NYC-WTC_000233682

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

RESPONSE GUIDELINES

3.4 Sample Collection Guidelines

3.4.1 Safety Guidelines 1. Do not enter the site to perform sampling until cleared. Hazardous materials response units may perform safety screening before allowing other responders to enter the site. Note that field safety screening does not generally include testing for pathogens. 2. Do not eat, drink, or smoke at the site. 3. Do not taste or smell the water samples. 4. Do use general personal protective equipment (PPE) such as splash-proof goggles, disposable gloves, proper footwear (i.e., no open toe or open heel shoes), a chemical resistant, disposable lab coat, and long pants. (^Note that this level of PPE is only intended to minimize incidental contact with the water or chemical reagents used during sample collection or field testing.) 5. Avoid all skin contact with the water, and if incidental contact does occur, immediately flush the affected area with clean water brought to the site for that purpose. 6. Fill sampling containers slowly to avoid volatilization or aerosolization of contaminants. 7. Minimize the time that personnel are on the site and collecting samples.

3.4.2 Sampling Procedures 1. Pre-label sample containers with a waterproof marker. Information should include: analyte class (pathogen, chemical, or radionuclide), specific analyte (if sample is being collected for a specific target), sample identification number, utility name, location of sample collection, sample collection date and time, and sampler’s initials. 2. Check for the presence of any in-line filters (e.g., home treatment devices) that might interfere with sampling. Remove such devices if present. 3. If the sample tap is the suspected point of contaminant introduction, collect swab samples from the tap before flushing the tap and collecting water samples. 4. Flush sample taps for a time sufficient to displace the water in connecting lines in order to obtain a sample that is representative of the water of interest. Keep the flow rate from the sample tap sufficiently low in order to avoid splashing and aerosolizing water droplets. Divert water to a drain if possible. 5. Carefully collect samples in the specified containers (see Section 3.3). If a reagent needs to be added to the sample, allow enough headspace in the container to add the proper amount of preservative. Cap then gently mix the contents to ensure that the reagent is properly mixed with the sample. Test the sample with a strip of pH paper to ensure preservation to the proper pH. Do not insert the pH paper into the sample container. Pour a small portion of the mixed sample into the container cap then pour from the cap onto the pH paper to verify 6. For chlorinated samples, VOCs should be collected into a secondary 8-oz. glass container (prepared with ascorbic acid - see footnote 1, Table 3.3). Gently mix the sample and transfer to 3, 40-ml VOA containers (triplicate). Fill the 40-ml container above the top to form a meniscus. Close the container with the Teflon side of the septa facing the water sample, gently invert the sample container several times, and verify that there are no air bubbles in the container. Once each container is tagged, the three 40-ml containers

34 Interim Final - August 2004

CITY_21MC100_004992373

NYC-WTC_000233716