REFERENCE CHART
HOLDING TIME, BOTTLE TYPE, PRESERVATION, MINIMUM VOLUME

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Analytical Parameter Maximum Holding Time Required Container Type Required Preservative Minimum Amount
Alkalinity (Bicarb, Carb, Hyd, and Tot); SM 2320 B 14 days Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 100mL
Ammonia (NH3 as N); SM 4500NH3 B/C or B/G 28 days Plastic / Glass H2SO4 pH <2 +0-6°C 200mL
Anions by EPA 300.0: Chloride (Cl); Fluoride (F); Nitrate (as N); Sulfate (SO42-) 28 days
Plastic / Glass 0-6°C (no temperature requirement for Chloride or Fluoride) 100mL
Asbestos (TEM) Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 1000mL
Bioassay (Acute Tox) % survival Plastic cubitainer 0-6°C 1-5gal
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD); SM 5210 B Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 500mL
Chromium, Hexavalent (CrVI); SM 3500Cr B Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 200mL
Chlorine, residual; SM 4500Cl B or G Field Measurement
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD); SM 5220 D or EPA 410.4 28 days Plastic / Glass H2SO4 pH <2 +0-6°C 50mL
Chlorophyll A (Algal Biomass) / Pheophytin; SM10200 H
28 days once filtered
Amber Plastic 0-6°C, unfiltered
-20°C, filtered
1L
Coliform, Total / Fecal; SM 9221 B/E Plastic (sterile) Na2S2O3 + 0-10°C
(no regulatory temp. requirement for drinking water)
100mL
Coliform, Total / E.Coli; SM 9223 B
(Present/Absent or Quantitray)
Plastic (sterile) Na2S2O3 + 0-10°C
(no regulatory temp. requirement for drinking water)
100mL
Color; SM 2120 B Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 100mL
Conductivity (EC/SC); SM 2510 B 28 days Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 100mL
Cyanide Total; SM 4500CN C/E 14 days Amber Plastic NaOH pH >10+0-6°C

Pre-treatment for Total Cyanide samples with chlorine or NO3/NO2 should be done prior to preservation. Kits can be provided upon request.

100mL
Cyanide WAD; SM 4500CN I/E 14 days Amber Plastic NaOH pH >10+0-6°C 100mL
Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC); SM 5310 B
28 days
125 mL Amber glass Filter then add HCl to pH< 2 + 0-6°C. 50mL
Dissolved Oxygen (DO); SM 4500O G Field Measurement or Glass bottle/no headspace, collect in duplicate 0-6°C 500mL
Enterococcus by Enterolert Plastic (sterile) Na2S2O3 + 0-10°C 100mL
Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC/SPC); SM 9215E (SimPlate) Plastic (sterile) Na2S2O3 + 0-10°C 100mL
Hardness (by titration);SM 2340C 6 months Plastic / Glass HNO3 pH <2 250mL
Metals, Dissolved {2}; EPA 200.8 6 months Plastic / Glass {15} Filter then add HNO3 100mL
Metals, Total; EPA 200.8
Metals, Total; EPA 6010/6020
6 months Plastic / Glass {15}
Solids in Glass SJ
HNO3 pH <2
None
100mL
(1) 8 oz.
Mercury (Hg) EPA 245.1
Mercury (Hg) EPA 7471
28 days Plastic / Glass
Solids in Glass SJ
HNO3 pH <2
0-6°C
100mL
(1) 8 oz.
Mercury, Total; EPA 1631 (Aqueous)
90 days once preserved
Glass, Dbl Bagged (not appropriate for samples with TSS>200 mg/L) HCl 100mL
Mercury, Dissolved {2}; EPA 1631
90 days once preserved
Glass, Dbl Bagged Filter in lab, then HCl 100mL
Mercury, Methyl; EPA 1630 (Aqueous)

Mercury, Methyl; EPA 1630 (Sludge or Solids)

6 months preserved

6 months frozen

Glass, Amber Dbl Bagged

Solids in Amber Poly SJ

Dark and cool + (HCl or H2SO4 {8})

Solids to be Frozen

100mL

(1) 8 oz.

