ABSTRACT
After the sample collection procedure is complete, sample containers must be preserved, capped, custody-sealed, and transported along with appropriate documentation to the on-site or fixed analytical laboratory for analysis. Great care should be taken when preparing samples for shipment since an error in this procedure has the potential of invalidating the samples and subsequent data. Immediately after a sample bottle has been filled, it must be preserved as specified in the Sampling and Analysis Plan. Sample preservation requirements vary, based on the sample matrix and the analyses being performed. Accurate documentation is essential for the success of a sampling program. It is only through documentation that a sample can be tied into a particular sampling time, date, location, and depth. Field logbooks must be permanently bound, the pages must be numbered, and all entries must be written with permanent ink, signed, and dated.
