To: GS-W_NAWQA_97_PC,
GS-W_NAWQA_91_PC,
GS-W_NAWQA_94_PC,
Greg C Delzer
Cc: jszogors, rgilliom, stoner, cacouch,
ahwelch, pcvanmet, rdeweese, dpkrabbe, sjryker, cory, dhelsel,
tlmiller, wgwilber, bobwill, armbrust, mcyurewi, ijames, sylvest,
GS-W_OWQ_wqspecs,
WRD trace element interest gp:;, jon, jward, Brooke F Connor
From: Dennis R Helsel
Date: 02/07/00 04:41 PM
Subject: TE News v.11 TE Schedule Change to 2710
Trace Element Synthesis News v.11
New TE Schedule 2710
As noted in TE News v.6 the Trace Element Planning Team identified
a list of dissolved trace elements that NAWQA Synthesis should focus
on for ground water. Not all were available in Schedule 2703, the
schedule NAWQA had been using for trace elements in water. The NWQL
has now completed all prove-outs, and has implemented a new Schedule
2710, which becomes the new NAWQA trace element schedule. With this
schedule, five new trace elements are added, while arsenic and
selenium are now done by ICP-MS, reducing their reporting limits
and analytical variability.
As of 2/07/2000, all dissolved trace element data collected by NAWQA, both
environmental and QC samples, should be performed with schedule 2710.
Schedules 2703 (for environmental samples) and 172 (for blanks) should no
longer be used. Other schedules at the NWQL should certainly not be used
-- some have much worse precision than Schedule 2710, and data resulting
from them will not be comparable with other NAWQA data. For example, a
small amount of data collected by 1991 study units using ICP-AES will not
be included in the NAWQA data warehouse, due to its poor analytical
characteristics.
Cost for Schedule 2710 is $234.53, compared to $201.53 for Schedule 2703.
For the additional $34, the Program will obtain information on five new
elements (several of which were already often added by study units at
additional cost), and more precise and lower reporting limits for arsenic
and selenium. The lower reporting limit for arsenic is particularly
important, as interest in low arsenic concentrations will dramatically
increase when USEPA proposes a lower arsenic standard in Spring, 2000.
Changes between Schedules 2710 and 2703:
Schedule 2703 Schedule 2710
Report level Report Level
arsenic 2 ug/L 0.9 ug/L
boron ----- 12
lithium ----- 0.3
selenium 2.4 0.7
strontium ----- 0.2
thallium ----- 0.9
vanadium ----- 1.0
More detail on the schedule change and field protocols are described in
the attached document. Please insure that all NAWQA personnel who will be
collecting and submitting TE samples to the NWQL read the attached
protocol document.
Visit the TE external page at:
http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/trace
for up to date info on regulations, publications, etc.
TE News for the insiders: see the internal page
http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa-only/trace/index.html
Including the previous TE news blurbs:
v.1 Trace Element Synthesis Staffing and plans 2/10/99
v.2 Changes to TE lab methods for bed sediments 2/19/99
v.3 Well Selection for Subunit Surveys 2/26/99
v.4 Mercury in Streambed Sediments 3/04/99
v.5 Radium in Ground Water 4/08/99
v.6 Elements in Sch 2703 6/14/99
v.7 TEs in stream seds across US 8/18/99
v.8 TE Synthesis: Live and Online 10/04/99
v.9 New Radon Standards proposed by US EPA 10/22/99
v.10 Info for '94 Study-Unit Summary Reports 11/24/99
---------------------------------------------------------------
Dennis R. Helsel Ph: (303) 236-2101 x227
Trace Element National Synthesis Fax: (303) 236-4912
U.S. Geological Survey
PO Box 25046, MS-415 dhelsel@usgs.gov
Denver, CO 80225 http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/trace
Attachment
Attachment to TE News v.11 2/07/00 by Mike Koterba, Sarah Ryker, Dennis Helsel
Effective February 7, 2000, National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) Schedule (Sc) 2710 has become the required analytical schedule for NAWQA trace-element (TE) analyses in water, for all elements except radium and radon. Sc2710 replaces Sc2703, Sc172, and all other trace-element (TE) analytical schedules previously used for both environmental samples and for QC blanks within NAWQA.
