Receipt and Handling of Samples

Procedures
HEAL does not provide field sampling for any projects. Sample kits are prepared and provided for clients upon request. The sample kits contain the appropriate sampling containers (with a preservative when necessary), labels, blue ice, a cooler, chain-of-custody forms, plastic bags, bubble wrap, and any special sampling instructions. The sample control manager reviews the kits prior to shipment.

Containers
Containers which are sent out for sampling are purchased by HEAL from a commercial source. Glass containers are certified “EPA Cleaned” QA level 1. Those containers are received with a Certificate of Analysis verifying that the containers have been cleaned according to the EPA wash procedure.

Preservation
If sampling for an analyte(s) requires preservation, the sample custodians fortify the containers prior to shipment to the field. The required preservative is introduced into the vials in uniform amounts and done so rapidly to minimize the risk of contamination. Vials that contain a preservative are labeled appropriately.

Tables of Standard Holding Times, Preservation, and Containers
The following contains tables specifying additional preservation requirements for samples:

Organic Compounds

Compound

Matrix

Container

Preservative

Holding Time

Purgeable halocarbons and aromatics

aqueous

40 mL glass voas, teflon-lined septum

HgCl 2, or

HCl, pH <2; cool

14 days to analysis

Purgeable halocarbons and aromatics

Soil/MeOH*

4 oz. Jar/2-20 ml VOAs w/ methanol

cool, 4 ° C

14 days to analysis

Semi-volatiles

aqueous

1 L amber

cool, 4 ° C

7 days to extract, 40 days after extraction to analyze

Semi-volatiles

soil

8 oz. Jar

cool, 4 ° C

14 days to extract, 40 days after extraction to analyze

PCBs, pesticides, herbicides

aqueous

1 L amber

cool, 4 ° C

7 days to extract, 40 days after extraction to analyze

PCBs, pesticides, herbicides

soil

8 oz. Jar

cool, 4 ° C

14 days to extract, 40 days after extraction to analyze

*Use of field methanol kits are available and recommended for the PSTB.

Inorganic Compounds

Compound

Matrix

Container

Preservative

Holding Time

Acidity

aqueous

250-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C

14 days

Alkalinity

aqueous

250-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C

14 days

Ammonia

aqueous

1-L HDP

cool, 4 ° C, H 2SO 4 pH<2

28 days

Biochemical Oxygen Demand

aqueous

2-L HDP

cool, 4 ° C

48 hours

Bromide

aqueous

250-mL HDP

none required

28 days

Chemical Oxygen Demand

aqueous

125-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C, H 2SO 4 pH<2

28 days

Chloride

aqueous

125-mL HDP

none required

28 days

Chloride

solid

4-oz jar

none required

28 days

Chlorine, total residual

aqueous

500-mL HDP

none required

analyze immediately

Chromium VI

aqueous

250-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C

24 hours

Chromium VI

solid

8-oz jar

cool, 4 ° C

as soon as possible

Color

aqueous

125-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C

48 hours

Cyanide

aqueous

1-L HDP

cool, 4 ° C NaOH pH>12

14 days

Cyanide

solid

4-oz jar

cool, 4 ° C

14 days

Fluoride

aqueous

500-mL HDP

none required

28 days

Hardness

aqueous

250-mL HDP

HNO 3 or H 2SO 4 pH<2

6 months

Hydrogen ion (pH)

aqueous

60-mL HDP

none required

analyze immediately

Hydrogen ion (pH)

solid

4-oz jar

none required

analyze immediately

Kjeldahl and organic nitrogen

aqueous

1-L HDP

cool, 4 ° C, H 2SO 4 pH<2

28 days

Mercury

aqueous

250-mL HDP

HNO 3 pH < 2

28 days

Mercury

solid

8-oz jar

none required

28 days

Metals (except Cr VI and Hg)

aqueous

500-mL HDP

HNO 3

pH < 2

6 months

Metals (except Cr VI and Hg)

solid

8-oz jar

 

6 months

Nitrate

aqueous

250-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C

48 hours

Nitrate

solid

8-oz jar

cool, 4 ° C

analyze immediately

Nitrate-Nitrite

aqueous

250-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C, H 2SO 4 pH<2

28 days

Nitrate-Nitrite

solid

8-oz jar

cool, 4 ° C

28 days

Nitrite

aqueous

125-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C

48 hours

Oil and Grease

aqueous

2-L wide-mouth glass

cool, 4 ° C, H 2SO 4 pH<2

28 days

Oil and Grease

solid

2-L wide-mouth glass

cool, 4 ° C

28 days

 

Compound

Matrix

Container

Preservative

Holding Time

Organic Carbon

aqueous

125-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C, HCl or H 2SO 4 pH<2

28 days

Organic Carbon

solid

4-oz jar

cool, 4 ° C

28 days

Orthophosphate

aqueous

125-mL HDP

Cool, 4 ° C

48 hours

Phenolics

aqueous

1-L Boston Round

cool, 4 ° C, H 2SO 4 pH<2

28 days

Phenolics

solid

8-oz jar (glass only)

cool, 4 ° C

28 days

Phosphorous (elemental)

aqueous

1-L Boston Round

cool, 4 ° C

48 hours

Phosphorous (total)

aqueous

125-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C, H 2SO 4 pH<2

28 days

Residue, total

aqueous

250-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C

7 days

Residue, filterable(TDS)

aqueous

250-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C

7 days

Residue, non-filterable (TSS)

aqueous

250-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C

7 days

Residue, settleable

aqueous

Imhoff Cone

cool, 4 ° C

48 hours

Residue, volatile

aqueous

250-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C

7 days

Silica

aqueous

125-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C

28 days

Specific conductance

aqueous

250-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C

28 days

Specific conductance

solid

8-oz jar

cool, 4 ° C

28 days

Sulfate

aqueous

125-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C

28 days

Sulfate

solid

4-oz jar

cool, 4 ° C

28 days

Sulfide

aqueous

1-L HDP

cool, 4 ° C, ZnAc + NaOH pH>9

7 days

Sulfide

solid

8-oz jar

cool, 4 ° C

7 days

Surfactants

aqueous

500-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C

48 hours

Turbidity

aqueous

250-mL HDP

cool, 4 ° C

48 hours


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Adam Baney