8226

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 8226
• Author: Shelton, L. R.
• Title: Field Guide for Collecting and Processing Stream-Water Samples for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program.
• USFW Year: 1994.
• USFW - Doc Type: 94-445,
• Copyright Material: NO

EQUIPMENT CLEANING

INORGANIC CONSTITUENTS AND ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

The collecting and processing equipment are soaked in dilute phosphate-free detergent solution, rinsed
with tap water, soaked in 5.0 percent hydrochloric acid (HC1), rinsed with deionized water (DIW), rinsed
with methanol, and then air dried prior to each field trip and between sites (see OWQ technical
memorandum 94.09, appendix A). Detergents, methanol, and acids should be used with care to avoid
possible contamination of the sample by their residue~ A thorough native-water rinse is required at each
field site before sampling to remove any remaining cleaning agents and equilibrate the equipment to the
sampling conditions. A list of the supplies needed for equipment cleaning is given in table 3, and details
on procedures are outlined below.

The sampler bottle, cap and nozzle, cone splitter, chum splitter, filter support, pumphead, tubing, and
any other equipment (except the aluminum filter support used for organic-compound filtering) that will
contact the sample are cleaned prior to each field trip and between sites as follows:

3.
NOTE:

1. Disassemble (if necessary) wearing vinyl gloves.
2. Soak for 30 minutes in a 0.2-percent solution of phosphate-free detergent and scrub with a
nonmetallic brush. Use a small bottle brush for the cone-splitter parts.
Change gloves and rinse throughly with warm tap water to remove all soap residue.
FOR EQUIPMENT USED EXCLUSIVELY FOR ORGANIC-COMPOUND PROCESSING
OMIT STEPS 4 AND 5.
4. Soak for 30 minutes in a solution of 5.0-percent hydrochloric acid. Swirling the equipment in
the acid solution will adequately desorb any metals not removed during the washing process.
The used acid/water solution should be placed in a waste container for proper disposal (see
OWQ technical memorandum 94.06, appendix A).
Change gloves and rinse three times with Drw water.
IF ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS SAMPLES ARE NOT COLLECTED, OMIT STEPS 6 AND 7.
Rinse the equipment used for the collection of samples for organic-compound analyses with a
minimum amount of methanol. The used methanol should be placed in a waste container for
proper disposal (see OWQ technical memorandum.94.07, appendix A).
7. Allow to air dry.
8. Protect areas of the equipment that will contact the sample with Teflon tape and place in a
sealable plastic bag for storage and transport.
9. Rinse sampling and splitting equipment at the site with 2 to 3 L of native water before
sampling.
10. Rinse sampling and splitting equipment with Drw immediately after each use.

5.
NOTE:
6.

ORGANIC CARBON

Equipment used for filtering the organic-carbon samples should be baked at 4500C for 2 hours or
cleaned using organic-free Drw and aggressive scrubbing. USE NO DETERGENT OR METHANOL as
routine cleaning agents. Protect and keep equipment away from any procedure using methanol (even the
vapors could contaminate the equipment). If this equipment is contaminated and requires additional
cleaning, scrub with a O.I-percent solution of phosphate free detergent, then soak and rinse several times
with large volumes of organic-free Drw.

Preparation for Sample COllection 13