N.J. Admin. Code § 7:18-5.2

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 7:18-5.2 - Requirements for environmental laboratory equipment and instruments

(a) The supervisor shall have control over the equipment and instruments used in chemical testing. The laboratory shall use only equipment and instruments that meets the applicable requirements listed in (a)1 through 17 below, the applicable requirements of N.J.A.C. 7:18-3, and the requirements of the applicable DSAM.

1. Spectrophotometers (other than atomic absorption spectrophotometers) shall meet the following requirements:

i. The spectral range shall be at least 400 to 700 nanometers (nm). The maximum spectral bandwidth shall be no more than 20 nm;

ii. Wavelength accuracy shall be within +/-2.5 nm; and

iii.Spectrophotometers shall employ a cell path length permitting a linear calibration of the instrument in the anticipated concentration range consistent with the DSAM.

2. Filter photometers or colorimeters shall meet the following requirements:

i. Filter photometers or colorimeters shall have filters that isolate various radiant energy bands in the 400 to 700 nm range. The filters shall have a bandwidth between 10 and 70 nm; and

ii. Filter photometers and colorimeters shall employ a cell path length permitting a linear calibration of the instrument in the anticipated concentration range consistent with the DSAM.

3. Atomic absorption spectrophotometers shall meet the following requirements:

i. Atomic absorption spectrophotometers shall be single or multiple channel, single or double beam instruments having a grating monochromator, photomultiplier detector, adjustable slits, and provisions for interfacing with an analog/digital chart recorder/printer or a computer data system;

ii. If used, a computer data system shall perform analog-digital conversions with integration, storage, and output. The laboratory shall produce completed header information for the computer system to define the unique sample, blank or standard run; date/time of analysis; analyst; parameter(s) concentrations, and or absorbance values;

iii. The instruments shall be operated with the fuel and oxidant gases specified by the analytical method;

iv. Instruments used to analyze metals as hydrides shall:

(1) Have a hydride generator that meets the specifications of the applicable DSAM; and

(2) Be able to meet the temperature and background correction requirements of the applicable DSAM.

4. For mercury analysis, a mercury analyzer or an atomic absorption spectrophotometer used for mercury analysis shall meet the following requirements:

i. The laboratory shall operate the instruments used for cold-vapor mercury analysis using the lamps specified by the applicable DSAM;

ii. The laboratory shall use absorption cells that measure at least 10 centimeters (cm) and have 2.5 cm quartz end windows, or their equivalent;

iii. The laboratory shall use a vapor flow system including an air pump delivering one liter per minute, a heated drying unit or a tube containing 20 grams of magnesium perchlorate, and an aeration tube with coarse glass-frit; and

iv. Because of the toxic nature of mercury vapor, the laboratory shall take precautions to avoid subjecting individuals to inhalation of the vapor. Therefore, when the samples are analyzed, the released mercury vapor shall be passed through an absorbing media, such as equal volumes of 0.1 N potassium permanganate (KMnO[4]) and 10 percent sulfuric acid (H[2]SO[4]), or 0.025 percent iodine in a three percent potassium iodide (KI) solution, or specially treated charcoal that will absorb mercury vapor.

5. Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectrometers shall meet the following requirements:

i. The laboratory's ICP instruments shall be computer-controlled;

ii. The system shall be capable of background correction; and

iii. The system shall include a computer data system that performs analog-digital conversions with integration, storage, and output. The laboratory shall produce completed header information for the computer system to define the unique sample, blank or standard run; the date and time of instrumental analysis; the analyst; and the parameter or parameters for which the sample is being analyzed.

6. Inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometers (ICP/MS) shall meet the requirements applicable to ICP spectrometers under (a)5 above. The laboratory shall operate ICP/MS instrumentation using the mass spectrometer ionization conditions, scan range, and scan rate defined by the applicable DSAM, and shall meet the tuning criteria, initial and continuing calibration, quality assurance, and quality control requirements of the applicable DSAM.

7. Transmission electron microscopes and associated energy dispersive X-ray analyzers shall meet the requirements of the applicable DSAM.

8. Gas chromatographs shall meet the following requirements:

i. GC Column ovens shall be capable of isothermal temperature control;

ii. Injection systems, columns, and carrier gas flow control conditions shall meet the requirements of the applicable DSAM;

iii. Detectors shall meet the requirements of the applicable DSAM;

iv. Chromatograms shall be recorded with a strip chart recorder and integrator or combined recorder/integrator or computer data system; and

v. The original hard copy of all chromatograms shall meet the requirements of (a)14 below.

9. Gas chromatograph/mass spectrometers (GC/MS) shall meet the requirements for gas chromatographs in (a)8 above, and the requirements for mass spectrometers under (a)13 below.

