STREAM GRAB SAMPLE COLLECTION Standard Operating Procedure - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Standard Operating Procedure WWSOP02000 Effective Date: 11/01/2015

KENTUCKY WATERSHED WATCH STREAM GRAB SAMPLE COLLECTION

This presentation is based on the “Kentucky Watershed Watch Stream Grab Sample Collection Standard Operating Procedure WWSOP02000” and is available from wwky.org

Grab Sample SOP

• Stream safety
• Sample site

location

• Pre-sampling

information

• Collection procedures
• Preservation

Stream Grab Sample Collection Procedures

• Recordkeeping
• Transportation
• Results

Site Coordinates and Photos

• GPS (decimal degrees – 5 decimal places)

OR Digital map (KGS WW Site - http://kgs.uky.edu/wwky/main.htm

• r Google Earth)
• Take photos upstream and downstream of

sampling point – with recognizable landmarks; should be taken annually during Summer sampling event

• Label photos: “Site#upstream” and

“Site#downstream”

• Submit information to Water Watch office

Email: OllieTheOtter@ky.gov Phone: 502-782-7032

Sample Site Location

• You will receive materials from program coordinators or by mail
• Read instructions upon receipt! (Critical info on sample times

and delivery included)

• Inspect all sample and preservative containers upon receipt for

damage or breakage

You will receive for sampling:

• Instructions
• Transport information
• Chain of Custody Records
• Gloves (disposable)
• Sample containers
• Preservative (if required)

Pre-sampling Information

Sample containers vary for the job at hand

Pre-sampling Information

Watershed Watch Chain of Custody Record

The sampling containers are pre-marked with a unique Site Number The Site Number should match the number on the “Chain of Custody Record”

Pre-sampling Information

I received a bottle with a site number I don’t recognize! Check the documents in your packet, you may have been randomly assigned to collect a blank or a duplicate

Pre-sampling information

Blank - A sample

bottle filled while at the stream site with distilled water

• Serves as a check for

possible contamination during sample handling

• r processing at the lab
• DO NOT indicate that

the sample is a blank – the lab should not know

Pre-sampling Information

Duplicate - A sample

bottle filled with stream water at your site at the same time as your regular sample

• Serves as a check for

variability among samples that should yield approximately the same lab results

• DO NOT indicate that the

sample is a duplicate – the lab should not know

Pre-sampling Information

Proper attire for handling samples

• Gloves (disposable)
• Eye protection

Pre-sampling Information

Basic equipment needed

Collection Procedures

Selecting your sample collection location

Collection Procedures

On your first visit to your site, select an area of the stream where the flow is concentrated and where you can completely submerge and fill the bottle without touching the bottom NOTE: It is important that you collect your sample at the same location each time

Concentrated Flow Location

Collection Procedures

Sample Collection Location

High Gradient

Collection Procedures

Sample Collection Location

Low Gradient

Collection Procedures

Grab Sample Collection

• Enter stream at a downstream location
• Walk upstream to avoid disturbing bottom
• Collect sample at the same location each time in

the middle of your concentrated flow location and at mid-depth of stream

Collection Procedures

Grab Sample Collection

Collection Procedures

0 = Dry 1 = Ponded 2 = Low 3 = Normal 4 = Bank Full 5 = FLOOD! Do not sample during these flow conditions Flow Rate

• Put on disposable gloves
• DO NOT RINSE BOTTLE
• Point mouth of bottle directly over surface of water, dip

and scoop bottle upstream beneath water surface, and through water column in one swift motion to fill above line marked on bottle

• If preservative is in bottle, take caution to angle mouth so

as not to spill any while collecting sample

• Cap container, leaving at least a small airspace at top to

allow lab mixing

• Place in wet ice immediately

For E. coli grab sample collection:

Collection Procedures

• Put on disposable gloves
• Rinse bottle with stream water three times

(fill bottle ¼ full of stream water, cap, shake, and discard downstream)

• Point mouth of bottle upstream (against the flow),

submerge entire bottle to mid-depth of stream, scoop and fill

• Rinse cap in stream and cap bottle
• Add preservative (if necessary) and place in wet ice

Collection Procedures

For grab sample collection

• ther than E. coli:

What to do if you get a chemical on you

• For emergency first aid in the field, flush

affected area with large amounts of water and seek medical attention immediately

• Follow the first aid procedures found on

the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

Equipment

Chemical Safety

• Samples must be kept immersed in wet ice

(but not frozen) until received by laboratory

• Some samples may require other preservatives

(check your sample event packet)

Preservation

Like containers, preservation methods vary

(You don’t have to memorize these)

Preservation

Preservation

Sample Holding Time:

• length of time a preserved sample can be stored

after collection and before it is analyzed without significantly affecting the results

• from the minute you collect a sample, the

clock starts ticking on the holding time

• varies for different types of analysis
• established by the US Environmental

Protection Agency

• E. coli =

6 hours maximum Other than E. coli = Follow holding time instructions received in your sampling event packet

Preservation

Sample Holding Times

• document and record the

transfer of the samples from the stream to the laboratory

• function as a field

measurement form

• provide a place for field
• bservations

Recordkeeping

The Chain of Custody Record (COC) serves to:

Watershed Watch Chain of Custody Record

Watershed Watch Chain of Custody Record

• Site #
• Location description
• Sample collector name

and contact info Correct any preprinted information if necessary

Recordkeeping

Chain of Custody Record prepopulated information

Watershed Watch Chain of Custody Record

• Date and Time of sample

collection

• Field Observations and

Measurements

• Date and time of sample

Relinquished/Received must be identical

Recordkeeping

Volunteer entries on the Chain of Custody

Cross through any mistakes and initial – do not erase

Watershed Watch Chain of Custody Record

COC _ID: 1234

Something new

• n your chain of

custody form

There is now a COC ID number on the top of each chain of custody form. This number changes with every sampling event. This number ties your sampling site to a specific sampling event.

