Holding times, container and preservation requirements are set to assure that contaminant concentrations do not change significantly between sampling and analysis. This searchable table shows the appropriate container, preservation conditions, and holding time requirements for our common laboratory tests. Please contact a project manager or sample receiving for bottle orders and specific sampling guidance for your project.
| CAT | Parameter | Matrix (note 1) | Container (note 2) | Preservation | Max Hold Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BACT | Coliform, Colilert | W, DW | P, Bottle or Bag | Cool, 4°C, 0.008% Na2S2O3 (note 3) | 6-24 hours (note 4) |
| INORG | Acidity | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 14 days |
| INORG | Alkalinity | W, DW | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 14 days |
| INORG | Ammonia | W, DW | P,G | Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2 | 28 days |
| INORG | Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 48 hours |
| INORG | Bromate | W, DW | P,G | 50mg/L EDA, cool to 4°C | 28 days |
| INORG | Bromide | W, DW | P,G | 50mg/L EDA, cool to 4°C | 28 days |
| INORG | Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2 | 28 days |
| INORG | Chloride - Method 300.0 | W, DW | P,G | None Required | 28 days |
| INORG | Chlorine, Total Residual | W, DW | P,G | None Required | 15 minutes |
| INORG | Chlorite | W, DW | P,G | 50mg/L EDA, cool to 4°C | 14 days |
| INORG | Chlorophyll-A | W | G Amber | Cool, 4°C | Analyze immediately |
| INORG | Chromium VI | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 24 hours |
| INORG | Color | W, DW | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 48 hours |
| INORG | Cyanide, Total and Amenable to Chlorination | W, DW | P,G | Cool, 4°C, NaOH to pH>12, plus 0.6 g Ascorbic Acid | 14 days |
| INORG | Cyanide, Weak Acid Dissociable | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C, NaOH to pH >12 | 14 days |
| INORG | Fluoride - Method 300.0 | W, DW | P,G | None Required | 28 days |
| INORG | Hardness | W, DW | P | HNO3 to pH<2 | 6 months |
| INORG | Hydrogen Ion (pH) | W, DW, S | P,G | None Required | Analyze immediately |
| INORG | Ignitability (Burn Rate) EPA Method 1030 | W | G | None Required | 14 days |
| INORG | Kjeldahl and Organic Nitrogen (TKN) | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2 | 28 days |
| INORG | Nitrate - Method 9056 | W, S | P,G | Cool, 4°C | Analyze immediately |
| INORG | Nitrate-Nitrite - Method 353.2 | W, DW | P,G | Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2 | 28 days |
| INORG | Nitrite | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 48 hours |
| INORG | Orthophosphate | W, DW | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 48 hours |
| INORG | Oxygen, Dissolved (Probe) | W, DW | G, Bottle and Top | None Required | 15 minutes |
| INORG | Perchlorate | W, DW | P,G | Protect from temp. extremes | 28 days |
| INORG | Phenolics, Total | W | G Only | Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2 | 28 days |
| INORG | Phosphorus, Total | W | P,G | HNO3 to pH<2 | 28 days |
| INORG | Residue, Total (TS) | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 7 days |
| INORG | Residue, Filterable (TDS) | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 7 days |
| INORG | Residue, Nonfilterable (TSS) | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 7 days |
| INORG | Residue, Solids | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 48 hours |
| INORG | Volatile Solids | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 7 days |
| INORG | Specific Conductance | W, DW | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 28 days |
| INORG | Sulfate Method 300.0 | W, DW | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 28 days |
| INORG | Sulfide | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C, Add Zinc Acetate plus Sodium Hydroxide to pH>9 | 7 days |
| INORG | Sulfite | W | P,G | EDTA, Cool | 24 hours |
| INORG | Surfactants (MBAS) | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 48 hours |
| INORG | Turbidity | W, DW | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 48 hours |
| METALS | Metals, except CrVI and Mercury | W, DW | P,G | HNO3 to pH<2 | 6 months |
| METALS | Metals, except CrVI and Mercury | S | G, Teflon-Lined Cap | Cool, 4°C | 6 months |
| METALS | Chromium VI Method SM 3500 Cr-B | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 28 Days |
| METALS | Mercury | W | P,G | HNO3 to pH<2 | 28 days |
| METALS | Mercury | S | P,G | Cool, 4°C | 28 days |
