Did you know HydraSleeves can be left in the wells between sampling events? This can be any indefinite time frame - even years! The unique design of the check valve, the special food-grade poly material, and the way the HydraSleeve works allow this to be possible.
This will save you the extra hassle of taking an additional trip out to the site just to deploy the HydraSleeves in the wells. It also saves time by allowing far more equilibration time than necessary for the well to return to ambient conditions. There will be no doubt after several months that the well has stabilized.
We have tested this theory in standpipes under lamp oil to show that there is no deterioration of the material and no seepage into the bag as they sit in the water. A simple Alka-Seltzer tablet placed inside the bag shows that no water gets inside until the unit is retrieved. We have also filled several HydraSleeves with varying degrees of contaminants and, to date, no deterioration of the material has been discovered.
So, please, when you think about ordering your HydraSleeve supplies also think about leaving a sleeve! Simply replace that unit upon retrieval and your wells will be set for months (or even years - depending on your sampling schedule) to come.
Here you can see no deterioration in the HydraSleeve material after several months of chemical exposure. The first photo was taken in November 2011 and the second photo was taken February 2012. The blue liquid is a petroleum based product, next is alkali, then acid and finally chlorine as an oxidizer. An interesting thing happened with the blue petroleum additive. The amount of liquid remaining has decreased significantly due to the diffusion of the contaminant through the sleeve wall and into the air - it is not a result of deterioration in the HydraSleeve. None of these sleeves shows any sign of wear or weakening of the material.