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Reference or Check Standard Evaluation. Standard reference materials analyzed by the <br /> laboratory following U.S. EPA method protocols (e.g., laboratory control sample [LCS], <br /> continuing calibration [CC]) are compared with true values and acceptable ranges as <br /> indicators of accuracy. Values outside the acceptable ranges require corrective action to <br /> determine the source of error and provide for implementation of a corrective action. <br /> Affected sample results may be considered estimated or unusable during usability <br /> assessment. <br /> Surrogate Standard Evaluation. The results of surrogate standard determinations are <br /> compared with the true values spiked into the sample matrix before extraction and <br /> analysis, and the percent recoveries of the surrogate standards are determined. If these <br /> recoveries fall outside the control limits, the associated data may be affected. During the <br /> usability assessment, results may be considered as estimated or unusable based on the <br /> surrogate recoveries. <br /> - Matrix Spike Evaluation. The observed recovery of the spike versus the theoretical spike <br /> recovery is used to calculate accuracy, as defined by the percent recovery. If the <br /> accuracy value exceeds the acceptance criteria for the given compounds, the sample set <br /> may need to be reanalyzed for the parameter in question, or the results considered as <br /> estimated. <br /> Additionally, blanks will be used to evaluate whether laboratory or field procedures <br /> represent a possible source of contamination in the field samples. Unmonitored <br /> contamination can allow false positive results to be reported and treated as true sample <br /> components, when in fact they are not; this type of error will adversely affect the <br /> accuracy of the reported results. <br /> A1.4.2 Precision <br /> i <br /> Precision measures the reproducibility of repetitive measurements and is usually <br /> expressed in terms of imprecision. For this project, precision will be evaluated by <br /> determining the RPD in results for the MS/MSD and field duplicate samples, using the <br /> following formula: <br /> (Cl-C2) <br /> RPD = x 100 <br /> (Cl + C2)/2 <br /> j Where: <br /> RPD:relative percent difference <br /> Cl:larger of the two observed values <br /> C2:smaller of the two observed values <br /> jImprecision in MS/MSD results is usually an indication of sample matrix effects whereas <br /> imprecision of field duplicate (collocated) sample results may he an indication of sample <br />-a <br />