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NATIONAL PERFORMANCE AUDIT PROGRAM: 1979 PROFICIENCY SURVEYS FOR SULFUR DIOXIDE, NITROGEN DIOXIDE, CARBON MONOXIDE, SULFATE, NITRATE, LEAD AND HIGH VOLUME FLOW
Citation:
Bennett, B., R. Lampe, AND J. Puzak. NATIONAL PERFORMANCE AUDIT PROGRAM: 1979 PROFICIENCY SURVEYS FOR SULFUR DIOXIDE, NITROGEN DIOXIDE, CARBON MONOXIDE, SULFATE, NITRATE, LEAD AND HIGH VOLUME FLOW. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/4-81/025 (NTIS PB81239402), 1981.
Description:
The Quality Assurance Division of the Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, administers semiannual Surveys of Analytical Proficiency for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfate, nitrate and lead. Sample material, simulating ambient air pollution samples as closely as possible, are furnished to participating laboratories. Surveys of hi-vol sample flow are conducted annually using a modified orifice. The various sample materials are monitored by the Quality Assurance Division to assure that samples are stable, of uniform composition and are representative of pollutant concentration levels encountered under field sampling conditions and that all materials conform to prescribed standards of accuracy. Sample materials are required to be similar enough to true air pollution matrices not to introduce unrealistic conditions of sample preparation or impose handling techniques that are not a part of the normal monitoring and analytical activity. A major survey objective is the assessment of routine analytical performance. After results are evaluated by the Quality Assurance Division, an individual report is promptly returned to each participant. This report contains a summary of survey results for the year 1979.