In the quality control section of my report, what does blank, laboratory control sample, matrix spike, % Rec, % Rec Limits, RPD and RPD Limit mean?
Environmental sample analyses are performed on batches of samples of like sample matrix. The number of customer samples in a batch can vary from 10 to 20 samples depending upon the particular analysis performed. To each batch, various quality control samples are added, taken through the entire analysis process and treated just like customer samples. These quality control (QC) samples are typically a blank, laboratory control samples and matrix spike samples. The blank is just laboratory reagent water analyzed to determine if there is significant contamination in the analysis process for the chemical parameter(s) being measured. A laboratory control sample is laboratory reagent water fortified with a known concentration of the parameter(s) being analyzed. These are set up in duplicate. Analysis of these two samples yields information on the accuracy and precision of the method. Matrix Spike samples are similar to laboratory control samples but are made from a second and third aliquot fr
Related Questions
- What is the purpose of analyzing the matrix spike (MS) sample versus analyzing the laboratory control sample (LCS) and why should we run both?
- In the quality control section of my report, what does blank, laboratory control sample, matrix spike, % Rec, % Rec Limits, RPD and RPD Limit mean?
- Where do I specify the Laboratory Quality Control (QC) sample type (i.e., Matrix Spike/Matrix Spike Duplicate (MS/MSD)?