Transportation

• 1. Make delivery arrangements

before the sampling event

• 2. Take your sample and COC

to the designated drop-off location

• 3. Double-check your

recordkeeping paperwork

• 4. Make sure to sign your COC

Sample Delivery

Runner

LAB

Sampler

Drop Off

Sampler Sampler Sampler Sampler

6 hrs

(E. coli)

Collection 7:00-10:00 AM Runners 9:00-1:00 PM

Transportation

Results

Professional labs analyze samples

Results

Bacteria Analysis (Older Method)

Colony Forming Units (CFU)

• Lab processes your stream

sample and applies it to a special plate

• Plate is kept warm for a

specified period of time

• Colonies of microscopic

bacteria that have formed are counted

• Results are recorded in CFU

Results

• E. coli Analysis (Newer Method)

Add Colilert to sample and dissolve Pour sample into Quanti-Tray Seal tray and keep warm for 24 hours Count fluorescent wells and convert

RESULTS

Results will be posted on the

Watershed Watch Data Portal

after having been reviewed by the Basin Data and Volunteer Data Managers

http://kgs.uky.edu/wwky/main.htm

Interpretation

• E. coli

Enlarged photo of E. coli bacteria

• shortened form of Escherichia coli
• microscopic bacteria that live in the

intestines of warm-blooded animals and are passed in fecal material

• used as an indicator of the possible

presence of pathogens that may cause infection or illness

Interpretation

Sources of E. coli in Streams

Interpretation

Surface Water Quality Standards for

• E. coli
• Swimming Standard of 240 cfu/100 ml (single grab

sample)

• Standards apply during Recreation Season from May 1

to October 31

Interpretation

Nutrients

• generally refers to forms of

nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)

• excess nutrients in streams can

cause overgrowth of algae and plants, which disrupts healthy natural processes

• this can lead to large decreases

in dissolved oxygen, a condition called eutrophication

Interpretation

Nutrients

Excess of nutrients (N & P) Abundant growth of algae Algae die Decomposition of algae by bacteria consumes oxygen Low dissolved oxygen levels can lead to fish kills EUTROPHICATION

Interpretation

Sources of Nutrients in Streams

Interpretation

Surface Water Quality Standards for Nutrients

• Kentucky does not have numeric surface water standards

in regulation for all nutrients of concern (including Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus)

• Surface water standards in Kentucky regulations include:
• Ammonia (un-ionized)

0.05 mg/l (parts per million)

• Nitrate (NO3)

10 mg/l

• Sulfate (SO4)

250 mg/l

Interpretation

Metals

• elemental substances that are good

conductors of heat and electricity

• naturally occurring in rock and soil, and

can be weathered and carried to streams when exposed

• can be harmful to humans or aquatic life

at low levels over a long time (chronic)

• r at higher levels for a short time

(acute)

Heavy Metal

Interpretation

Sources of Metals in Streams

Interpretation

Surface Water Quality Standards for Metals

• Aluminum
• Antimony
• Arsenic
• Barium
• Beryllium
• Boron
• Cadmium
• Calcium
• Chromium
• Cobalt
• Copper
• Gold
• Iron
• Lead
• Lithium
• Magnesium
• Manganese
• Nickel
• Phosphorus
• Potassium
• Selenium
• Silicon
• Silver
• Sodium
• Strontium
• Sulfur
• Thallium
• Tin
• Vanadium
• Zinc

Underlined metals are ones for which Kentucky has numeric water quality standards, which can be found in 401 KAR 10:031 Section 6.

Interpretation

Metals

A fish consumption advisory is in effect statewide

• All Kentucky waters are under advisory for mercury. Women of

childbearing age and children 6 years of age or younger should eat no more than one meal per week of freshwater fish. Adult men and other women are not included in the consumption notice.

• This is not an emergency as organic mercury can occur

naturally in the environment and does not affect swimmers, skiers or boaters. Fish can accumulate these low levels of mercury by eating plankton and other small aquatic creatures.

Interpretation

Pesticides

• chemicals used to kill undesirable plants
• r insects
• improper timing of application and
• veruse can lead to runoff into streams
• can be harmful to humans or aquatic life

at low levels over a long time (chronic)

• r at higher levels for a short time

(acute)

Interpretation

Sources of Pesticides in Streams

Interpretation

Surface Water Quality Standards for Pesticides

• Kentucky does not have numeric water quality standards

for all pesticides (including atrazine)

• Surface water standards in Kentucky regulations include:
• 2,4-D

0.1 mg/l (parts per million)

Pathogens

• E. coli

1 - 150 151 - 500 501 - 1000 1001 - 5000 (CFU)

At the creek Practice grab sample collection