| METALS | Mercury Low Level Method 1631 | W | G, ultra clean Site Bank also needed | Cool, 4°C | 90 |
| ORG | Organic Carbon, Total (TOC) | W | P,G | Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2 | 28 days |
| ORG | Organic Halogens, Total (TOX) Subcontracted | W | G, Teflon-Lined Cap | Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2, No headspace | 28 days |
| ORG | Total Recoverable Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TRPH) | W,S | G, Teflon-Lined Cap W:1 liter | Cool, 4°C, HCl to pH<2 No Pres for solid | 28 days |
| ORG | Oil and Grease | W,S | G, Teflon-Lined Cap W:1 liter | Cool, 4°C, HCl or H2SO4 to pH<2 No Pres for solid | 28 days |
| ORG | Petroleum Hydrocarbons, Volatile (Gasoline-Range Organics) | W | 2 40-mL vials with no headspace | Cool, 4°C, HCl to pH<2 | 14 days |
| ORG | Petroleum Hydrocarbons, Volatile (Gasoline-Range Organics) | S | G, Teflon-Lined Cap | Cool, 4°C, Minimize Headspace | 14 days |
| ORG | Purgeable Halocarbons by Method 5035 (terracore sampling) | S | Must call to get sampling kits from the lab | Freeze at -20°C on site in vial | Return withing 24 hours or ship on dry ice |
| ORG | EDB and DBCP Method 504 or 8011 | W | 2 40-mL vials with no headspace | Cool, 4°C, 3 mg Na2S2O3 | 28 days |
| ORG | Dioxins/Furans by 8290/8280 Subcontracted | W | 2 amber glass 1-liter | Cool, 4°C | 30 days |
| ORG | Diesel-Range Organics | W,S | G, Teflon-Lined Cap | Cool, 4°C | 7 days until extraction (note 6), 40 days after extraction |
| ORG | Glycol Scan Ethelyne and Proplyene | W,S | G, Teflon-Lined Cap | Cool, 4°C (note 5) | 7 days until extraction (note 6), 40 days after extraction |
| ORG | Semivolatile Organics by EPA Method 8270 or 625 | W,S | S:G, Teflon-Lined Cap W: 4 60mL amber vials no preservative | Cool, 4°C (note 5) | 7 days until extraction (note 6), 40 days after extraction |
| ORG | Organochlorine Pesticides and PCBs Method 8081 (pest) Method 8082 (PCB) Method 608 (both -ww only) | W,S | S:G, Teflon-Lined Cap W: 4 40-mL amber vials no preservative | Cool, 4°C | 7 days until extraction (note 6), 40 days after extraction |
| ORG | Chlorinated Herbicides EPA Method 515 (DW) of 8321 (non-DW) | W,S | S: G, Teflon-Lined Cap W: 2 40-mL vials with Na2SO3 | Cool, 4°C (note 5) | 7 days until extraction (note 6), 40 days after extraction |
| ORG | Trihalomethanes | DW | DW 2 40-mL vials with no headspace | Cool, 4°C, 3 mg Na2S2O3 | 14 days |
| ORG | Drinking Water Carbamates | DW | DW 2 40-mL vials with no headspace | 1.8 mL monochloroacetic acid to pH<3; 80 mg/L Na2S2O3 if Res.Cl.; Cool, 4°C | 28 days |
| ORG | Drinking Water Herbicides (Please note that Herbicides and Carbamates listed above are also part of the "Pesticides" panel listed on Waterlink) | DW | 2 amber 1-liter glass | If Res.Cl, 2mg/40mL NaS; Cool, <6°C | 14 days until extraction; 21 days after extraction |
| ORG | Chlorinated Pesticides | DW | G, Amber, Teflon-Lined Cap | 50 mg/L NaS, HCl to pH< 2; Cool, 4°C | 14 days until extraction; 30 days after extraction |
| ORG | Diquat and Paraquat | DW | HDPE, Amber, Teflon-Lined Cap | 100 mg/L Na2S2O3 if Res.Cl., Cool, 4°C | 7days until extraction; 21 days after extraction |
| ORG | Endothall Subcontracted | DW | G, Amber, Teflon-Lined Cap | Cool, 4°C | 7 days until extraction; 14 days after extraction |
| ORG | Glyphosate Subcontracted | DW | G, Amber, Teflon-Lined Cap | 100 mg/L Na2S2O3, Cool, 4°C | 14 days |
| ORG | Haloacetic Acids | DW | 3 40-mL glass vials | 100 mg/L NH4Cl, Cool, 4°C | 14 days until extraction; 7 days after extraction |
| TCLP | Metals, VOC, SVOC, Pest or Herb | Any | P,G A minimum of 150 grams are required. Large pieces must be particle reduced before submission | Sample: Cool, 4°C | 7 days |
| ORG | Per- and Polyfluoro Alkyl Substances (PFAS) EPA method 533 | DW | 3 plastic 250-mL | Ammonium Acetate; Cool 4°C | 28 days |
| INORG | Flashpoint (EPA 1010) | Flashpoint (EPA 1010) | G 250mL | Cool 4°C | 28 days |
| INORG | UV254 (SM 5910B) | W | G 250mL | Cool 4°C | 48 hours |
| METALS | Arsenic Speciation | W | P | Minimize headspace | 24 hours |
| ORG | Cyanotoxins (Microsystins and Nodularin) | W | P,G 250 mL | Cool 4°C | 28 days |
Notes:
- DW = Drinking Water; W = Water; S = Soil or Sediment; HW = Hazardous Waste; A = Air
- P = Polyethylene; G = Glass
- For chlorinated water samples
- The maximum holding time is 8 hours for wastewater treatment plants; 24 hours for drinking water
- If the water sample contains residual chlorine, 10% sodium thiosulfate is used to dechlorinate
- Fourteen days until extraction for soil, sediment, and sludge samples