Mercury, Dissolved {2} Methyl; EPA 1630
6 months once preserved
Glass, Amber Dbl Bagged Filter in lab, dark and cool + (HCl or H2SO4 {8}) 100mL
Nitrate (as N); EPA 300.0 Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 100mL
Nitrite (as N); SM 4500NO2 B Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 100mL
Nitrate+Nitrite as N (NO3+NO2-N) EPA 353.2, or SM NO3 F 28 days Plastic / Glass H2SO4 pH <2 +0-6°C 100mL
Nitrogen, Total Kjeldahl (TKN); SM 4500Norg + SM 4500NH3 B 28 days Plastic / Glass H2SO4 pH <2 +0-6°C 200mL
Nitrogen, Total Organic (TON) TKN-NH3= TON calc 28 days Plastic / Glass H2SO4 pH <2 +0-6°C 200mL
Odor; SM 2150 B Glass only 0-6°C 1000mL
Oil & Grease, Total and/or Hydrocarbons EPA 1664 28 days Glass only- in duplicate HCl or H2SO4 pH <2 + 0-6°C 500mL {10}
Chlorinated Pesticides & PCBs
EPA 625.1 (formerly EPA 608)/8081/8082
7 days, Aqueous
14 days, Sludge or Solid
Glass Amber Liter – Collect in triplicate {6}.
Solids in Glass SJ
0-6°C {5}
0-6°C
1L
(1) 8 oz.
Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons
(PAH’s) EPA 625.1/8270
7 days, Aqueous
14 days, Sludge or Solid
Glass Amber Liter – Collect in triplicate {6}.
Solids in Glass SJ
0-6°C {5}
0-6°C
1L
(1) 8 oz.
Organophosphorus Pesticides EPA 625.1 (formerly EPA 614)/8141 7 days, Aqueous
14 days, Sludge or Solid
Glass Amber Liter – Collect in triplicate {6}.
Solids in Glass SJ
0-6°C {5}
0-6°C
1L
(1) 8 oz.
Semivolatile Organics
EPA 625.1/8270
7 days, Aqueous
14 days, Sludge or Solid
Glass Amber Liter – Collect in triplicate {6}.
Solids in Glass SJ
0-6°C {5}
0-6°C
1L
(1) 8 oz.
Pyrethroid Pesticides
GCMS-NCI-SIM/ EPA 8270/625.1
7 days /3 days {9}
14 days, soil or sediment
Glass Amber Liter – Collect in triplicate {6}.
Solids in Amber Glass SJ
0-6°C {5}
Solids to be Frozen
1L
(1) 8 oz.
Carbamate Pesticides EPA 632/8321 7 days, Aqueous
14 days, Sludge or Solid
Glass Amber Liter – Collect in triplicate {6}.
Solids in Glass SJ
0-6°C 1L
(1) 8 oz.
Volatile Organics
EPA 524.2 {4}
14 days, preserved Glass VOA vial {1} (sample in triplicate) HCl pH <2 + 0-6°C {4} 40mL
Volatile Organics EPA 624.1 {3} (Includes Acrolein and Acrylonitrile) 14 days except:

3 days unpreserved for Acrolein {12}

7 days if only unpreserved received {11}.

Min. of four 40mL VOA Vials. 6-pack preferred; Two Pres w/ HCl, Two Unpreserved, and Two pH 4-5 {1}.

THMS only—3 HCl VOAs

0-6°C
(see holding time for additional preservation)
One 40mL of each container type described
Volatile Organics; EPA 8260 {3} 14 days (aqueous)

14 days Sludge/solid

Three Clear Glass VOA Vials{1}.

Solids in separate glass jar filled to top.

HCl pH <2 + 0-6°C

0-6°C

40mL

(1) 8 oz.

