REFERENCE CHART
HOLDING TIME, BOTTLE TYPE, PRESERVATION, MINIMUM VOLUME
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Analytical Parameter | Maximum Holding Time | Required Container Type | Required Preservative | Minimum Amount |
Alkalinity (Bicarb, Carb, Hyd, and Tot); SM 2320 B | 14 days | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 100mL |
Ammonia (NH3 as N); SM 4500NH3 B/C or B/G | 28 days | Plastic / Glass | H2SO4 pH <2 +0-6°C | 200mL |
Asbestos (TEM) | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 1000mL | |
Bioassay (Acute Tox) % survival | Plastic cubitainer | 0-6°C | 1-5gal | |
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD); SM 5210 B | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 250mL | |
Chromium, Hexavalent (CrVI); SM 3500Cr B | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 200mL | |
Chloride (Cl–); EPA 300.0 | 28 days | Plastic / Glass | 0-6° C | 100mL |
Chlorine, residual; SM 4500Cl B or G | Field Measurement | — | — | |
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD); SM 5220 D or EPA 410.4 | 28 days | Plastic / Glass | H2SO4 pH <2 +0-6°C | 50mL |
Chlorophyll A (Algal Biomass) / Pheophytin; SM10200 H |
28 days once filtered |
Amber Plastic | 0-6°C, unfiltered -20°C, filtered |
1L |
Coliform, Total / Fecal; SM 9221 B/E | Plastic (sterile) | Na2S2O3 + 0-10°C | 100mL | |
Coliform, Total / E.Coli; SM 9223 B (Present/Absent orQuantitray) |
Plastic (sterile) | Na2S2O3 + 0-10°C | 100mL | |
Color; SM 2120 B | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 100mL | |
Conductivity (EC/SC); SM 2510 B | 28 days | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 100mL |
Cyanide Total or WAD; SM 4500CN B/C/E or B/C/I | 14 days | Amber Plastic | NaOH pH >10+0-6°C.
Pretreatment for Total Cyanide samples with chlorine or NO3/NO2 should be done prior to preservation. Kits can be provided pon request. |
100mL |
Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC); SM 5310 B | 28 days |
250 mL Amber glass | Filter then add HCL to pH< 2 + 0-6°C. | 50mL |
Dissolved Oxygen (DO); SM 4500O G | Field Measurement | — | — | |
Enterococcus by Enterolert | Plastic (sterile) | Na2S2O3 + 0-10°C | 100mL | |
Fluoride (F-); EPA 300.0 | 28 days | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 100mL |
Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC/SPC); SIMPLATE | Plastic (sterile) | Na2S2O3 + 0-10°C | 100mL | |
Hardness (by titration;SM 2340C | 180 days | Plastic / Glass | HNO3 pH <2 | 250mL |
Metals, Dissolved {2}; EPA 200.8 | 6 months |
Plastic / Glass | Filter then add HNO3 | 100mL |
Metals, Total; EPA 200.8 Metals, Total; EPA 6010/6020 |
6 months | Plastic / Glass Solids in Glass SJ |
HNO3 pH <2 None |
100mL
(1) 8 oz. |
Mercury (Hg) EPA 245.1 Mercury (Hg) EPA 7471 |
28 days | Plastic / Glass Solids in Glass SJ |
HNO3 pH <2 0-6°C |
100 (1) 8 oz. |
Mercury, Total; EPA 1631 (Aqueous)
Mercury, Total; EPA 1631 (Sludge or Solids) |
90 days once preserved |
Glass, Dbl Bagged (not appropriate for samples with TSS>200 mg/L)
Solids in Glass SJ |
HCl
0-6°C |
100mL
(1) 8 oz. |
Mercury, Dissolved {2}; EPA 1631 | 90 days once preserved |
Glass, Dbl Bagged | Filter in lab, then HCl | 100mL |
Mercury, Methyl; EPA 1630 (Aqueous)
Mercury, Methyl; EPA 1630 (Sludge or Solids) |
6 months preserved |
Glass, Amber Dbl Bagged
Solids in Amber Poly SJ |
Dark and cool + (HCL or H2SO4 {8})
Solids to be Frozen |
100mL
(1) 8 oz. |
Mercury, Dissolved {2} Methyl; EPA 1630 | 6 months once preserved |
Glass, Amber Dbl Bagged | Filter in Lab, 0-6°C + HCl if < 10 ppth salinity {8} | 100mL |
Nitrate (as N); EPA 300.0 | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 100mL | |
Nitrite (as N); SM 4500NO2 B | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 100mL | |
Nitrate+Nitrite as N (NO3+NO2-N) EPA 353.2, or SM NO3 F | 28 days | Plastic / Glass | H2SO4 pH <2 +0-6°C | 100mL |
Nitrogen, Total Kjeldahl (TKN); SM 4500Norg + SM 4500NH3 B | 28 days | Plastic / Glass | H2SO4 pH <2 +0-6°C | 200mL |
Nitrogen, Total Organic (TON) TKN-NH3= TON calc | 28 days | Plastic / Glass | H2SO4 pH <2 +0-6°C | 200mL |
Odor; SM 2150 B | Glass only | 0-6°C | 250mL | |
Oil & Grease, Total and/or Hydrocarbons EPA 1664 | 28 days | Glass only- Collect in duplicate when possible. | HCl or H2SO4 pH <2 + 0-6°C | 1 L {10} |
Chlorinated Pesticides & PCBs EPA 625.1 (formerly EPA 608)/8081/8082 |
7 days, Aqueous 14 days, Sludge or Solid |
Glass Amber Liter {6} Solids in Glass SJ |
0-6°C {5} 0-6°C |
1L (1) 8 oz. |
Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH’s) EPA 625.1/8270 |
7 days, Aqueous 14 days, Sludge or Solid |
