Skip common site navigation and headers
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Laboratory Certification
Recent Additions | Contact Us | Print Version Search:
Begin Hierarchical Links EPA Home > Ground Water & Drinking Water > Laboratory Certification > Manual for the Certification of Laboratories Analyzing Drinking Water > Manual Errata End Hierarchical Links

 

4th Edition Lab Cert Manual Errata

Chapter IV Chemistry

Page Section Change Reason
IV-2 4.3.1 Change "be free from interferences" to "contain less than two times the MDL" Clarification
IV-3 6.2 Change 4C to 4C +/- 2C To make practical
IV-4 7.1.4 Change "verified each day they are used" to "verified at least annually" Previous statement was impractical.
IV-5 7.2.1 Change last sentence to read: "A laboratory should not be certified for an analyte that it fails repeatedly. (See p III-7 & 8)" It is not the intention of this regulation to allow a laboratory to be certified for an analyte that it fails consistently.
IV-5 7.2.4 Insert after first sentence, "on a daily basis. Where the determinative time is extensive such as for Methods 508/508.1, 515.1, 524.2, 525.2, etc. and the instrumentation is very stable," Clarification
IV-5 7.2.4 Insert before the last sentence: "The concentration of the standard should vary from day to day across the range of analyte concentrations being measured." For some methods an initial conditioning shot needs to be made to deactivate active sites that may have developed overnight. The blank may or may not be appropriate depending on the method. It is important to know the curve is correct for all concentrations being measured.

Clarification

IV-6 7.2.7

Second paragraph

change FRB to LFB Consistency with preceding paragraph.
IV-6 7.2.8 Change second sentence to read: "It is recommended that an IDC be performed by each analyst."

Add: "It is also recommended that an IDC be performed for each instrument."

It is not necessary for an analyst to do numerous IDCs of the same method on similar instruments.
IV-6 7.2.9 Add reference: "EPA SW 846 Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste Physical/Chemical Methods, Third Edition" after the mention of EPA Method 8081 Gives publication name
IV-7 7.2.12 Insert after the first sentence: "The LFBs should be analyzed across the range of analyte concentrations being measured." It is important to know the curve is correct for all concentrations being measured.
IV-8 8.2 Insert after the second sentence: "Changes in ownership, mergers or closures of laboratories do not eliminate these requirements." These procedures need to be followed during these circumstances.
IV-25 Table IV-7

Nitrate/

Nitrite

See Method 300, Section 8 What is in the table is in the regulation. However, these preservation techniques are incorrect. The techniques listed in EPA Method 300 are correct and will be in MUFRN II.
IV-25 Table IV-7 o-Phosphate delete: "filter immediately" Drinking water samples do not have to be filtered, but if using method 300.0, it would be wise to filter the sample or you might clog the instrument filter.
IV-47 Checklist delete

"Excitation at 340nm" & "detection at >308" Replace with: "Absorption at 257nm & 308nm

Diquat is absorbed at 308nm and paraquat is absorbed at 257nm


Chapter V. Critical Elements for Microbiology

Page Section Change Reason
V-2 3.1.5 Change to read: "Buffers should

be discarded upon the expiration date."

Buffers are not discarded before the expiration date.
V-3 3.6.3 Delete "or ampule" Ampule will explode
V-4 3.11.5 The lot number for membrane filters and the date received should be recorded. Add: "Assure that membrane filters are not brittle nor distorted." Insert as second sentence: "Have available manufacturer's specification/certification sheet." Explanation for recording date.

Sentence inserted requires documentation of quality control of membranes.

V-4 3.11.6 Insert "Forceps"

"Forceps should be blunt, smooth tipped without corrugations on the inner sides of tips."

Moved from previously proposed 3.18 insertion to "Membrane Filter Equipment," more appropriate location.
V-5 3.14 Delete title "Culture tubes and Closures" and replace with 3.16 Glassware and Plasticware" Renumber 3.14. Clarification and improved organization
V-5 3.14.1 Delete. Replace with 3.16.1 and 3.16.2, and renumber as 3.14.1 and 3.14.2 3.14.1 is repeated in 3.16.1. 3.14 and 3.16 belong under "Glassware and Plasticware"
V-5 3.14.2 Change to 3.14.3
V-5 3.14.3 Change to 3.14.4
V-5 3.17 Change to 3.16
V-7 4.3.2 Change "Ratio of growth rate

0.8:3.0." to "Ratio of growth rate 0.8 to 3.0."

