Standard Operating Procedures for Surface Water Sampling

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR SURFACE WATER QUALITY SAMPLINGone in which to collect the water, and the second to contain the filtered water. The secondbottle should be labeled “Dissolved Metals.” or "Field Filtered".2. Place the pump on a hard, flat surface (e.g. a table or the pickup tailgate). Position it suchthat the pump head of the mechanism extends over the edge of the stationary surface(FIGURE 3.10). Remove a section of the clean, pre-cut tubing from the re-sealable plasticbag. Always handle the tubing near the middle to prevent the tube ends from beingcontaminated.3. Insert the tubing into the pump mechanism such that both ends are hanging loosely, butnot in contact with any surface. Remove the filter from its packaging, taking care to notcontaminate the nipple ends of the capsule. Securely attach the tubing to the filter.4. Check the pump controls to ensure the flow direction of the pump is congruent with theflow direction of the capsule filter. Place the end of the tubing without the filter intoeither the bottle or the churn splitter.5. Turn the pump on and allow the filter to fill with water before filling the sample bottle.Allow about twenty five to fifty milliliters of the sample to run out of the out-flow openingto flush the filter. Place the out-flow end of the tubing into the open mouth of the prelabeledfiltrate bottle and fill to nearly full. If the bottle is pre-preserved with acid, do notoverfill the bottle. If nitric acid is to be added after filtering, leave some space in the bottlefor the addition of the preservative.6. After placing the acid-preserved sample into the ice-chest for transport, properly dispose ofthe filter and tubing.3.2.4 ACIDIFYING OR PRESERVING METAL AND NUTRIENT SAMPLESThe Code of Federal Regulations (Title 40, Part 122, Section 136, Table II) requires that metaland nutrient samples be preserved within 15 minutes of collection. Samples that are not preservedwithin 15 minutes should be qualified.Bottle Preservative Amount of AcidNutrients Sulfuric Acid 1 vial (2 mL)Total Metals Nitric Acid 1 vial (5 mL)Dissolved Metals Nitric Acid 1 vial (5 mL)TABLE 3.2. List of preservative amounts to add to nutrients,total metals, and dissolved metals.TABLE 3.2 indicated the correct preservative andquantity for each type of analysis. Proper gloves and eyeprotection should be used before adding acid orfiltering. The acid vials that are currently used areillustrated in FIGURE 3.11.FIGURE 3.11. Acid vialsPrior to adding the preservative, make sure that the bottle is either marked with the type ofpreservative used, or has a color-coded label that corresponds with the preservative vial beingadded. After adding the preservative vial to the sample bottle, replace the cap on the sample bottletightly, and invert the sample bottle several times to mix the sample and preservative.REVISED SEPTEMBER 2012 45