Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 310 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Title 310 CMR 42.00 - Certification And Operation Of Environmental Analysis Laboratories › Section 42.03 - Definitions

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
As used in
				310 CMR 42.00, the following
				terms shall have the meanings stated:
Ambient Water
refers to any fresh,
				marine, or estuarine surface water used for recreation, propagation of fish,
				shellfish, or wildlife, agriculture, industry, or navigation.
Analyst
means a chemist,
				microbiologist or technician who actually performs a test.
Analytical Batch
means a group of up
				to 20 samples to be analyzed for chemical or radiochemical parameters, or a
				group of up to ten samples to be analyzed for microbiological parameters, that
				behave similarly with respect to the testing procedures being employed and that
				are processed as a unit. For quality control purposes, if the number of samples
				in a group to be analyzed for chemical or radiochemical parameters is greater
				than 20, then each group of 20 or fewer samples will be handled as a separate
				batch. If the number of samples in a group to be analyzed for microbiology
				parameters is greater than ten, then each group of ten or fewer samples will be
				handled as a separate batch.
Category
means an analyte or group of
				analytes for which certification is offered.
Certification Officer
means the person
				or persons designated by the Department to inspect and evaluate environmental
				laboratories for compliance with the criteria set forth in
				310 CMR 42.00.
Certified Thermometer
means a
				thermometer that has documentation showing that it has been compared against a
				National Institute of Standards and Technology thermometer for the temperature
				range in which it is to be used.
Check Standard
means a solution of one
				or more analytes that is used to check laboratory performance. It is prepared
				from a source of reagents different from those used to prepare the stock
				standards and primary dilution standard solutions.
Department
means the Department of
				Environmental Protection of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Discipline
means a scientific area of
				expertise for testing
(e.g.,
microbiology, chemistry,
				radiochemistry).
EPA
means the United States
				Environmental Protection Agency.
Field Reagent Blank
means reagent
				water or analyte-free solvent placed in a sample container in the laboratory,
				taken to the sampling site and returned to the laboratory unopened. It is
				treated as a sample in all respects, including exposure to sampling site
				conditions, storage, preservation and all analytical procedures.
Holding Time
means the maximum amount
				of time a sample may be held from collection to analysis or, where applicable,
				from collection to extraction (sample holding time) or the maximum amount of
				time a sample extract may be held from extraction to analysis (sample extract
				holding time).
Instrumentation Analyst
means an
				analyst who operates an instrument including, but not limited to, an atomic
				absorption spectrophotometer, ion chromatograph (IC), gas chromatograph, liquid
				chromatograph (LC), gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS), inductively
				coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP), ICP/MS, or LC/MS.
Laboratory Fortified Blank
means an
				aliquot of reagent water to which known quantities of the method analytes are
				added in the laboratory. The laboratory fortified blank is analyzed exactly as
				a sample. Its purpose is to determine whether the methodology is in control,
				and whether the laboratory is capable of making accurate measurements at the
				required method detection limit.
Laboratory Fortified Sample Matrix
means an aliquot of an environmental sample to which known quantities of the
				method analytes are added in the laboratory. The laboratory fortified sample
				matrix is analyzed exactly as a sample. Its purpose is to determine whether the
				sample matrix contributes bias to the analytical results. The background
				concentrations of the analytes in the sample matrix must be determined in a
				separate aliquot and the measured values in the laboratory fortified sample
				matrix corrected by background concentrations.
Laboratory Reagent Blank
means an
				aliquot of reagent water that is treated exactly as a sample including exposure
				to all glassware, equipment, solvents, reagents, internal standards, and
				surrogates that are used with other samples. The laboratory reagent blank is
				used to determine if method analytes or other interferences are present in the
				laboratory environment, the reagents, or the apparatus.
Matrix
means the substrate of a test
				sample
(e.g.,
potable water, non-potable water).
Maximum Contaminant Level
means the
				maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water that is delivered to any
				user of a public water system.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level
means a level of a disinfectant added for water treatment that may not be
				exceeded at the consumer's tap without an unacceptable possibility of adverse
				health effects pursuant to the Department's Drinking Water Program.
Method Detection Limit
means the
				minimum concentration of substance that can be identified, measured, and
				reported with 99% confidence that the analyte concentration is greater than
				zero and is determined from analysis of a sample in a given matrix containing
				the analyte. The method detection limit refers to samples that have been
				processed through all the steps of an established analytical procedure.
Minimum Reporting Level
means the
				minimum concentration that can be reported as a quantitated value for a target
				analyte in a sample following analysis.
Person
means an individual,
				corporation, company, association, trust, partnership, the Commonwealth, a
				municipality, district or other subdivision or body politic of the
				Commonwealth, and any department, agency or instrumentality of the United
				States.
Primary Dilution Standard Solution
means a solution of several analytes prepared in the laboratory from stock
				standard solutions and diluted as needed to prepare calibration solutions and
				other needed analyte solutions.
Proficiency Test (PT) Samples
mean
				samples that contain known amounts of analytes and are obtained from the
				Department or from a third party acceptable to the Department. The composition
				of the sample is unknown to the laboratory performing the analysis. The PT
				sample is used to evaluate the ability of the laboratory and of the individual
				analyst to produce accurate and precise results within specified acceptance
				criteria. PT samples may be single blind
(i.e.,
the
				laboratory/analyst knows that the sample is a PT sample), or double blind
(i.e.,
the PT sample appears to be a routine sample so the
				laboratory/analyst is unaware that the sample is a PT sample).
Proficiency Testing
means a program in
				which proficiency test samples are used to evaluate the analytical performance
				of a laboratory.
Signature
means any mark, such as
				initials, printed or handwritten name, or equivalent electronic documentation
				made by a person to signify his or her responsibility for the performance of an
				action such as a measurement or the authentication of documentation produced
				internal to the laboratory analytical process. The signature must represent a
				unique person who can be identified with a specific action in the
				laboratory.
Source Water
means untreated water
				from streams, rivers, lakes, or underground aquifers that is used to supply
				private wells and public drinking water.
Stock Standard Solution
means a
				concentrated solution containing a single certified standard that is a method
				analyte, or a concentrated solution of a single analyte prepared in the
				laboratory with an assayed reference compound.
Surrogate Analyte
means a pure
				analyte(s), which is extremely unlikely to be found in any sample, and which is
				added to a sample aliquot in known amount(s) before extraction and is measured
				with the same procedures used to measure other sample components.
Valid Data
means analytical data that
				are:
(a) technically sound
(i.e.,
generated in
				accordance with good laboratory practices and meeting the quality control
				criteria of approved analytical methods); and
(b) legally defensible
(i.e.,
the laboratory's
				compliance with quality control criteria designed to assure the accuracy of the
				analysis is completely and accurately documented).