It is important for all reported data to be properly validated following standardized procedures to ensure that data are of consistent and documented quality. Chemical Quality Control Chemical QC specifications are the ranges considered acceptable for instrument calibration, analyte recovery, data accuracy, and data precision. Instrument calibration involves determining a linear response over the range of data to be collected. Recovery is determined by analyzing a sample spiked with a known amount of chemical. Procedural accuracy is established by including a series of spiked and blank samples in each analysis.
Precision is established by analyzing replicate samples.
QC procedures are discussed in more detail for sediment, water, and tissue analyses in Sections 9.3.3, 9.4.3, and 9.5.3, respectively. These activities provide an independent quality assurance check on activities being performed and on data being generated. When sufficient reference-toxicant data have been generated for a particular species, it may be possible to stipulate an acceptable LC50 range for that species with the reference toxicant. Performance and System Audits Performance and system audits are an essential part of the field and laboratory QA program. A systems audit consists of a review of the total data production process that includes on-site reviews of field and laboratory operational systems.