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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