New England Testing Laboratory, Inc.

Table of Containers, Preservatives and Holding Times

Drinking Water

Wastewater

Soil, Sediment, Ground Water and Solid Waste

Drinking Water Services / Services Home / Site Home

Drinking Water*

Wastewater Services / Services Home / Site Home

Parameter	Container	Preservation	Maximum Holding Time
Bacteria:	polypropylene or glass	cool, <10 °C, 0.0008% Na2S2O3	6 hours
Metals except Mercury	plastic or glass	HNO3 to pH<2	6 months
Mercury	plastic or glass	HNO3 to pH<2	28 days
Volatile Organic Compounds (524.2)	40 ml VOA	1:1 HCl; 25 mg ascorbic acid for chlorinated systems	14 days if preserved, 24 hours unpreserved
Haloacetic acids (552.2)	60 ml Amber VOA	6 mg ammonium chloride	14 days
Microextractables (504.1)	40 ml VOA	3 mg sodium thiosulfate	14 days
Pesticides (525.2)	1000 ml Amber glass	50 mg sodium sulfite and adjust pH to<2 with HCL at time of sampling	14 days
Mixed esters (525.2)	1000 ml Amber glass	50 mg sodium sulfite and adjust pH to<2 with HCL at time of sampling	14 days
Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (525.2)	1000 ml Amber glass	50 mg sodium sulfite and adjust pH to<2 with HCL at time of sampling	14 days
Phthalate esters (525.2)	1000 ml Amber glass	50 mg sodium sulfite and adjust pH to<2 with HCL at time of sampling	14 days
Pattern Mixture Chlorinated Organics (505)	40 ml VOA	3 mg sodium thiosulfate	14 days
Herbicides (515.3)	60 ml Amber VOA	6 mg sodium thiosulfate	14 days
Diquat (549.2)	500 ml Amber plastic	50 mg sodium thiosulfate	7 days
Endothall (548.1)	250 ml Amber glass	20 mg sodium thiosulfate	7 days
Glyphosate (547)	60 ml Amber VOA	6 mg sodium thiosulfate	14 days
Acid and Base/Neutral Extractables	Amber glass with Teflon lined cap	cool, 4 °C, 0.0008% Na2S2O3	7 days until extraction; 40 days after extraction
Organochlorine Pesticides and PCBs	Glass with Teflon lined cap	cool, 4 °C, 0.0008% Na2S2O3	7 days until extraction; 40 days after extraction
Carbamate Pesticides	60 ml Amber glass	0.56 g potassium dihydrogen citrate and 6 mg sodium thiosulfate	28 days
Acidity (CaCO3)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	14 days
Alkalinity (CaCO3)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C
Ammonia (as N)	plastic or glass	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2	28 days
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours
Chemical oxygen demand (COD)	plastic or glass	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2	28 days
Chloride	plastic or glass		28 days
Chlorine Total Residual	plastic or glass		Analyze immediately
Color	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours
Cyanide Total	plastic or glass	Cool, 4°C, NaOH to pH>12, 0.6g ascorbic acid	14 days
Fluoride Total	plastic		28 days
Hardness Total (CaCO3)	plastic or glass	HNO3 or H2SO4 to pH<2	6 months
Hydrogen ion (pH)	plastic or glass		Analyze immediately
Kjeldahl Nitrogen Total (as N)	plastic or glass	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2	28 days
Nitrate-nitrite (as N)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours
Nitrite (as N)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours
Oil and grease	glass	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 or HCl to pH<2	28 days
Orthophosphate (as P)	plastic or glass	Filter immediately, cool 4°C	48 hours
Phenols	glass	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2	28 days
Phosphorus Total	glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours
Residue Total (TS)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	7 days
Residue filterable (TDS)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	7 days
Residue nonfilterable (TSS)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	7 days
Residue settable	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours
Residue Volatile (TVS)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	7 days
Silica Dissolved	plastic	cool, 4 °C	28 days
Specific conductance	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	28 days
Sulfate (as SO4)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	28 days
Sulfide (as S)	plastic or glass	Cool, 4°C add zinc acetate, NaOH to pH>9	7 days
Sulfite (as SO3)	plastic or glass		Analyze immediately
Surfactants	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours
Turbidity	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours

return to top

* For additional detail see Title 40 PART 141--NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS and Title 40 PART 143--NATIONAL SECONDARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS

