SAMPLE SIZE

To find the item you are testing for, first select one of the categories listed below, then scroll to the item of interest. Within each group, the items are listed alphabetically. Once you have found the item, read across the row for sample requirements. See Legend at the end of the bottom of this page for definitions.

.....Bacterial Tests
....Inorganic and Metal Tests
....Organic

Required Containers, Preservative and Holding Times
      Sample   Maximum
Name   Container Size Preservatives Hold Time
Bacterial Tests        
  Coliform p or g 100 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 6 hours
      0.008% Na2SO4  
  Fecal Strept. p or g 100 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 6 hours
        0.008% Na2SO4  
Inorganic & Metal Tests     Return to Top 
  Acidity p or g 100 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 14 days
  Alkalinity p or g 100 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 14 days
  Ammonia p or g 500 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 28 days
        H2SO4, pH < 2  
  BOD p or g 100 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 48 hours
  COD p or g 50 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 28 days
        H2SO4, pH < 2  
  Chloride p or g 100 ml None Required 28 days
  Chlorine p or g 100 ml None Required Immediate
  Color p or g 100 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 48 hours
  Cyanide, Total and/ p or g 500 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 14 days
  or Amenable     NaOH, pH > 12  
  Fluoride p 100 ml None Required 28 days
  Hardness p or g 100 ml HNO3, pH < 2 6 months
  Hydrogen ion (pH) p or g 50 ml None Required Immediate
  Kjeldahl p or g 500 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 28 days
        H2SO4, pH < 2  
  Organic Nitrogen p or g 1000 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 28 days
        H2SO4, pH < 2  
  Chromium VI p or g 100 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 24 hours
  Mercury p or g 100 ml HNO3, pH < 2 28 days
  Other Metals p or g 250 ml HNO3, pH < 2 6 months
  Nitrate p or g 100 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 48 hours
  Nitrate/Nitrite p or g 100 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 28 days
        H2SO4, pH < 2  
   Nitrate/Nitrite

 p or g

 100 ml

 Cool, 4°C (39.2°F)

 48 hours
  Oil & Grease g 500 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 28 days
        H2SO4, pH < 2  
  Organic Carbon p or g 100 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 28 days
        H2SO4, pH < 2  
  Orthophosphate p or g 100 ml Filter Immediately 48 hours
        Cool, 4°C (39.2°F)  
  Oxygen, Dissolved g 100 ml None Required Immediate
    top & bottom     
  Phenols g 500 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 28 days
        H2SO4, pH < 2  
  Phosphorus, total p or g 100 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 28 days
        H2SO4  
  Residue, total p or g 1000 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 7 days
  Residue, filterable p or g 1000 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 7 days
  Residue, nonfilterable p or g 1000 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 7 days
  Residue, settleable p or g 1000 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 48 hours
  Residue, violatile p or g 1000 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 7 days
  Spec. Conductance p or g 100 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 28 days
  Sulfate p or g 100 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 28 days
  Sulfide p or g 100 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 7 days
        Zn Acetate +  
        NaOH, pH > 9  
  Surfactants p or g 500 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 48 hours
  Temperature p or g 50 ml None Required Immediate
  Turbidity p or g 100 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 48 hours
Organic       Return to Top 
  Purgeable halocarbons g 2 - 40 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 14 days
    teflon septeum vials   0.008% Na2SO4O3  
  Purgeable aromatic g 2 - 40 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 14 days
  hydrocarbons teflon septeum vials   0.008% Na2SO4O3  
        HCl, pH < 2  
  Acrolein and acrylonitrile g 2 - 40 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 14 days
    teflon septeum vials   0.008% Na2SO4O3  
  Phenols g 500 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 7 days until extraction
    teflon lined cap   0.008% Na2SO4O3 40 days after extraction
  Phthalate esters g 500 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 7 days until extraction
    teflon lined cap     40 days after extraction
  PCBs g 500 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 7 days until extraction
  PCBs in oil g 40 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 7 days until extraction
    teflon lined cap     40 days after extraction
  Polynuclear aromatic g 500 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 7 days until extraction
  halocarbons teflon lined cap   0.008% Na2SO4O3 40 days after extraction
  Total organic halogens g 500 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 7 days
    teflon lined cap   H2SO4, pH < 2  
  Pesticides g 500 ml Cool, 4°C (39.2°F) 7 days until extraction
    teflon lined cap   pH 5 - 9 40 days after extraction

LEGEND


.Container type: .Indicates type of container, glass (g) or polyethylene (p)
.......Sample Size: .Unless otherwise noted, the sample size is in milliliters
. ..Preservatives: .Temperature and/or type of preservatives that may be required (see Key)

Key
Na2SO4 sodium sulfate
Na2S4O3 sodium thiosulfate
HNO3 nitric acid
H2SO4 sulfuric acid
NaOH sodium hydroxide
HCl hydrochloric acid
 Maximum Hold Time: .The elapsed time that the sample and/or the contaminant can be analyzed.
 NOTE: .For soil samples, 1 or 2 4 0z. Glass jars with teflon lined cap (no preservative) will be sufficient for any or all analyses. The hold time for soil VOCs is 14 days. The hold time for soil semivolatile, PCB, or pesticide analyses is 14 days until extraction and 40 days after extraction.

 Return to Top
 

Please contact Dave Ditta, Tim Fusco or Robert Blake if you have any questions or need more information:
Phone: (203) 377-9984
.....Fax: (203) 377-9952
.e-mail: cet@cetlabs.com

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