KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO ...

APPENDIX C
4. QUALITY ASSURANCE OBJECTIVES FOR MEASUREMENT DATA
Field and laboratory data will be collected during environmental restoration activities at Kirtland AFB.
The overall QA objective is to develop and implement environmental restoration activities that will
provide data of known and acceptable quality.
2.12 Data Quality Objectives
Data quality objectives (DQOs) are qualitative and quantitative statements that specify the quality of data
generated to support decision making. DQOs are scoping and planning tools applicable to every data
generation effort and developing DQOs is a necessary step for project-specific plans. For each data
collection task, DQOs will be developed during project scoping and include a description of the purpose
of the task, the specific activities to be performed, the intermediate and end uses of the generated data,
and the resultant data quality which is required.
4.1.1 DQO Development Process
The DQO development process includes the following steps:
Statement of the problem
Identification of a decision that addresses the problem
Identification of inputs that affect the decision
Specification of the domain of the decision
Development of logic statement
Establishment of constraints on uncertainty
Optimization of design for obtaining data
4.1.2 Analytical Data Categories
Based on the end use of the data, different levels of data quality may be required. Five analytical levels
are available depending on intended use of the data and QA/QC methods required to achieve the desired
level of quality. These five levels of analytical approach that are applicable to achieving the goals of the
environmental restoration activities are defined as follows:
Screening Data. Data generated using rapid methods of analysis with less rigorous QC
requirements. Screening data will provide analyte identification and will be semiquantitative.
Examples of screening data include field test measurements such as
temperature and pH measurements, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, conductivity. Screening data
may possess limitations for usability.
Definitive Data. Data generated using rigorous analytical methods such as EPA reference
methods. Data are analyte specific with confirmed identification and quantitation. Methods
include standardized QC and documentation. Definitive data may be generated using on-site
Kirtland AFB
Quality Assurance Project Plan C-19 April 2004