Wastewater*

Parameter	Container	Preservation	Maximum Holding Time
Bacteria:	polypropylene or glass	cool, <10 °C, 0.0008% Na2S2O3	6 hours
Aquatic Toxicity:	low density polyethylene	cool, 4 °C	36 hours
Metals except B, Cr^+6, and Hg	plastic or glass	HNO3 to pH<2	6 months
Boron	plastic	HNO3 to pH<2	6 months
Chromium VI	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	24 hours
Mercury	plastic or glass	HNO3 to pH<2	28 days
Volatile Organic Compounds	VOA Vial	cool, 4 °C, 0.0008% Na2S2O3, pH < 2 with HCL	14 days
Acid and Base/Neutral Extractables	Amber glass with Teflon lined cap	cool, 4 °C, 0.0008% Na2S2O3	7 days until extraction; 40 days after extraction
Organochlorine Pesticides and PCBs	Glass with Teflon lined cap	cool, 4 °C, 0.0008% Na2S2O3	7 days until extraction; 40 days after extraction
Acidity (CaCO3)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	14 days
Alkalinity (CaCO3)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C
Ammonia (as N)	plastic or glass	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2	28 days
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours
Chemical oxygen demand (COD)	plastic or glass	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2	28 days
Chloride	plastic or glass		28 days
Chlorine Total Residual	plastic or glass		Analyze immediately
Color	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours
Cyanide Total	plastic or glass	Cool, 4°C, NaOH to pH>12, 0.6g ascorbic acid	14 days
Fluoride Total	plastic		28 days
Hardness Total (CaCO3)	plastic or glass	HNO3 or H2SO4 to pH<2	6 months
Hydrogen ion (pH)	plastic or glass		Analyze immediately
Kjeldahl Nitrogen Total (as N)	plastic or glass	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2	28 days
Nitrate-nitrite (as N)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours
Nitrite (as N)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours
Oil and grease	glass	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 or HCl to pH<2	28 days
Orthophosphate (as P)	plastic or glass	Filter immediately, cool 4°C	48 hours
Phenols	glass	Cool, 4°C, H2SO4 to pH<2	28 days
Phosphorus Total	glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours
Residue Total (TS)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	7 days
Residue filterable (TDS)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	7 days
Residue nonfilterable (TSS)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	7 days
Residue settable	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours
Residue Volatile (TVS)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	7 days
Silica Dissolved	plastic	cool, 4 °C	28 days
Specific conductance	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	28 days
Sulfate (as SO4)	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	28 days
Sulfide (as S)	plastic or glass	Cool, 4°C add zinc acetate, NaOH to pH>9	7 days
Sulfite (as SO3)	plastic or glass		Analyze immediately
Surfactants	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours
Turbidity	plastic or glass	cool, 4 °C	48 hours

return to top

* For additional detail see Title 40 Part 136: GUIDELINES ESTABLISHING TEST PROCEDURES FOR THE ANALYSIS OF POLLUTANTS, Table II

Groundwater/soil/solid waste Services / Services Home / Site Home

Groundwater/soil/solid waste*

Parameter	Container	Preservation Soil/Sediment/Waste	Preservation Water	Maximum Holding Time
Metals	P, G	none	(filter onsite for dissolved) HNO to pH<2	6 months
Mercury	P, G	none	(filter onsite for dissolved) HNO to pH<2	28 days
Chromium VI	P, G	Cool to 4oC	Cool to 4oC	24 hours
Total and Amenable Cyanide	P,G	Cool to 4oC	Cool to 4oC, pH>12 NaOH, 0.06 g/l of ascorbic acid if oxidizing	14 days
Sulfides	P, G	Cool to 4oC	Cool to 4oC, ZnAcetate	7 days
Sulfate	P, G	Cool to 4oC	Cool to 4oC	28 days
Chloride (Titrimetric, Silver Nitrate)	P, G		none	28 days
Soil and Waste pH	P, G	Cool to 4oC	na	24 hours
Flash Point	P, G	Cool to 4oC	na	14 days
Ignitability of Solids	P, G	Cool to 4oC	na	14 days
pH Electrometric Measurement	P, G	Cool to 4oC	Cool to 4oC	24 hours
Diesel Range Organics (TPH)	Amber G Teflon Lid	Cool to 4oC	5 ml/l 1:1 HCl, cool 4 ± 2° C	extract within 14 days, analyze within 40 days of extraction
Gasoline Range Organics (TPH)	VOA water, G solid	Cool to 4oC	HCl to pH <2; cool to 4°C ± 2ºC	14 days
Volatile Petroleum Hydrocarbons (VPH)	VOA water, G solid	MeOH	HCl to pH <2; cool to 4°C ± 2ºC	28 days soil, 14 days water
Extractable Petroleum Hydrocarbons (EPH)	Amber G	Cool to 4oC	5 ml/l 1:1 HCl, cool 4 ± 2° C	extract within 14 days, analyze within 40 days of extraction
Volatile Organic Compounds	VOA water, G solid	Cool to 4oC	HCl to pH <2; cool to 4°C ± 2ºC	14 days
Semivolatile Organic Compounds	Amber G Teflon Lid	Cool to 4oC	cool 4 ± 2° C (0.008% Na2S2O3 if oxidizing)	extract within 14 days, analyze within 40 days of extraction
Organochlorine Pesticides	Amber G Teflon Lid	Cool to 4oC	cool 4 ± 2° C (0.008% Na2S2O3 if oxidizing)	extract within 14 days, analyze within 40 days of extraction
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	Amber G Teflon Lid	Cool to 4oC	cool 4 ± 2° C (0.008% Na2S2O3 if oxidizing)	extract within 14 days, analyze within 40 days of extraction
Chlorinated Herbicides	Amber G Teflon Lid	Cool to 4oC	cool 4 ± 2° C (0.008% Na2S2O3 if oxidizing)	extract within 14 days, analyze within 40 days of extraction

TCLP Analyses:

Parameter	From Sampling to TC Extraction	From TC extraction to Preparative Extraction	From Previous step to determinative step
Volatiles	14 days	NA	14 days
Semivolatiles	14 days	7 days	28 days
Metals	6 months	NA	6 months
Mercury	28 days	NA	28 days
Herbicides	14 days	7 days	28 days

return to top

* For further detail see: Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste Physical/Chemical Methods, SW-846, EPA, Office of Solid Waste.