Bottle Reference Chart

REFERENCE CHART
HOLDING TIME, BOTTLE TYPE, PRESERVATION, MINIMUM VOLUME

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{1} Volatile organic samples need to be filled in multiple VOA vials without air bubbles/headspace (≤6 mm in size).

{2} Dissolved metals require field or lab filtration through 0.45-micron filter prior to preservation. 40 CFR 136.3 requires filtration within 15 minutes.

{3} Volatile organic methods EPA 624.1 and 8260 require dechlorination using Sodium Thiosulfate (Na₂S₂O₃) at time of sampling if chlorine is present. (Thiosulfate dechlorination bottles are available at the laboratory upon request.) Dechlorination is to occur before transferring to the appropriate VOA.

{4} Volatile organic method EPA 524.2 requires dechlorination using ascorbic acid at time of sampling if chlorine is present. Ascorbic acid dechlorination kits are available at the laboratory upon request. If analyzing for THMs only, Sodium Thiosulfate (Na₂S₂O₃) may be used, and acidification can be omitted. Otherwise, dechlorinate with Ascorbic acid, then preserve with HCl. If the sample foams vigorously upon addition of HCl, discard and collect unpreserved dechlorinated sample, and notify the laboratory as the samples must be analyzed within 24 hours of collection if they are to be analyzed for any compounds other than THMs. Method 524.2 requires a travel/trip blank with each sample set collected.

{5} If sampling from a chlorinated location, add 80 mg/L Sodium Thiosulfate (Na₂S₂O₃) per liter and mix well. Any method suitable for field use may be employed to test for residual chlorine (Reference 16). Add more Sodium Thiosulfate if 80 mg/L is insufficient but do not add excess Sodium Thiosulfate.

{6} Semi Volatile Extractable Organics in Amber Liters (AL) should be collected in enough bottles to ensure the lab can perform method-required Matrix Spike/Spike Duplicate (MS/MSD) analyses. While 3 AL per method is recommended, when collecting AL’s for multiple methods, the number of AL’s per method can be reduced to 2 per method. Please contact your Project Manager if in doubt about number of AL’s per sample or method.

{7} Suspended Sediment Concentration (SSC) requires its own container and the entire contents are used for the analysis.

{8} Preserve with HCl if less than 10 ppT Salinity, or Preserve with H₂SO₄ if greater than 10 ppT Salinity.

{9} Cyhalothrin in water has a 3-day hold time in reagent water per USGS study. Permethrin in water has a 3-day hold time per Storage Stability Study by CA Dept. of Food and Agriculture.

{10} 1L bottle required for lowest available MDL or RL <5 mg/L; 500 mL required for RL of 5 mg/L; 250 mL bottle recommended for samples with expected concentrations of 20 mg/L or higher.

{11} If unpreserved, must be analyzed within 7 days of sampling

{12} Hold time can be extended to 14 days if preserved to pH 4-5 at time of collection.

{13} Return samples to laboratory the same day as collection for pH verification, decanting, and further preservation.

{14} Samples with visible solids may only require 100mL. Samples with no or low visible solids should be collected in 1000mL containers.

{15} Glass not acceptable for boron.

Note: Multiple analyses may be run from the same container, provided that the bottle type, volume and preservation are appropriate.
(Rev 10/16/2024)

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