Transcript ISMR 2007 Operator Continuing Education Credit Class “Three Phases of a Water Sampling Event” Jim Risch, Environmental Chemist 1 IDEM OLQ Chemistry Services Section (317)

ISMR 2007
Operator Continuing Education Credit Class
“Three Phases of a Water Sampling Event”
Jim Risch, Environmental Chemist 1
IDEM OLQ Chemistry Services Section
(317) 233-6541, [email protected]
Rodger Wilson, Project Manager
Standard Laboratories, Inc.
(812) 473-1814, [email protected]
Three Phases of a Water
Sampling Event
• Planning
• Implementation
• Assessment
Reference Toolbox
• “Guidance on Systematic Planning Using the Data Quality
Objectives Process,” EPA QA/G-4, February 2006.
http://www.epa.gov/QUALITY/qs-docs/g4-final.pdf
• “Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and
Wastewater,” 20th Edition, January 1999.
http://www.standardmethods.org/
• “Guidance to the Performance and Presentation of
Analytical Chemistry Data,” July 1998.
http://www.in.gov/idem/rules/policies/sw/performpresanalyc
hemdata.pdf
Goals: You should be able to ..
• Locate regulations related to water
sampling for mining operations
• Write a Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP)
based on a sampling objective.
• Recognize and use various types of
equipment for collecting samples.
You should be able to …
• Document a sampling event and deliver
samples to the laboratory.
• Generally understand relevant laboratory
procedures.
• Use the report of the analytical results to
make project decisions.
312 IAC 25-4: Coal Mining and
Reclamation Operations; Permitting
Procedures
• 312 IAC 25-4-31 Surface Mining Permit
Applications; Environmental Resources
Information
• 312 IAC 25-4-72 Underground Mining
Permit Application; Environmental
Resources Information
• 327 IAC 5: Industrial Wastewater PreTreatment Programs and NPDES
• 327 IAC 15: NPDES General Rule
Program
• 40 CFR 434: Coal Mining Point Source
Category BPT, BAT, BCT Limitations and
New Source Performance Standards
IB. Establishing a Sampling
Objective
Begin by:
• Determining if sample collection is needed for
your project.
• Determining if sample collection is possible for
your particular project.
• Getting a general idea of the costs.
Is Sample Collection Needed?
Consider:
• Organizing and performing a sampling event
requires a significant input of time, money and
effort.
• Is there a more efficient way to get the answers
you need?
• Can you make your case with pictures and
documentation instead?
• Does your project require sampling?
EXAMPLE:
“Stadium Site Soil Contains Arsenic”
• “The 350,000 tons of waste will contain more
than 6,000 pounds of arsenic.”
• “The state’s own testing found high levels of
arsenic but then the high numbers are removed.
Removing the higher numbers lowers the
arsenic level on paper.”
•
Courtesy wishtv.com
Example: Lake Discharge
Permit Levels
“Chicago cries foul over Indiana wastewater:
State has said oil refinery can pour more
pollutants into Lake Michigan.”
Source: Indianapolis Star
Lessons
• People are paying attention
• Media reports can be misleading
• It pays to be conscientious about sampling
issues
Is Sample Collection Possible?
• Do you have legal access to the sample
location? Will the property owner or RP
know you are there?
• Is there enough material to sample?
(esp. ground water or storm water)
• Are site conditions currently suitable for
sampling ? How’s the weather?
Some Typical Lab Charges
- Based on one (1) water sample with a 30-day turn around time
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8 RCRA metals: $100-$140
Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons: $40-$100
Ammonia, Nitrate, and TKN: $45-$65
Volatile Organics: $125-$300
Semi-Volatile Organics: $225-$450
PCBs: $90-$100
Cyanide and Sulfide: $50-$100
Other Expenses
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Sampler’s paid time on project
Transportation to and from facility
Per diem and overnight stays
Facility costs
Disposable equipment and PPE
Tech. staff paid time for review
Follow-up sampling events
Establishing a Sampling
Objective (2)
Now you can:
• Establish the objective for the sampling event
before you invest the time, money, and effort to
collect the samples.
• A sampling objective must include the decision
you want to be able to make.
• Data
• Quality
• Objectives
• “Guidance on Systematic Planning Using the Data
Quality Objectives Process,” EPA QA/G-4,
February 2006.
What is the DQO Process?
• The DQO process is a strategic planning
approach based on the Scientific Method
that is used to prepare for a data collection
activity.
• The DQO process provides a systematic
procedure for determining when and
where to collect samples, how many
samples to collect, etc.
The DQO Process
• 1. State the Problem
• 2. Identify the Goal of the Study
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3. Identify Information Inputs
4. Define the Boundaries of the Study
5. Develop the Analytic Approach
6. Specify Performance or Acceptance Criteria
7. Develop the Plan for Obtaining Data
Problem Statement +
Goal of Study =
Complete Sampling Objective
Establishing Goal for Sampling
Project - Consider:
• What are you trying to accomplish? What do
you want the chemist to be able to tell you?
• What are the Parameters of Interest
(constituents of concern, target analytes, etc.)
and corresponding Action Levels (if available)?
