Water quality field studies in the Arctic rapidly reveal flaws in logistic schemes and equipment reliability because of severe constraints placed on all components by the environment. Since these studies generally require collection of samples in areas remote from central laboratory facilities, the time lag between sampling and analysis necessitates the inclusion of field analyses in the sampling scheme where the analytes may exhibit rapid change. The selected scheme includes components of sampling, field processing, shipping and laboratory analysis which are dependent on both the time and mode of transportation as well as the requirements for analytical reliability. Decisions regarding analytical specification are dependent upon the resources of the investigator, although in a more immediate sense are a function of the working environment and available field instrumentation.