Receive samples
1. The laboratory shall be available to receive sample shipments at any time the delivery service is operating, including weekends.
2. The sample temperature shall be measured and recorded immediately upon opening the shipping container and prior to unpacking the samples or removing the packing material.
- The laboratory shall use the shipping container temperature indicator bottle reading as the sample temperature.
- To determine the temperature, invert the bottle several times, remove the cap and insert a calibrated thermometer.
- Allow a minimum of three (3) minutes, but no greater than five (5) minutes, prior to taking the measurement. The thermometer used shall be calibrated and capable of measuring within an accuracy of ±1°C.
- If a temperature indicator bottle is not present in the shipping container, an alternative means of determining shipping container temperature can be used.
- Under no circumstances shall a thermometer or any other device be inserted into a sample bottle to determine shipping container temperature. However, a small aliquot of the sample removed from the container can measure temperature. This small aliquot must be discarded and not returned to the sample container.
- Other devices which can measure temperature, such as an infrared thermometer, may be used if calibrated to ±1°C.
- The desired sample temperature when received at the laboratory is between 2°C and 8°C. If the sample temperature exceeds 10°C when received at the laboratory, the laboratory shall contact the client and inform them of the temperature deviation. The client may decide not to perform testing on these samples.
3. Each sample shipment requires a chain of custody log maintained from the time of collection, during the entire analytical process and until sample disposal. A chain of custody document provides a record of sample transfer from person to person. This document helps protect the integrity of the sample by ensuring only authorised persons have custody of the sample. The sampling team must maintain physical custody or use a custody seal tape on the sample cool boxes.
4. If the laboratory encounters problems with samples or related documentation (e.g. mixed media, sample pH, sample documentation and paperwork such as traffic report/ chain-of-custody), the laboratory should immediately contact the sampler for a resolution.
5. For wastewater and liquid-type sludge, pH for all aqueous/water sample containers received by the laboratory should be measured and recorded at the laboratory to demonstrate that proper preservation was performed.
- Measure pH using test strips, a hand-held electronic pen or pH meter. To prevent sample contamination, measure the pH on a small aliquot of the sample removed from the container. This small aliquot must be discarded
6. All samples will be stored under custody at 2˚C - 8˚C in the laboratory (unless otherwise specified by the standard test method).
7. The samples may be disposed of 60 days after the laboratory submits the final ZDHC Gateway Electronic Data Report (EDR).