Alternative test procedures

Pumps shall be tested as eomplete assemblies. Tests using only bowls and impellers are not reeommended. In cases where assembled unit testing is impractical, the vendor shall snbmit alternative testing procedures with the proposal. Suction cans, if supplied, are not required for performance testing. 

Steps an individual permit holder must take to use an alternate test procedure for regulatory reporting of specific discharges follow. An alternate test procedure differs from those published in the Federal Register for NPDES-certification purposes (Source Federal Register, Title 40, Chapter 1, Subchapter D, Part 136 Vol. 38, No. 199, Oct. 16, 1973 Vol. 41, No. 232, Dec. 1, 1976). Many Hach methods (Hach Company, Loveland, CO, USA) are identical to these published methods and thus are approved by USEPA and highly recommended by the authors for rapid field testing of effluent samples. 

Alternative testing procedures have been suggested by other authors, such as the use of certain amino acids (Ooghe Kastelijn, 1985) and organic acids (Wallrauch, 1995). Flowever, because of the wide natural variation of all these components, any calculation of juice or fruit content should really be considered only as an estimate rather than an absolute value. The situation is even more complicated for a mixture of juices in a juice blend or soft drink. In this case, the parameters chosen for analysis, often potassium or phosphate, should be fairly constant between the juices within the blend, and if possible components that are characteristic of a particular juice, such as quinic acid in cranberry juice, or isocitric acid in orange, grapefruit or lemon, say, should be analysed. This type of specific marker can be used to assess the overall level of a particular juice in a blend, but not every juice has a unique marker. 

There are two alternative test procedures. The first requires the tensile and modulus tests to be carried out immediately after removal from the test solution, and the second after drying and stabilization of the sample. The results obtained, like all tensile results, are arbitrary and used for comparison purposes. The percentage changes in properties are normally reported. 

Procedures for a New Alternative Test Procedure or New Method Approval... 

In the next paragraphs, only published methods by USEPA and Alternative test procedures will be discussed. 

USEPA, 1999a. Protocol for EPA Approval of Alternate Test Procedures for Organic and Inorganic Analytes in Wastewater and Drinking Water. EPA 821-B-98-002. 

USEPA, 2004. EPA Microbiological Alternate Test Procedure (ATP) Protocol for Drinking Water, Ambient Water, and Wastewater Monitoring Methods, Guidance. EPA 821-B-03-004. 

The permanent deflection and burst methods of these alternative testing procedures are typically conducted at room temperature and, hence, provide maximum allowable pressure ratings for a vessel when used at room temperature. The corresponding pressure rating at an elevated temperature may be established by multiplying the calculated room temperature rating... 

For substances that cannot be properly characterized or products for which an exact analysis of the purity cannot be determined through routine analytical methods, the applicant should propose and justify alternative testing procedures. 

The replacement of CHCs prescribed in official pubhcations will take some years, as past experience shows. The question therefore arises why every user should not be free to use alternative environmentally friendly solvents after appropriate validation, without the necessity for audits or discussions with FDA inspectors or other authorities, bearing in mind the fact that the pharmacopoeia permits the use of alternative testing procedures provided that these lead to the same result as that obtained by the prescribed procedure (DAB, Chapter IV, General Instractions). 

Over the years a numbo of alternative test systems have been described in the literature. These include the use of tissue culture, excised animal organs, bactoial systems, computer modeling, protozoan mortality inhibition, chorioallantoic membrane inflammation, and specific biochemical reactions [23]. Most of these alternative test procedures have been proposed or developed with the objective of reducing or replacing animal LDjg toxicity tests and the controversial Draize rabbit eye irritancy test [24]. 

Apart from the above alternative testing procedures, if wheel-tracking test is executed by a small-size device, two alternative procedures may be followed. 

In addition to drinking water. Method 200.8 can also be used for trace elements in wastewater under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). It has had general approval since 1995, but full acceptance varies on a regional basis, which means that each laboratory must apply for an ATP (Alternate Test Procedure) to their local EPA Quality Assurance Officer. In addition, since January 2000, Method 200.8 can also be used under NPDES rules for the analysis of wastewater from industrial incinerators. Other Office of Water ICP-MS-related methodology include the following ... 

Alternative test procedure for tuberculin. Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) Bovis, infradermic In vivo... 

To overcome the risk of investing efforts in creep experiments resulting in strain levels beyond the area of relevancy for a certain application, relaxation test methods may provide an effective alternative test procedure. 

---