Lead Sampling Protocols: Why So Many and What Do They Tell You?
Citation:
Triantafyllidou, S., M. Schock, F. Lemieux, J. Tully, AND K. Cahalan. Lead Sampling Protocols: Why So Many and What Do They Tell You? 14th Annual EPA Drinking Water Workshop: Small Systems Challenges and Solutions, Cincinnati, OH, August 22 - 24, 2017.
Impact/Purpose:
This presentation reviews sampling protocols for quantification of lead (Pb) contamination in drinking water. No single universally established sampling protocol for Pb in drinking water exists, and not every protocol is relevant to every sampling intent. It is therefore important to be able to distinguish between sampling protocols, and to understand their purpose and their potential limitations.
Description:
Sampling protocols can be broadly categorized based on their intended purpose of 1) Pb regulatory compliance/corrosion control efficacy, 2) Pb plumbing source determination or Pb type identification, and 3) Pb exposure assessment. Choosing the appropriate protocol is crucial to producing meaningful data and a meaningful response to answer the specific question posed. Understanding differences in protocols is also crucial when attempting to compare Pb results obtained by different water sampling protocols.