Quality assurance, environmental sampling

Kramer, K.J.M., 1995, Quality Assurance of Sampling and Sample Handling for Trace Metal Analysis in Aquatic Biota, In Quality Assurance in Environmental Monitoring, Quevauviller, Ph., (Ed), VCH. 

Internal methods of quality assessment should always be viewed with some level of skepticism because of the potential for bias in their execution and interpretation. For this reason, external methods of quality assessment also play an important role in quality assurance programs. One external method of quality assessment is the certification of a laboratory by a sponsoring agency. Certification is based on the successful analysis of a set of proficiency standards prepared by the sponsoring agency. For example, laboratories involved in environmental analyses may be required to analyze standard samples prepared by the Environmental Protection... 

Morabito R, Chiavarini S, and Cremisini C (1995) Speciation of organotin compotmds in environmental samples by GS-MS. In Qltevauviller Ph, Maier EA and Griepink B, eds. Quality Assurance for Environmental Analysis, pp 437-462. Elsevier, Amsterdam. 

Veecoutere K, and Cornelis R (1995) Chromium speciation in environmental and biological samples. In Quality Assurance for Environmental Analysis, Qubvauviller Ph, Maiee EA and Geiepink B, eds. pp 195-213. Elsevier, Amsterdam. 

Wise SA (1993) Standard reference materials for the determination of trace organic constituents in environmental samples. In Barcelo D, ed. Environmental Analysis Techniques, Applications and Quality Assurance, pp 403-446. Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Wise SA, and Schantz MM (1997) Standard reference materials for the determination of trace organic contaminants in environmental samples. In Clement R and Siu M, eds. Reference Materials for Environmental Analysis Making and Using Them, pp 143-186. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL. 

VILI.ER Ph, Ed. Quality assurance in environmental monitoring - sampling and sample pretreatment. VCH, Weinheim, Germany. 

In many cases, there is difficulty in preserving residues in samples after collection and prior to pesticide analysis which coincides with a rapid further degradation and mineralization of the pesticide residues under most environmental conditions. Storage stability studies and studies on the reactivity of sample collection equipment in addition to field quality assurance procedures can help address some of these questions. Concerns are accentuated for compounds that have short half-lives in the environment but still have high acute toxicity. 

Ide HM. 1986. Americium and plutonium in fecal samples a screening procedure. In Health and environmental chemistry Analytical techniques, data management, and quality assurance. Gautier MA, Gladney ES, eds. Los Alamos, NM Los Alamos National Laboratory. Report LA-10300-M. 

Oubina A, Ballesteros B, Bou Carrasco P, Galve R, Gascdn J, Iglesias F, Sanvicens N, Marco MP (1999) Immunoassays for environmental analysis. In Barcelo D (ed) Sample handling and trace analysis of pollutants techniques, applications and quality assurance. Elsevier, Amsterdam, p 287... 

The quantification of surfactants in environmental samples needs further development, particularly in so far as quality assurance of the analysis is concerned. Since the majority of the individual isomers and oligomers involved are not yet available as standards, quantification has to be based in part on external standards of commercially available mixtures. As this holds for both LC-FL and LC-MS analyses, both suffer from this shortcoming. Yet, samples analysed with both the methods have shown good agreement of resulting data. 

Wang YY, Marsden PJ, Flessel CP, et al. 1990. Evaluation and validation of protocols for measurement of the mutagenicity of environmental samples. In Friedman D, ed. Waste testing and quality assurance ... 

Because of the diversity of potential field testing and sampling activities during the characterization, there may be no specific quality assurance (QA) activities that apply to all sampling procedures. However, the following general QA principles would apply in most cases and are consistent with the QA guidelines published by USEPA s Environmental Response Team ... 

Materials. Aldicarb standards were obtained from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Quality Assurance Section and from Union Carbide Corporation. Crystalline samples of carbofuran and 3-hydroxycarbofuran were supplied by the Agricultural Chemical Group of FMC Corporation. Reference standards of methomyl (99% pure) and oxamyl (99% pure) were obtained from USEPA. HPLC grade methanol was purchased from Burdick and Jackson, Inc. Methylene chloride used for bulk extractions of the carbamate pesticides in solution was recovered, distilled and reused. Analytical reagent grade chemicals and solvents were used in all experiments. Doubly distilled deionized water was used for solution rate studies. Deionized distilled water (DDW) was used for dilutions in reactive ion exchange experim ts., , ... 

Government agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set requirements for quality assurance for their own labs and for certification of other labs. Published standard methods specify precision, accuracy, numbers of blanks, replicates, and calibration checks. To monitor drinking water, regulations state how often and how many samples are to be taken. Documentation is necessary to demonstrate that all requirements have been met. Table 5-1 summarizes the quality assurance process. 

MC Hennion, P Scribe. Sample handling strategies for the analysis of organic compounds from environmental water samples. In Barcelo D, ed. Environmental Analysis. Techniques, Applications and Quality Assurance. Amsterdam Elsevier, 1998, pp 24-78. 

M. Zimmerman, et al., The Effects of Temperature, Sample Container and Preservative on Volatile Organic Compounds in Soil, Proceedings of the 16th Annual Waste Testing and Quality Assurance Symposium, [US Environmental Protection Agency, 2000]. 

Morabito, R., Chiavarini, S. and Cremisini, C. (1996b) Speciation of organotin compounds in environmental samples by GC-MS. In Quality Assurance for Environmental Analysis (eds Quevauviller, Ph., Maier, E.A. and Griepink, B.), Vol. 17. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 437 pp. 

Kent, T.R. and K.E. Payne. 1996. Sampling groundwater monitoring wells special quality assurance and quality control considerations, Chapter 21. In L.H. Keith (ed.), Principles of Environmental Sampling, 2nd edition, pp. 337-392. American Chemical Society, Washington. 

ISO 5667-14. 1998. Water quality—sampling. Part 14 Guidance on quality assurance of environmental water-sampling and handling. 

Marco, M.-P. and D. Barcelo. 2000. Immunosensors for environmental analysis. In D. Barcelo (ed.), Sample Handling and Trace Analysis of Pollutants Techniques, Applications and Quality Assurance, pp. 1075-1103. Amsterdam Elsevier. 

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