Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288:reg:2:p4
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 2 (pt 4/5)
Character Range: 712833–715885

organic compounds should be confirmed by one of the methods detailed in the NATA Field Application Document ISO/IEC 17025 (NATA 2011). These include mass spectrometric detection, variation of the test procedure (e.g. different column stationary phase), another test procedure (e.g. alternative detector) or conversion of the analyte to another compound (e.g. derivation technique).

A mass spectral library match alone is only sufficient for tentative identification. Confirmation is achieved (i.e. no additional confirmatory analysis is required) if GC/MS or HPLC/MS methods are employed and standards of the compound are analysed under identical conditions (US EPA SW-846, Method 8000B). A compound identity is then confirmed if all of the following criteria (US EPA SW-846: Method 8260B, Method 8270D) are met:
    * the intensities of the characteristic ions of the compound in the sample should maximise in the same scan, or within one scan, as that of the reference calibration check standard
    * the relative retention time (RRT) of the sample component is within ±0.06 of the RRT of the reference calibration check standard
    * the relative intensities of the characteristic ions (see note immediately below) in the sample check standard.
Note: The characteristic ions are generally defined as the three ions of greatest intensity in the preceding calibration check standard.

2.7              Leachability and bioavailability
Some methods for assessing mobility and availability of soil constituents are based on methods designed for agronomic studies and land surveys (e.g. metal availability, as part of soil nutrient assessment) and hence are only applicable to soils expected to have relatively low contaminant concentrations (e.g. background samples or natural soil).

Such methods should be used with caution on contaminated soils, as the high concentrations of analytes in contaminated soil may exhaust the exchangeable capacity of the reagents and lead to false results. These tests have not yet been shown to apply to contaminated soils, and meaningful results can only be obtained from natural soils or background samples.

This Schedule describes two leachability methods for assessing the mobility of common metal contaminants in contaminated site assessments. Other methods available to study mobility of metal ions and nutrients for agronomic reasons are highly specific to the soil type, chemical species, and biota (usually plants) being studied, and are not recommended for generic studies of contaminated soils.

See Section 12 for more discussion of methods to assess leachability of soil contaminants.

2.8              Use of laboratory results
Effective site assessment is dependent on a partnership between the site assessor and the laboratory, to ensure that:
    * samples are collected, transported and received by the laboratory in a condition suitable for analysis
    * the laboratory understands the information required by the site assessor
    * the analyst communicates all relevant information to the site