Noteworthy

Call for Papers:

•  National Water Quality Monitoring Council - National Monitoring Conference, April 2010

Local Science Feature:

•  Algal Toxins in Recreational Waters (350KB PDF)

National & Regional Science:

•   Pesticide Levels Decline in Corn Belt Rivers
•  Study Reveals Mercury Contamination in Fish Nationwide
•  Tackling Fish Endocrine Disruption

Past listings...

Water Quality Data

National Water Information System (NWIS)

• NWIS provides current and historical water-quality data.

Today's Water Conditions

• Water-Quality Watch provides continuous real-time water-quality measurements.
  

Water-Quality Web Services

• Web services automate the sharing of USGS and USEPA water-quality monitoring data.

For More Data

• Additional water-quality data resources are available.

USGS in Your Area

USGS Water Science Centers are located in each state.

National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data (TWRI Book 9)

Chapter A5. Processing of Water Samples (Version 2.2, with updates through 2/2009) [815 KB PDF]

Chapter 5, Version 2.2: Comments, updates, and replacement pages have been added to the pdf file. (To print this file, select Print from the File Menu, and select Document and Markups under the Comments and Forms Heading.) Information in the Comment boxes will be displayed when the file is printed.

These sections of Version 2.2 must be accessed separately:

Section 5.3.2 -- Instructions for Field Use of Spike Solutions for Organic-Analyte Samples (dated 6/2009) [103 KB PDF]
Section 5.6.1.F -- Wastewater, Pharmaceutical, and Antibiotic Compounds (dated 4/2003) [985 KB PDF]
Section 5.6.4.A -- Arsenic Speciation, by J.R. Garbarino, M.E. Lewis, and A.J. Bednar (dated 1/2005) [3.52 MB PDF]
Section 5.6.4.B -- Low-level Mercury (dated 10/04) [545KB PDF]

• Comments/Errata page
• Citation Information

This report is in pdf format. Download a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.

Abstract

The National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data (National Field Manual) describes protocols and provides guidelines for U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) personnel who collect data used to assess the quality of the Nation’s surface-water and groundwater resources. This chapter addresses methods to be used in processing water samples to be analyzed for inorganic and organic chemical substances, including the bottling of composite, pumped, and bailed samples and subsamples; sample filtration; solid-phase extraction for pesticide analyses; sample preservation; and sample handling and shipping.

Sections of Chapter A5: Processing of Water Samples

Cover/Title Page

Back of Title Page

Foreword

Abstract

Introduction

Purpose and scope

Requirements and recommendations

Field manual review and revision

Acknowledgments

5.0 General information

5.1 Raw samples

5.2 Filtered samples

5.3 Solid-phase extraction of pesticides

5.4 Sample preservation

5.5 Handling and shipping of samples

5.6 Summary of sample-collection and sample-processing procedures for specific analytes

*Section 5.6.1.C, Phenols, has been revised in this section to create version 2.1 of chap. A5.
*A section has been added. Section 5.6.1.F, "Wastewater, Pharmaceutical,and Antibiotic Compounds"
*A section has been added. Section 5.6.4.A, "Arsenic Speciation, ver. 1.1" (1/2005)
*A section has been added. Section 5.6.4.B, "Low-level Mercury"

Conversion factors, selected terms, abbreviations, and chemical symbols and formulas

Selected references

Appendixes

Appendix A5-A. Sample-designation codes and a summary of field-processing requirements for analyses of organic compounds in water

Appendix A5-B. Sample-designation codes and a summary of field-processing requirements for analyses of inorganic constituents in water

Appendix A5-C. Sample-designation codes and a summary of field-processing requirements for analyses of stable isotopes and radiochemicals in water

Appendix A5-D. Procedures for processing samples for analysis of dissolved and suspended organic carbon using a silver filter and gas-pressurized filtration apparatus (Note: Appendix A5-D has been added to Chapter A5, Version 2 (4/02) and contains the text for the Version 1 section 5.2.2.C.)

Return to Field Manual Table of Contents

Chapter A5 Archives

• Version 1 of Chapter A5 has been archived at the following Web address http://water.usgs.gov/owq/FieldManual/chapter5-Archive/html/Ch5_contents.html
• Version 2 has been updated to Version 2.1 with changes to section 5.6.1.C, "Phenols." The archive of 5.6.1.C, version 2, is at http://water.usgs.gov/owq/FieldManual/chapter5-Archive/pdf/5.6.1.C-v2.pdf [75KB DPF]
• Version 2.1 has been updated to Version 2.2 with changes to Section 5.1.1, "Composites and Subsamples," and 5.4.2, "Chemical Treatment." The archive of 5.1.1, version 2.1, is at http://water.usgs.gov/owq/FieldManual/chapter5-Archive/pdf/5.1.1-ver2.1.pdf [1.4MB PDF] and 5.4.2 is at http://water.usgs.gov/owq/FieldManual/chapter5/Archive/5.4.2.pdf [265KB PDF]
• A new section, 5.6.4.B, "Low-level Mercury" (version 1.0 dated 10/2004) was added to this web page on Oct. 26, 2004.
• Version 1.1 of section 5.6.4.A (1/2005) replaced 5.6.4.A (8/2003) [1.1MB PDF]
• PDF files for Chapter 5. Version 2.1 [1.44MB PDF] (dated 4/02) with replacement pages 23, 26, 93 (dated 9/04), and 17, 63-65, 76, 91, App-B-1, and Ref-4 (dated 11/04) and the Section updates below. (To print this file with comments, select the "Print What--Document and comments" print function.)