Clarification
V-7 4.3.2 Footnote 3. Change to read: "See Standard Methods, Section 9020B. This bacteriological quality test is not needed for laboratories that meet the criteria for Types I and II reagent water, as defined in Standard Methods, Section 1080." Clarification of statement. Delete reference to ASTM Type I and II reagent waters. Insert Type II waters and reference to Standard Methods (not ASTM) types.
V-9 5.2.5 Change 3rd sentence to read: "If no sheen colonies are observed, verify up to five red questionable sheen or non-sheen atypical colonies per sample." Clarification
V-9 5.2.5 Change 1st sentence to read, "All sheen colonies up to a maximum of five must be verified..." Clarification
V-9 5.3.2.2 Insert at start of second sentence: "Optionally, ... ' Clarification
V-10 5.3.5 Insert at end of sentence "... and a fecal coliform/ E. coli test must be conducted." Consistent with 5.4.4
V-12 5.6.6 Change third sentence to read: "If the medium changes from yellow to a magenta color, the sample must be reported as total coliform positive" Correction in interpretation of test result
V-13 5.6.8 Line 6, change to read "...ensure that the specified incubation period at that temperature is followed (see 5.6.5 and 5.6.6)." Add at end: "Alternatively, pre-warm the sample. Avoid overcrowding the incubator." Clarification
V-13 5.7.2.5 Change first sentence to read: "In accordance with paragraph 5.1.7.4... " Correction of cross reference
V-14 5.9.1 Change reference in first sentence to: "141.74(a)(1)" Correction of reference
V-15 5.9.4 Insert in second sentence after (44-46C) "...plate count (tryptone glucose yeast) agar..." Clarification
V-15 5.9.7 Change "darkfield" to "dark field" Grammar
V-16 6.3 Delete "Source water samples must be held at <10C (see Standard Methods, Section 9060B). Not in regulations
V-18 8.3.5 After parenthesis, change to read "a negative result must be tagged as an invalid sample." Clarification
Checklist
V-21 3.1 Insert: QC Commercial buffer solutions dated upon receipt, and when opened. Buffers discarded upon expiration date. Item inadvertently left out of checklist. Consistent with 3.1.5.
V-23 4th block delete "or ampule" Consistent with text
V-24 3.11 Change to be consistent with 3.11.5 and 3.11.6 in text Consistent with text
V-24 3.14 Change to respond with chapter changes, deleting 3.16 and changing 3.17 to 3.16. Consistent with text
V-27 4.3 Change "0.8:3.0" to "0.3 to 3.0" Consistent with text
V-30 7th block Change to be consistent with 5.2.5 Consistent with text
V-31 5.3 Insert second sentence after item beginning "Refrigerated sterile MTF ..." to read: "Media discarded if evaporation exceeds 10% of original volume." Consistent with 5.3.2.4
V-31 10th block add "and a fecal coliform/E. Coli test conducted" Consistent with 5.3.5
V-39 6.3 Delete: "(... required for source water) Not in regulations
V-41 2nd block after parenthesis change to read "negative sample tagged as an invalid sample Consistent with text at 8.3.5
Microbiology Laboratory Analysis Review Checklist
H-21 pH meter Change to: "Commercial buffer solutions dated upon receipt and when opened. Buffers discarded upon expiration date." Consistent with text at 3.1.5
H-23 Delete statement about confirmation of E.coli in EC Mug Consistency


Chapter VI Radiologicals

Page Section Change Reason
VI-2 3.1.2 Add "natural uranium" to list of analytes You can do natural uranium using this system, but other methods are better
VI-6 8.4.6 Add "sample volume" You need to know the volume to do DL calculations
H-6 2.4 Add liquid scintillation counters and alpha spectrometry systems. Now allowed by the regulations
H-25 Checklist Add "radioactive materials license" Need to check that the lab has one
H-28 checklist

line 7

Delete "field and" Field blank analysis is not part of the instrument performance check.
H-28 checklist

line 12

Add "system" after detector It is the whole system that must meet DL requirements


Safewater Home | About Our Office | Publications | Calendar | Links | Office of Water | En Español

 
Begin Site Footer

EPA Home | Privacy and Security Notice | Contact Us