SOS Analytical - Geological and Analytical Services

Sample Volume, Preservation, and Holding Times - Water | Soil

Complete and unequivocal preservation of samples is a practical impossibility because complete stability for every constituent can never be achieved. At best, preservation techniques only retard chemical and biological changes that inevitably continue after sample collection.

This table is intended as a general guidance document. Sample volumes may vary based on number of quality control analyses required. Contact the laboratory for assistance.

Water - [ Soil ] - [ TCLP/SPLP ]

Parameter	Holding Time	Container	Volume	Preservative
Acidity	14 days	P, G	100 ml	Cool, 4°C
Alkalinity	14 days	P, G	100 ml	Cool, 4°C
Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)	48 hours	P, G	1000 ml	Cool, 4°C
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)	28 days	P, G	100 ml	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2
Chloride	28 days	P, G	100 ml	Cool, 4°C
Chromium, Hexavalent	24 hours	P, G	250 ml	Cool, 4°C
Cyanide
Amenable	14 days1	P, G	500 ml	Cool, 4°C, NaOH to pH>122
Free	14 days1	P, G	500 ml	Cool, 4°C, NaOH to pH>122
Total	14 days1	P, G	500 ml	Cool, 4°C, NaOH to pH>122
Fluoride	28 days	P	100 ml	Cool, 4°C
Hardness, Total	6 months	P, G	100 ml	HNO3 to pH<2
Metals (except Cr+6, Hg)	6 months	P	500 ml	Cool, 4°C, HNO3 to pH<2
MBAS	48 hours	G	500 ml	Cool, 4°C
Mercury	28 days	P, G	500 ml	HNO3 to pH<2
N, Ammonia	28 days	P, G	100 ml	H2SO4 to pH<2
N, T. Kjeldahl	28 days	P, G	500 ml	H2SO4 to pH<2
N, Nitrate	48 hrs/28 days preserved	P, G	100 ml	Cool, 4°C or add H2SO4 to pH<2
N, Nitrite	48 hours	P, G	100 ml	Cool, 4°C
Oil and Grease	28 days	G	1000 ml	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4or HCl to pH<2
Petroleum Hydrocarbons	14 days	G	1000 ml	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2
pH	Analyze Immediately	P, G	50 ml	N/A
Phenols,Recoverable	28 days	G	500 ml	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2
Phosphorus, Ortho	48 hours	P, G	100 ml	Filter, Cool, 4°C
Phosphorus, Total	28 days	P, G	100 ml	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2
Radiological Tests
Alpha, Beta & Radium	6 months	P, G	4 L	Cool, 4°C, HNO3 to pH<2
Solids, Total	7 days	P, G	100 ml	Cool, 4°C
Solids, Total Dissolved	7 days	P, G	100 ml	Cool, 4°C
Solids, Total Suspended	7 days	P, G	100 ml	Cool, 4°C
Solids, Volatile Suspended	7 days	P, G	100 ml	Cool, 4°C
Sulfate	28 days	P, G	100 ml	Cool, 4°C

Water (continued)

Parameter	Holding Time	Container	Volume	Preservative
Total Organic Carbon	28 days	P, G	100 ml	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2
Halogenated Volatiles	14 days	40 ml vials	2x40 ml	Cool, 4°C3
Purgeable Aromatics	14 days⁴	40 ml vials	2x40 ml	Cool, 4°C, HCl to pH<23
Phenols by GC/MS	7 days/40 days⁵	G	1 L	Cool, 4°C
Pesticides/PCBs	7 days/40 days⁵	G	1 L	Cool, 4°C
Polynuclear Aromatics	7 days/40 days⁵	G	1 L	Cool, 4°C
Acid/Base-Neutral Extractables	7 days/40 days⁵	G	1 L	Cool, 4°C

P = Plastic G = Glass

Soil - [ Water ] - [ TCLP/SPLP ]

Parameter	Holding Time	Container	Volume	Preservative
Metals (except Hg)	6 months	P, G	100 g	Cool, 4°C
Mercury	28 days	P, G	100 g	Cool, 4°C
Halogenated Volatile Organics	14 days	G	10 g/10 ml methanol	Methanol preserved in field⁶
Purgeable Aromatics	14 days	G	10 g/10 ml methanol	Methanol preserved in field⁶
Phenols	14 days/40 days⁵	G	100 g	Cool, 4°C
Pesticides/PCBs	14 days/40 days⁵	G	100 g	Cool, 4°C
Polynuclear Aromatics	14 days/40 days⁵	G	100 g	Cool, 4°C
Acid/Base-Neutral Extractables	14 days/40 days⁵	G	100 g	Cool, 4°C

¹If residual chlorine is present, add 0.6 gm. ascorbic acid.

²Maximum holding time is 24 hours when sulfide is present. Test with lead acetate paper prior to pH adjustment. Remove sulfide with addition of lead nitrate until a negative spot test is obtained. Filter and add NaOH to pH>12.

³If samples contain residual chlorine, add 0.008% sodium thiosulfate at the time of sampling.

⁴With pH adjustment; without, holding time is 7 days.

⁵Seven days prior to extraction. Samples must be analyzed within 40 days after extraction.

⁶Encore samplers may be used, but must be received in lab and extracted within 48 hours.

TCLP/SPLP -EPA 1311/1312 - [ Soil ] - [ Water ]

Analysis	EPA Method References
METAL / SEMI VOLATILE ORGANICS	EXTRACTION FEE
TCLP METALS (MICHIGAN 10)	SW846 7000's
TCLP LEAD ONLY	7420 FAA
	7421 GFAA
ZHE / VOLATILES – SHORT LIST	8260B
ZHE / BTEX ONLY	8021B/8260B
SEMI-VOLATILES	8270C
FULL TCLP W/O PEST/HERBS	8260B/8270C/ ORGANICS
	MI 10 METALS
ZHE / 8010 LIST SOLVENTS	8260B

Units of Measure

The following guide is provided to assist the data user in interpreting laboratory reports. Listed are conversions for commonly used units of measure.

Parts per Million	mg/L	milligrams per liter
Parts per Million	mg/kg	milligrams per kilogram
Parts per Billion	µg/L	micrograms per liter
Parts per Billion	µg/kg	micrograms per kilogram
Equivalents	1 mg = 1000 µg 1 g = 1000 mg 1 kg = 1000 g	1 liter = 1000 ml 1 ml = 0.001 L

SOS Analytical 4125 Cedar Run Road, Suite B Traverse City, MI 49684 tel: (231) 946-6767 fax: (231) 946-8741

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