ABSTRACT
Data verification and validation are the first steps in assessing project data quality and usefulness. They represent a standardized review process for determining the analytical quality of discrete sets of chemical data. The primary purpose is to summarize the technical defensibility of the analytical data for the end users and decision makers. Data verification/validation represent the decision process by which established quality control criteria are applied to the data. Individual sample results are accepted, rejected, or qualified as estimated. Data verification is the first step in a tiered or graded approach. It is performed for the purpose of “verifying” that the laboratory provided the reporting information required by the Sampling and Analysis Plan and met a few minimum requirements that ensure the data are usable. Regardless of which level is implemented, the validation must be documented formally for project records.
