An Overview of Basic Principles of Analytical Methods - Field Sampling: Principles and Practices in Environmental Analysis - page 274

accepted methods and procedures that might have occurred. Many regulatory agencies
require that the data associated with a drinking water system be available in time frames
of multiple decades. Also, it may take months for the client to get all of the data (results)
from field sampling and to collate and generate its own report. This means that the actual
data must be available for a time frame of at least a year [18].
10.11. DO THE RESULTS ANSWER THE CLIENT'S QUESTION?
While this question may seem redundant, as stated earlier, it is important to consider it
often during the testing and report-generation process. This is due to the fact that the
answer to the client's original question will often lead to many more questions and
problems that will need to be considered and answered in turn. Thus it is important to
come back to the original question and be certain that it is answered.
10.12. SOME GENERAL QUESTIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS
What if the concentration is above the MCLs? Traditionally this means that there is a
contamination problem that must be resolved. Usually a government or regulating agency
at the local, state, or federal level will become involved. For instance, in the United States
a department of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will have already acted to
set levels of acceptable contamination. These levels will vary with the compound in
question according to the nature and potential danger of the contaminant, and are often
termed the maximum levels of contamination. Another term often used is that of action
level; that is, that concentration level above which some form of remediation or site
cleanup is mandated. If the level of a contaminant exceeds the MCL level, the field will
often require mandatory cleanup according to the various state or federal regulations.
Once the federal or state-level EPA becomes involved and the levels are confirmed, the
source of contamination is determined, along with the extent of contamination and its
possible hazards. Fines are levied via the courts—hopefully, to pay for the required site
cleanup and to prevent future spillage or accident by encouraging better management,
technology, or systems.
States and countries other than the United States can and do set MCL levels that are
different from those of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). It
is always essential to determine the locally applicable rules and regulations.
10.13. CONCLUSIONS
The first question to ask before analysis of a sample can occur is what it is that the client
wishes to learn and what the nature of the sample is. There are both simple and complex
analytical procedures that can be applied to samples in order to answer the client's
questions. Some are methods carried out in the field and some are done in the commercial
laboratory. Field analysis such as pH and dissolved oxygen are simple and quick and