• What is the end-use of the analytical results?
Before you sample, consider:
• Is sample collection possible?
• Is sample collection needed?
• How much is this event going to cost?
• What are you trying to decide?
I. Planning Phase
C. Preparing the SAP
• Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP)
• “Test Methods for Evaluating Solid
Waste, Physical/Chemical Methods,”
(SW-846) Chapter Nine
Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP)
• Brief Site History and Sampling Objective
• Steps for Collecting Samples
• Documentation and Field Measurements
• Steps for Delivering Samples to Lab, Maintaining
Custody, and Analytical Methods with related
QA/QC
Representative Sample
1. Has the properties and chemical
composition of the population from which it
was collected.
2. Has the above in the same average
proportions as are found in the population.
Important Decisions when trying to
Collect Representative Samples
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Choice of Location(s)
Number of Samples
Type of Samples (soil, water, air)
Choice of Equipment
Equipment Management (skill and training
of sampler)
• Sample Preservation
Ask/Tell Your Chemist:
• Explain your Sampling Objective
• What analytical methods will be used based on
the sampling objective? (watch detection limits)
• What bottles and preservatives needed?
• What are the sample holding times?
Ask/Tell Your Chemist (2):
• Is extra sample volume needed for
MS/MSD sample preparation?
• Can IDEM-required data deliverables be
provided with the results?
• What about shipping samples?
Recommendation
• Send a copy of your draft SAP to the
regulatory agency for review and comment
before you collect samples.
Locations determined for you:
(in most cases)
• Drinking Water Wells
• Ground Water Monitoring Wells
• Liquid Waste Tanks
• Split-Sampling with Site Representative
Locations determined by
judgment (easy)
• Visible contaminant release to surface
water, flowing away from the site.
• “Worst Case” soil, lagoon, or waste pile
• Drums and Tank Removal Pits
Locations determined by
judgment (challenging)
• Ground water well placement
• Soil Gas and/or Vapor Intrusion
• Characterization of soil on site with limited
or no available information
Collecting Samples:
Grab or Composite?
• Grab: Single sample from one location at
one point in time.
• Composite: A specified number of random
grab samples are collected and combined
into a single sample prior to analysis. (not
for VOCs)
The SAP should also include:
• Matrices to be sampled (soil, ground
water, drinking water, waste, etc.).
The SAP should also include:
• Detailed procedures for collecting
samples. (See next section of
presentation)
• Laboratory Test Methods, Field Test
Methods, and QA/QC Protocol.
• Containers, Preservatives and Holding
Times.
Laboratory Methods
SW-846 on Line: Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste,
Physical and Chemical Methods
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/test/1_series.htm
•
“Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater,”
20th Edition, January 1999.
http://www.standardmethods.org/
Analytical Methods for Drinking Water (EPA & Non-EPA )
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/methods/methods.html
ASTM Methods
http://www.astm.org
Field Duplicates
• Two samples collected at same place and
time and then stored in separate
containers and analyzed independently.
• Why needed? Indicates if the sampling
procedure has a significant effect on the
precision of the analytical results.
Field Duplicate Precision
R
esult1(ppm
) R
esult2(ppm
) R
P
D
50
1
192
24
25
4
<
5
6
?
Dedicated Equipment?
• Ideally, dedicated or disposable sampling
equipment will be used in order to avoid
extensive field decontamination.
• When sample collection equipment will be
decontaminated and reused, plan on
collecting an Equipment Blank.
Preservatives
• Plan on being able to keep samples cold
(approx. 4 degrees C) from the time they
are collected until the time they are
delivered to the laboratory.
• Water sample containers often have a
chemical preservative added at the lab
prior to shipment. Be careful!
Holding Times
• Storage time allowed between sample
collection and sample analysis when
designated preservation and storage
techniques are employed.
• Fecal/Total Coliform, Hexavalent
Chromium, Nitrate (unpreserved), and
BOD tests have short holding times.
The SAP should also include:
• Chain of Custody procedure and form.
Possession of the samples must be
documented from the time of collection
until the time of delivery to the lab.
• Shipping and transport requirements
Why are the SAP and Field
QA/QC Samples So Critical?
• Ensure that data generated are accurate and
precise with a minimum bias.
• Ensure that data are defensible if and when
projects go to litigation.
• Ensure consistency in data collection for longterm projects.
• Ensure that representative samples are
submitted for analysis.
II. IMPLEMENTATION
PHASE
A. Sampling and Test Equipment
Advantages of Low-Flow (MicroPurge) Sampling:
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Less strain on the formation
Reduction in sample turbidity
Reduction in need for sample filtration
Less overall sampling time
Less expensive overall
Lowers impact of sample collection on the
precision & accuracy of results
Low-Flow Sampling References
• Micro-Purge Sampling for Monitoring Wells by
OLQ Geological Services
• Technical Guidance on Low-Flow Purging &
Sampling and Passive Sampling by Nielsen
• Low-Flow (Minimal Drawdown) Ground-Water
Sampling Procedures by Puls & Barcelona
Items of Concern when using
Low-Flow Sampling
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Well needs to be installed properly.