TPH Diesel/Motor Oil; EPA 8015 7 days Glass Amber Liter {6} 0-6°C 1L
Tributyltin (TBT) 7 days (recommended) Glass Amber Liter {6} HCl pH <2 + 0-6°C 1L
TPH Gas/ BTEX/ MTBE; EPA 8260 14 days preserved Glass VOA vial {1} HCl pH <2 + 0-6°C 40mL
Dioxin; EPA 1613 1 year Glass Amber Liter {6} 0-6°C {5} 1L
Perchlorate; EPA 314.0 28 days Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 100mL
pH; SM 4500 H+ B Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 100mL
Phenols, EPA 420.4 28 days Glass Amber 250 mL H2SO4 pH <2 +0-6°C 200mL
Phosphate, Ortho (as P); SM 4500P E Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 100mL
Phosphate, Ortho, Dissolved (as P); SM 4500P E Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 100mL
Phosphorus, Total (as P); SM 4500P B/F or B/E 28 days Plastic / Glass H2SO4 pH <2+0-6°C 100mL
Solids, Settleable (SS);SM 2540F Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 1000mL
Solids, Total (mg/L or %); SM 2540 B, or SM 2540 G 7 days Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 1000mL {14}
Solids, Total Dissolved (TDS); SM 2540 C 7 days Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 1000mL {14}
Solids, Total Suspended (TSS); SM 2540 D 7 days Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 1000mL {14}
Solids, Volatile Suspended (VSS); SM 2540 E 7 days Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 200mL
Sulfide, Dissolved; SM 4500 S2- B/D 7 days Glass 250 mL (no headspace) NaOH + AlCl3 +0-6°C {13} 250mL
Sulfide, Total; SM 4500 S2- C/D 7 days Glass (preferred)/plastic (no headspace) NaOH + ZnAC pH >9 + 0-6°C 250mL
Sulfite (SO3) 7 days Glass Amber 500 mL EDTA + 0-6°C 250mL
Surfactants (MBAS); SM 5540C Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 250mL
Suspended Sediment Conc. (SSC); ASTM D3977 7 days Plastic / Glass 0-6°C {7} 100mL
Total Organic Carbon (TOC); SM5310 B 28 days Amber Glass VOA vial (3 vials) HCl pH <2 + 0-6°C 40mL
Turbidity; SM 2130 B Plastic / Glass 0-6°C 100mL
Ultraviolet Absorption (UVA at 254nm); SM 5910 B Glass Amber 125mL 0-6°C 125mL

{1} Volatile organic samples need to be filled in multiple VOA vials without air bubbles/headspace (≤6 mm in size).

{2} Dissolved metals require field or lab filtration through 0.45-micron filter prior to preservation. 40 CFR 136.3 requires filtration within 15 minutes.

{3} Volatile organic methods EPA 624.1 and 8260 require dechlorination using Sodium Thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) at time of sampling if chlorine is present. (Thiosulfate dechlorination bottles are available at the laboratory upon request.) Dechlorination is to occur before transferring to the appropriate VOA.

{4} Volatile organic method EPA 524.2 requires dechlorination using ascorbic acid at time of sampling if chlorine is present. Ascorbic acid dechlorination kits are available at the laboratory upon request. If analyzing for THMs only, Sodium Thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) may be used, and acidification can be omitted. Otherwise, dechlorinate with Ascorbic acid, then preserve with HCl. If the sample foams vigorously upon addition of HCl, discard and collect unpreserved dechlorinated sample, and notify the laboratory as the samples must be analyzed within 24 hours of collection if they are to be analyzed for any compounds other than THMs. Method 524.2 requires a travel/trip blank with each sample set collected.

{5} If sampling from a chlorinated location, add 80 mg/L Sodium Thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) per liter and mix well. Any method suitable for field use may be employed to test for residual chlorine (Reference 16). Add more Sodium Thiosulfate if 80 mg/L is insufficient but do not add excess Sodium Thiosulfate.

{6} Semi Volatile Extractable Organics in Amber Liters (AL) should be collected in enough bottles to ensure the lab can perform method-required Matrix Spike/Spike Duplicate (MS/MSD) analyses. While 3 AL per method is recommended, when collecting AL’s for multiple methods, the number of AL’s per method can be reduced to 2 per method. Please contact your Project Manager if in doubt about number of AL’s per sample or method.

{7} Suspended Sediment Concentration (SSC) requires its own container and the entire contents are used for the analysis.

{8} Preserve with HCl if less than 10 ppT Salinity, or Preserve with H2SO4 if greater than 10 ppT Salinity.

{9} Cyhalothrin in water has a 3-day hold time in reagent water per USGS study. Permethrin in water has a 3-day hold time per Storage Stability Study by CA Dept. of Food and Agriculture.

{10} 1L bottle required for lowest available MDL or RL <5 mg/L; 500 mL required for RL of 5 mg/L; 250 mL bottle recommended for samples with expected concentrations of 20 mg/L or higher.

{11} If unpreserved, must be analyzed within 7 days of sampling

{12} Hold time can be extended to 14 days if preserved to pH 4-5 at time of collection.

{13} Return samples to laboratory the same day as collection for pH verification, decanting, and further preservation.

{14} Samples with visible solids may only require 100mL. Samples with no or low visible solids should be collected in 1000mL containers.

{15} Glass not acceptable for boron.

Note: Multiple analyses may be run from the same container, provided that the bottle type, volume and preservation are appropriate.
(Rev 09/14/2023)

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