Pilot study for U.S. Geological Survey Standard Reference Water Samples for pesticides

The U.S. Geological Survey has been preparing and maintaining a library of standard reference water samples for inorganic constituents for 19 years. Recently, a pilot study was conducted to see if the reference-sample program could be expanded to include pesticides and other organic materials. Two samples containing organochlorine and organophosphorus insecticides, and chlorophenoxy acid herbicides were distributed to a number of laboratories in the United States. One of the samples also contained polychlorinated biphenyls. Interlaboratory data obtained from these round robin studies are presented with intralaboratory information on long-term stability.