Well screen must be clear.
Pump intake must be in well screen.
Drawdown must be minimized.
Sampler must be trained.
Must have good reasons for choosing lowflow over traditional methods.
Filtering Water Samples
• “Sampling and Analysis of Ground Water
for Metals at Remediation Sites”
http://www.in.gov/idem/rules/policies/sw/w
0057_npd.html
II. Implementation Phase
B. Documenting the
Sampling Event
Don’t Forget:
• Good sampling procedures and complete
field documentation are key elements in
generating legally defensible and scientifically
valid analytical data.
• Make sure all samplers for the project read
and follow the procedures in the sampling
and analysis plan.
Documentation Options –
Written Records
• Dedicated Site Field Book
• Sample Bottle Labels & Seals
• Chain-of-Custody and Courier Manifest Forms
• Field Memos, Field Sheets, and Technical
Reports
Documentation Options:
Audio-Visual Records
• 35 mm Slides
• Still Photographs (Polaroid-Type?)
• Video Tape
• Other Recorded Audio and/or Video
Audio-Visual Records
Please Consider:
• May be necessary to obtain permission to record
field events.
• Must advise people involved in event that they
are being recorded.
• In litigation, courts may restrict use of audiovisual materials.
Field Documentation
• Include documentation procedure and
copies of forms in SAP.
• Record sufficient information so that
anyone can reconstruct the sampling
without reliance on the collector’s memory.
All Field Documentation
• Use only black, permanent ink.
• Cross out any mistakes or changes with a
single line and then initial and date the
change.
• Make sure all documentation is legible.
Field Measurements
• Provide instructions for calibration,
measurement, and equipment
decontamination in the SAP.
• Document all measurements and include
appropriate units.
Please Remember:
• Your written observations could be as important
to the overall case as the analytical results.
Comments should be as detailed and objective
as possible.
• “If you didn’t write it down, you didn’t do it.”
Delivery to Lab:
Containers
• If possible, use containers supplied by the
laboratory (match with analysis).
• Containers must be properly capped and
labeled.
• Samples must be properly preserved (ice).
Sample Custody Chain
• Must be completed before samples can be
transferred to the lab.
• Possession of the samples must be documented
from the time of collection until the time of
delivery to the lab.
• DO NOT identify the site location or the field
duplicate on the Custody Chain. You may note
the blank and MS/MSD.
Chain of Custody Reference
• USEPA “Chain-of-Custody Procedures for
Samples and Data”
http://www.epa.gov/apti/coc/
When you need to ship
samples, remember:
• Pack and seal coolers to avoid container
breakage. Use bubble wrap, tape, etc.
• Seal the containers and/or seal the ice in
plastic bags. Use lots of ice.
• Custody and Shipping Form copies
II. Implementation Phase
C. Laboratory Procedures
How Does a Sample Move through
the Laboratory?
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Project Management/Scheduling
Container Preparation
Sampling Assistance
Sample Receiving
Sample Storage
Internal Sample Custody Chain
Analytical Activities
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Sample Preparation
General Chemistry Analysis
Metals Analysis
Organic Analysis – GC/MS
Organic Analysis – GC and other
Clean up and Disposal
After the Analysis
• Lab QA/QC Evaluation
• Information Storage &
Data Package Assembly
• Technical Support and Interpretation
III. Assessment Phase
Assessment Steps
• Review sampling documentation to check
agreement with SAP.
• Review laboratory documentation to
assess quality of results.
• Determine if analytical results are usable
for meeting established sampling
objectives.
Remember ...
If your project objectives were clearly
defined and you had the time to plan for
the sampling event, assessing the results
should be a straight-forward procedure.
Review Sampling
Documentation
• Was the field documentation complete and
acceptable?
• Were the samples properly preserved? (esp.
delivered to lab at 2-6 oC)
• Was a complete chain-of-custody maintained
and provided for review?
QA/QC Documents are needed
because:
• In most sampling projects, analytical
results that are scientifically valid and
legally defensible are required.
• The precision and accuracy of the
analytical results are judged by review of
the QA/QC documents.
Review Laboratory QA/QC
Documentation
• QA/QC Section usually divided into subsections, according to sample matrix type and
analyte type (VOCs, metals, etc.)
• All required documentation submitted?
• Acceptable analytical methods and associated
detection limits utilized?
Review Laboratory QA/QC
Documentation (2)
• Samples analyzed within holding times?
• Initial and continuing calibration and
instrument tuning (if applicable)
information acceptable?
• Method blanks acceptable?
Review Laboratory QA/QC
Documentation (3)
• Matrix spike / matrix spike duplicate
(MS/MSD) results acceptable?
• If not, were the Laboratory Control Sample
(LCS) results acceptable?
• How are the sample results affected?
Finally, Review the Analytical
Results
• Comment on the analytes detected in the
samples and whether set action levels were
exceeded.
• Summarize the results - with data qualifications as they relate to the objectives for the sampling
project.
• Include recommendations for additional activities
needed for the site.