Quality Control for Regulators and Consultants: Laboratory Methods

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Author(s)
Miller, William P.
Wenner, David
Advisor(s)
Editor(s)
Hatcher, Kathryn J.
Associated Organization(s)
Supplementary to:
Abstract
Measurements made as part of environmental assessment and monitoring activities are subject to both random and systematic errors (bias) that can reduce data quality and influence sound project conclusions. Federal quality assurance standards are seldom applied to smaller state and private environmental projects. Many of the potential errors in such projects arise from poor quality control (QC) during sample preparation and analysis in the lab, and from failure of project managers to request and evaluate QC data. Basic sample set preparation can detect the presence of systematic error, and can be used to quantify the level of random error in a set of measure- ments. Recommendations are given for types of QC samples to include with data sets, and kinds of information to request from in-house or contract analytical laboratories.
Sponsor
Sponsored and Organized by: U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Natural Resources Conservation Service, The University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology
Date
2001-03
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Resource Type
Text
Resource Subtype
Proceedings
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