Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) for 301(h) Monitoring Programs: Guidance on Field and Laboratory Methods

摘要

Under regulations implementing Section 301 (h) of the Clean Water Act, municipalities are required to conduct monitoring programs to evaluate the impact of their discharge on marine biota, to demonstrate compliance with applicable water quality standards, and to measure toxic substances in the discharge. The collection and analysis of high quality data require that specific, established quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) protocols be adhered to in each of these major monitoring programs. QA/QC procedures are discussed for environmental variables that may be measured in effluent, receiving water, sediment, and organism tissues sampled. Procedures are provided for sample collection, field sample handling, and laboratory processing.