Quality assurance/quality control manual; National Water Quality Laboratory

1 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Purpose and scope 1 1.2 Mission statement 2 1.3 Quality policy 2 1.4 Organizational structure 2 1.5 Other quality-assurance publications 4 2.0 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS 6 2.1 Analytical methods 6 2.2 Method validation 6 2.3 Training 7 2.4 Safety 7 2.5 General laboratory materials and equipment 8 2.6 Data integrity and stability 10 3.0 SAMPLE MANAGEMENT 11 3.1 Sample containers and onsite reagents 11 3.2 Sample handling 14 4.0 ORGANIC ANALYSIS 16 4.1 Documentation 16 4.2 Reagent preparation 16 4.3 Sample preparation and storage 17 4.4 Instrument calibration and maintenance 17 4.5 Organic quality control 17 4.6 Data reporting 18 5.0 INORGANIC ANALYSIS 19 5.1 Documentation 19 5.2 Reagent preparation 19 5.3 Sample preparation and storage 19 5.4 Instrument calibration and maintenance 19 5.5 Inorganic quality control 20 5.6 Data reporting 20 6.0 RADIOCHEMICAL/STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS 21 6.1 Contracts 21 6.2 In-house analysis 21 7.0 LABORATORY QUALITY ASSURANCE 24 7.1 Documentation 24 7.2 Data validation 24 7.3 Blind-sample program 24 7.4 External blind-sample program 26 7.5 External evaluation studies 26 7.6 External audit programs 27 8.0 REFERENCES CITED 28 9.0 GLOSSARY 30

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