TM92-01 Technology Transfer.- AVAILABILITY OF EQUIPMENT BLANK WATER FOR INORGANIC & ORGANIC ANALYSIS

Historically, the USGS has not routinely included field blank samples in field sampling programs. However, recent studies have indicated a need to include field blanks to determine the possible levels of contamination that may occur from: sampling equipment; processing equipment; or shipping, containers, and preservatives. A District project chief stated, "Leaving a documented record of the quality of the data collected to ensure that those who come later can work with what we produce now gives the staff a real sense of belonging to a larger purpose than just the current task at hand." A requirement of field blank water is that it be free of analytes of interest. Therefore, it must be rigorously and regularly checked for quality. District-produced distilled water is an inappropriate source of field blank water because it has not been rigorously checked for quality (Office of Water Quality (OWQ) Technical Memorandum 92.01).