Costs of Sc2710 and Sc2703 are currently $234.53 and $201.53 respectively. The additional $34 cost for Sc2710 reflects the addition of five trace elements (B, Li, Sr, Th, and Va) to the schedule, and the conversion of As and Se to ICP/MS analytical methods. This change brings TE analysis in water to include all elements recommended in the TE NatSyn Planning Team report.
Details on the seven elements affected by the move to Schedule 2710 are:
| Element | Under Schedule 2710 (effective 02/07/2000): | Under Schedule 2703: | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parameter code | Method code | Lab reporting limit | Status | Parameter code (Lab code) | Method code | Lab reporting limit | |
| Arsenic | 01000 | D | 0.9 ug/L | In 2703 | 01000 | C | 2.0 ug/L |
| Boron | 01020 | G | 12.0 ug/L | Add-on | (LC2110) | F | 16.0 ug/L |
| Lithium | 01130 | C | 0.3 ug/L | Add-on | (LC664) | B | 3.9 ug/L |
| Selenium | 01145 | C | 0.7 ug/L | In 2703 | 01145 | B | 2.4 ug/L |
| Strontium | 01080 | I | 0.2 ug/L | Add-on | (LC652) | B | 1.0 ug/L |
| Thallium | 01057 | I | 0.9 ug/L | Add-on | (LC492) | A | 1.0 ug/L |
| Vanadium | 01085 | E | 1.0 ug/L | Add-on | (LC653) | B | 10.0 ug/L |
For the fifteen elements which are unchanged between Schedules 2710 and 2703,
aluminum antimony barium beryllium cadmium chromium cobalt copper lead manganese molybdenum nickel silver uranium zincmethod codes and other information can be found on the TE Synthesis internal web site, at: http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa-only/trace/analytes.html
Further details on the new laboratory schedule can be found in:
Garbarino, J.R., 1999, Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory--Determination of dissolved arsenic, boron, lithium, selenium, strontium, thallium, and vanadium using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 99-093, 31 p.
TE sampling remains optional at Intensive Fixed or Basic Fixed Sites and other surface-water sampling. TE sampling is also not required for ground-water flowpath studies, though this may be one of the most important methods for interpreting results from the SUS. For optional design components, if TE sampling is conducted, Sc2710 must be used (in complete or truncated form), and all QC samples must be done with Sc2710.
As was true with Schedule 2703, in every case that SC2710 is used the NWQL requires that a RU (raw unfiltered) sample accompany the SC2710 sample; or, in the absence of the RU sample, procedures (1 and 2) outlined below must be followed. Failure to either supply a RU sample, or follow the procedures below, will result in considerable delay in the analysis of SC2710 samples.
(1) Whether or not an RU sample is provided with SC2710, sampling teams need to provide the NWQL with the field-measured values of pH (no units) and SC (ms/cm @ 25 C). These values should be placed on the ASR Form (and in NWIS sample Record - QWDATA or QCADATA) with the appropriate Laboratory and NWIS parameter codes:
Under FIELD VALUES Section
LAB/P CODE VALUE RMK
Field-measured pH 00051 00400 XX.X (No Units)
Field-measured SC 00021 00095 XXX (ms/cm @ 25 C)
(2) When an RU sample is not provided with an SC2710 sample, sampling teams need to delete the lab and NWIS parameter codes on the ASR form to signal that lab-measured values of pH and SC are not needed:
Under SCHEDULES, FIELD AND LABORATORY CODES Section
(Provide lab codes for lab pH and SC and delete symbol "D")
Lab-measured pH CODE: 00068|D
Lab-measured SC CODE: 00069|D
For SC2710, whenever a secondary (replicate) TE QW sample and/or a QC Field-Evaluation or Routine-Field blank is collected with a primary TE QW sample at a given site on the same date and site visit, these additional samples must be submitted to the NWQL on separate ASR forms to create unique NWIS records and prevent NWQL data overwrites among the primary, secondary, and blank samples.