10. High performance liquid chromatographs (HPLC) shall meet the following requirements:

i. Isocratic and/or linear gradient elution chromatography shall be used;

ii. Fluorescence, UV or electrochemical detectors shall be used, as required by the applicable DSAM;

iii. Reverse-phase or other columns shall be used as prescribed by the applicable DSAM;

iv. Chromatograms shall be recorded with a strip chart recorder and integrator or combined recorder/integrator or computer data system; and

v. The original hard copy of all chromatograms shall meet the requirements of (a)14 below.

11. High performance liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometers (HPLC/MS) shall satisfy the requirements for high performance liquid chromatographs in (a)10i, iii and iv above, and the requirements for mass spectrometers under (a)13 below.

12. Ion chromatographs shall meet the requirements defined by the DSAM including the following requirements:

i. Suppressor and separator or other columns shall be used as required by the applicable DSAM;

ii. Conductivity or other detector shall be used as required by the applicable DSAM;

iii. Chromatograms shall be recorded with a strip chart recorder and integrator or combined recorder/integrator or computer data system; and

iv. The original hard copy of all chromatograms shall meet the requirements of (a)14 below.

13. Mass spectrometers under (a)9 and 11 above shall meet the following requirements:

i. Mass spectrometer instrumentation shall be operated using the ionization conditions, scan range, and scan rate, and shall meet the tuning criteria, initial and continuing calibration, quality assurance and quality control requirements of the applicable DSAM;

ii. The mass spectrometer shall have a computer data system for performing qualitative identifications and quantitative calculations for target compounds. It shall be capable of identifying and semi-quantitating "non-target" or tentatively identified compounds (TICs). The software shall use retention time and mass spectral comparisons for qualitative identifications. The software shall use a formula defined in the applicable DSAM to calculate quantitative results of target compounds;

iii. The computer data system shall be capable of performing a mass spectra search against the NIST library or other USEPA-approved mass spectral library. The data system shall rank and present the best three qualitative identification mass spectral matches. If a parameter cannot be specifically identified, but its compound class can be determined by mass spectral matching, its compound class shall be reported. If the compound class is indeterminate, the parameter shall be reported as an unknown. Semi-quantitative results for a non-target TIC shall be estimated by assuming that its concentration is proportional to that of the nearest internal standard;

iv. The laboratory's GC/MS analyst or supervisor shall independently confirm all software qualitative identifications for found parameters; and

v. The original hard copy of all chromatograms shall meet the requirements of (a)14 below.

14. The laboratory shall have the analyst sign the original hard copy of all chromatograms, analog or digital, prepared using any of the types of equipment listed in (a)8 through 12 above. In the original hard copy, the laboratory shall include a table setting forth all of the following information:

i. Identification of the sample, blank or standard;

ii. The date and time of the analysis;

iii. The run number; and

iv. Peak identification, by number, by retention time, or by name. The peak identification shall include internal standards, surrogates, and sample components.

15. Auto-analyzer equipment shall meet the requirements defined by the automated methods of the DSAMs including the following requirements:

i. The spectral range shall be at least a minimum of 400 to 700 nm. The maximum spectral bandwidth shall be no more than 20 nm;

ii. Wavelength accuracy shall be within +/-2.5 nm; and

iii. The laboratory shall have the analyst sign the original hard copy of all outputs. In all outputs, analog or digital, the laboratory shall include a table setting forth the following information: identification of the sample, blank or standard; the date and time of analysis; the run number; and peak identification.

16. Any burets used for titration shall be Class "A" burets, and need not be calibrated before use.

17. Dissolved oxygen (DO) meters with membrane electrodes shall meet the following requirements:

i. Dissolved oxygen measurements shall be accurate to within +/-0.3 mg dissolved oxygen per liter (DO/L) and shall be precise to within +/-0.15 mg DO/L; and

ii. Meters shall be capable of compensation for temperature.

18. At least annually, the laboratory shall check salinity meters equipped with conductivity cells having platinum electrodes. The check shall cover the range of interest using at least five concentrations of a standard potassium chloride solution. Conductivity cells not having platinum electrodes shall be checked against a conductivity meter equipped with platinum electrodes. The laboratory shall perform this check annually. The laboratory shall record the raw data, cell constant, and results in a log book, with each entry signed and dated by the analyst.

19. The laboratory shall have documented procedures for the calibration and verification of air sampling equipment such as pumps, meter boxes, critical orifices, flow measurement devices and continuous analyzers, if this equipment is used or supplied by the laboratory.

20. All air sampling canisters shall be internally passivated by the SUMMA electropolish process, as set forth in the methodologies referenced at 7:18-1.5(a)5, or other EPA approved process.

N.J. Admin. Code § 7:18-5.2

Administrative change.
See: 28 New Jersey Register 4098(a).
Amended by R.2003 d.411, effective 10/20/2003.
See: 35 New Jersey Register 312(a), 35 New Jersey Register 4878(a).
In (a), added 19 and 20.