Glass Amber Liter {6} Solids in Glass SJ |
0-6°C {5} 0-6°C |
1L (1) 8 oz. |
Organophosphorus Pesticides EPA 625.1 (formerly EPA 614)/8141 | 7 days, Aqueous 14 days, Sludge or Solid |
Glass Amber Liter-Collect in triplicate. Solids in Glass SJ |
0-6°C {5} 0-6°C |
1L (1) 8 oz. |
Semivolatile Organics EPA 625.1/8270 |
7 days, Aqueous 14 days, Sludge or Solid |
Glass Amber Liter {6} Solids in Glass SJ |
0-6°C {5} 0-6°C |
1L (1) 8 oz. |
Pyrethroid Pesticides GCMS-NCI-SIM/ EPA 8270M/625.1M |
7 days /3 days {9} 14 days, soil or sediment |
Glass Amber Liter-Collect in triplicate. Solids-Amber Glass SJ {11} |
0-6°C {5} Solids to be Frozen |
1L (1) 8 oz. |
Carbamate Pesticides EPA 632/8321 | 7 days, Aqueous 14 days, Sludge or Solid |
Glass Amber Liter-Collect in triplicate. Solids in Glass SJ |
0-6°C | 1L |
Volatile Organics EPA 524.2 {4} |
14 days, preserved | Glass VOA vial {1} (sample in triplicate) | HCl pH <2 + 0-6°C | 40mL |
Volatile Organics EPA 624.1 {3} (Includes Acrolein and Acrylonitrile) | 14 days except:
3 days unpreserved for Acrolein {12} 7 days unpreserved for BTEX only {11} |
Total of four 40 mL VOA Vials; Two Pres w/ HCl, Two Unpreserved {1}
THMS only—3 HCl VOAs |
0-6°C (see holding time for additional preservation) |
One 40mL of each container type described |
Volatile Organics; EPA 8260 {3} | 14 days | Four (4) Glass VOA vial {1} | HCl pH <2 + 0-6°C | 40mL |
TPH Diesel/Motor Oil; EPA 8015 | 7 days | Glass Amber Liter {6} | 0-6°C | 1L |
Tributyltin (TBT) | 7 days (recommended) | Glass Amber Liter {6} | 0-6°C | 1L |
TPH Gas/ BTEX/ MTBE; EPA 8260 | 14 days preserved | Glass VOA vial {1} | HCl pH <2 + 0-6°C | 40mL |
Dioxin; EPA 1613 | 1 year | Glass Amber Liter {6} | 0-6°C {5} | 1L |
Perchlorate; EPA 314.0 | 28 days | Plastic/Glass | 0-6°C | 100mL |
pH; SM 4500 H+ B | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 100mL | |
Phenols, EPA 420.1 | 28 days | Glass Amber 250 mL | H2SO4 pH <2 +0-6°C | 200mL |
Phosphate, Ortho (as P); SM 4500P E | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 100mL | |
Phosphate, Ortho, Dissolved (as P); SM 4500P E | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 100mL | |
Phosphorus, Total (PO4as P); SM 4500P B/F or B/E | 28 days | Plastic / Glass | H2SO4 pH <2+0-6°C | 100mL |
Solids,Settleable (SS);SM 2540F | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 1000mL | |
Solids, Total (mg/L or %); SM 2540 B, or SM 2540 G | 7 days | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 100mL |
Solids, Total Dissolved (TDS); SM 2540 C | 7 days | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 100mL |
Solids, Total Suspended (TSS); SM 2540 D | 7 days | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 200mL |
Solids, Volatile Suspended (VSS); SM 2540 E | 7 days | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 200mL |
Sulfate (SO42-), EPA 300.0 | 28 days | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 100mL |
Sulfide, Dissolved; SM 4500 S2- B/D | 7 days | Glass 250 mL | AlCl3 + NaOH +0-6°C | 250mL |
Sulfide, Total; SM 4500 S2- C/D | 7 days | Glass (preferred)/plastic (no headspace) 250 mL | NaOH + ZnAC pH >9 + 0-6°C | 250mL |
Sulfite (SO3) | 7 days | Glass Amber 500 mL | EDTA + 0-6°C | 250mL |
Surfactants (MBAS); SM 5540 C | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 250mL | |
Suspended Sediment Conc. (SSC); ASTM D3977 | 7 days | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C {7} | 100mL |
Total Organic Carbon (TOC); SM5310B | 28 days | Amber Glass VOA vial (in trip) | HCl pH <2 + 0-6°C | 40mL |
Turbidity; SM 2130 B, or EPA 180.1 | Plastic / Glass | 0-6°C | 100mL | |
Ultraviolet Absorption (UVA at 254nm); SM 5910 B | Glass Amber 125mL | 0-6°C | 125mL |
{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 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 sulfate if 80 mg/L is insufficient but do not add excess sodium thiosulfate.
{6} Semi Volatile Organics Amber Liters (AL) should be collected in duplicate, to ensure volume for re-extraction if necessary. When possible, please collect 4 AL per method to allow the laboratory to perform matrix Quality Control (MS/MSD).
{7} Suspended Sediment Conc.(SSC) requires its own container and the entire contents are used for the analysis.
{8} Preserve with HCl if less than 10 ppth Salinity, or Preserve with H2SO4 if greater than 10 ppth 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} 1000 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.
Note: Multiple analyses may be run from the same container, provided that the bottle type, volume and preservation are appropriate.
(Rev 6/10/20)