confirmatory sampling for the validation study.** Select surface sample locations using representative sampling or a census. Sample a minimum area of 100 cm 2 on each individual surface in the validation study. Measure surface concentrations using the standard wipe test, as defined in [§ 761.123](/cfr/40/761.123.md), from which a standard wipe sample is generated for chemical analysis. Guidance for wipe sampling appears in the document entitled “Wipe Sampling and Double Wash/Rinse Cleanup as Recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency PCB Spill Cleanup Policy,” available on EPA's website at https://www.epa.gov/pcbs, or from the Program Implementation and Information Division, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (5303T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001.
- (f) **Concentration of PCBs.** The method validated may be used only to decontaminate surfaces containing PCBs at concentrations on which the validation study was performed and lower concentrations.

## Notes

### Amendments

[63 FR 35473, June 29, 1998, as amended at 72 FR 57241, Oct. 9, 2007; 74 FR 30235, June 25, 2009; 88 FR 59695, Aug. 29, 2023]

### Source

Source: 63 FR 35473, June 29, 1998, unless otherwise noted.

### Authority

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2605, 2607, 2611, 2614, and 2616 and 42 U.S.C. 6939g.

### Source

Source: 43 FR 7156, Feb. 17, 1978, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[63 FR 35473, June 29, 1998, as amended at 72 FR 57241, Oct. 9, 2007; 74 FR 30235, June 25, 2009; 88 FR 59695, Aug. 29, 2023]