Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ENVIRONMENTAL
MEASUREMENT
Unit 4: Module 13, Lecture 1
What is quality
assurance (QA)?
a broad plan for
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http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/02hud
son/logs/aug29/aug29.html
office procedures
http://www.jmg.gov.my/Client_s_Charter/client_s_
charter.html
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environmental measurement?
understand data reliability
quantify areas of analytical uncertainty
standardize measurement to allow for repeatable
and comparable data across time and place
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- monitoring a copper
impacted stream
Is this problem
getting worse or is
being mitigated?
How can you tell?
Why is standardized
measurement so
important?
http://www.darcnw.noaa.gov/bbpix.htm
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Where is QA applicable?
Who in the environmental arena uses quality
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Where is QA applicable?
What other
environmental
arenas utilize quality
assurance
measures?
laboratories
universities and
research
organization
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Where is QA applicable?
Non-research areas utilize environmental QA
measures also
business and industry
lobbying groups and special interests
legislators
lawyers
others
http://www.lanl.gov/orgs/pa/News/060297.html
http://gov.state.nv.us/Sp
ecialSession
072902.asp
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(QA)
broad program plan
establishes the need
for QC
and balances
the HOW of QA
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Where is QC applicable?
Quality control is applicable in all aspects of a
project including:
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QC in the field
QC is particularly critical in filed data collection
often the most costly aspect of a project
data is never reproducible under the exact same
condition or setting
http://climchange.cr.usgs.gov/info/lacs/wate
rsampling.htm
sechi readings
Developed by: Zwiebel, Filbin
field filtration
Updated: June 14, 2005
http://www.fe.doe.gov/techline/tl_h
ydrates_oregon.shtml
QC in the field
Standardized field
method programs
US Army Corps of
Engineers
ASTM methods
USGS classification
APHA
AIHA
NIST
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QC in the laboratory
Laboratory data analysis, measurement and
acquisition:
Chain of custody forms
Equipment calibration
Storage practices
Analytical methods
Holding times
MDLs
www.odc.gov/noeh/dls
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QC in the laboratory
Standardized
laboratory method
programs
EPA Methods
State Modified
Methods
APHA Methods
ASTM
AIHA
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QC in the office
In office planning, data evaluation and
summation of results:
QAPP quality assurance
project plan outlines all
project management
assessment and oversight
data validation
http://www.va.gov/optometry/page.cfm?pg=4
www.cr.nps.gov/aad/collections/ mgt_pr.htm
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place
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http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/np/fnrb/fnrb1001.htm
certification of participants
Proper sampling and
containment techniques
Proper data documentation
http://il.water.usgs.gov/adcp/photos/class_apr99.html
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External quality
control:
Performance audits
Split sample analysis
Replicate (duplicate)
sample analysis
http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/novdec98/seven.htm
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QC measures used in
implementing the
project.
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procedures
guides data management and analysis
provides steps to determine the validity of
specific sampling or analysis procedures
designates both internal and external QC
measures
Developed by: Zwiebel, Filbin
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precision = statistical
accuracy
http://www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/volunteer/qappexec.html
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http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs-0058-99
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http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cta/ctasummary.html
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Review: QA vs. QC
Quality Assurance
(QA)
broad program plan
establishes the need
for QC
and methods
the HOW of QA
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project-specific QA
document.
The QAPP outlines
the QC measures to
be taken for the
project.
QAPP guides:
the selection of
parameters and
procedures
data management
and analysis
steps taken to
determine the
validity of specific
sampling or analysis
procedures
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Elements of a QAPP
The QAPP governs work conducted in the field,
project
Project management (office)
Measurement and data acquisition (field and lab)
Assessment and oversight (field, lab, and office)
Data validation and usability (field, lab, and
office)
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References
EPA 1996, Environmental Protection Agency Volunteer
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http://waterontheweb.org/index.html
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