A Louisian Bayou
Image: courtesy V. Todaro/M. Kunas
Image: courtesy V. Todaro/M. Kunas
Sample Collection
A variety of samples may be analyzed by GC/MS or HPLC for chemical analytes.
- Environmental: water, sediments, soils, air
- Biological: whole organisms, tissues, blood, urine
- Foods
- Pharmaceuticals
Collection Methods
- Methods should be well documented to ensure that the process of collecting a sample does not alter the chemical analyte concentration within the sample. In addition to describing how samples are collected and tracked, key considerations include:
- Collection containers
- Transportation and handling (e.g., refrigeration, filtered vs unfiltered water)
- Storage prior to chemical analysis