Chain-of-custody

Sample Integrity. In order to be able to rely on the results of measurements, it is necessary to be sure that the sample as analy2ed is the same as it was when collected, and that it is properly identified in the field, in the laboratory, and in the report. Transit times and temperatures should be within the limits allowed for the type of sample and analysis. A series of documents which estabhsh a chain of custody should exist so that it is possible to be sure that the right result goes with the right sample. 

Material returned to the client or sent to treatment disposal should have documented chain of custody. 

Chain of custody Documentation necessary to trace sample possession from the time of collection throughout the time of analysis. 

A protocol must be established and followed for sample preparation, labeling, packaging, shipping, and chain-of-custody procedures. Also, the volume of the samples will be specified by the analytical laboratory depending on the analytical methods to be used and the desired sensitivity. Accordingly, principal attention will be given here to the sampling methods, preparation of the samples for analysis, and QA/QC aspects of both. 

The samples are identified in the receiving laboratory on arrival on the basis of documentation provided in the shipment and the information supplied in the study plan and chain of custody. Acknowledgement to the field investigator can then be given. 

Chain of custody this page includes the receiving date and time and condition of storage of the samples prior to processing and the condition the processed fractions were maintained at prior to shipping. 

Communication among all individuals involved in an LSMBS is crucial. Lines of communication must be clearly defined and must be in place well before the study is initiated. Therefore, lines of communication between the persons who collect and ship commodities, the field phase managemenf sfudy personnel, fhe analytical laboratories, and overall study management must all be clearly established prior to study initiation. This delineation of the lines of communication must include oral and written communication, including the transmittal of raw data such as sample collection logs and chain of custody forms. 

Please note the following Reference SOP for purging and sampling is WEI-8DD. Dedicated bladder pumps are used for purging and sampling. Sample IDs are listed on the Chain-of-Custody form. 

All application verification and soil samples must be individually labeled with unique sample identification (ID) and other identifying information such as study ID, test substance name, sample depth, replicate, subplot and date of collection, as appropriate. Proper study documentation requires that sample lists and labels be created prior to work commencing in the field. Water- and tear-resistant labels should be used since standard paper labels may become water-soaked and easily torn during sample handling. Sample lists should have the same information on them as the labels and are a convenient place to record plot randomization, initials of the individual who collected the sample, and date of collection. As such, the sample list is important in establishing chain of custody from the point of sample collection until its arrival at the laboratory. 

Field fortification samples may be shipped with field samples but not with controls. Controls should be kept separate from treated samples and may be placed in a separate container within the container used to ship the treated samples. Samples shipped overnight should be shipped in coolers with sufficient dry-ice to maintain the samples in a frozen state for at least 48 h in case a delay in shipment of the samples occurs. Samples should not all be shipped together in one shipment but should be split to ensure that all the samples would not be lost at the same time. A chain of custody form should accompany each separate cooler or shipping box and should list each sample that is in each box. The receiver of the shipment should fill out the chain of custody form and record the conditions of the samples upon arrival at the analytical laboratory indicating whether or not the samples were frozen, ambient, or otherwise upon arrival and if the sample integrity had been compromised during shipping. 

Field forms may be used to document the movement of the field samples from the field to the analytical laboratory. Chain of custody forms may document the sample number, when it was sampled, when it was shipped, where it was being shipped from, and where it was going. The chain of custody form may also contain information on when the sample was received, by whom it was received, and the condition of the samples upon arrival at the laboratory. The chain of custody form also documents that the sample itself was taken. 

Samples should be shipped under chain of custody (as discussed above) using an overnight courier service or freezer truck. Advantages of using freezer trucks are obvious since overnight couriers do not document environmental conditions during shipping as with the freezer truck. 

The importation of data from one electronic data system to another is improving. Some systems import weather data and sample chains of custody, such as shipping conditions, sample handling, etc., into the field raw data package. This allows for simplified reporting and tabulation. Data transmission over the Internet is improving and is already far superior to regular mail and even next-day delivery services. 

Transaction logging - providing date, time, and source information for data received to establish chain of custody. 

Coordinating with analytical laboratories, including sample scheduling, sample bottle acquisition reporting, chain-of-custody records, and procurement of close support laboratories or other in-field analytical capabilities... 

Command post Supervision of all field operations and field teams Maintenance of communications, including emergency lines of communication Recordkeeping, including - Accident reports - Chain-of-custody records - Daily logbooks - Manifest directories and orders - Personnel training records - Site inventories... 

The primary mission of the Decontamination Element is to turn chemical/biological victims into patients through mass decontamination procedures by establishing a site capable of providing initial and sustained operational decontamination of Force personnel (rescue workers), ambulatory, and non-ambulatory patients. The Decontamination Element also handles decontamination of CBIRF members, attachments, vehicles, and equipment that have entered the incident site controls access into and out of the incident site handles processing of surety material and evidence while maintaining chain of custody through the site and handles limited area decontamination of the incident site. 

Maintaining a chain-of-custody is necessary to ensure proper identification and tracking of each propellant sample from its collection to its analysis. The general procedure is to label samples, record in the sample... 

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