The 7-Step DQO Process

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DQO Training Course Day 2Module 13
The EPA 7-Step DQO Process
Step 3 - Identify Inputs
Presenter Sebastian Tindall
(40 minutes) (5 minute stretch break)
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Objectives

• Identify applicable information/data needed for
  making the decisions
• Determine the quality of information needed
• Determine whether the historical/existing data
  are sufficient to make the decisions or whether
  new data are required
• Determine QC protocols

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Step 3 Identify Inputs

• Step Objective
• To identify the informational inputs that will be
  required to resolve the decision statements
  identified in Step 2, and to determine which
  inputs require environmental measurements

Step 1 State the Problem
Step 2 Identify Decisions
Step 3 Identify Inputs
Step 4 Specify Boundaries
Step 5 Define Decision Rules
Step 6 Specify Error Tolerances
Step 7 Optimize Sample Design
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Step 3a - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Specify Environmental Variables to be Measured
List General Sources of Information
Decision Statements
Continue Step 3 Activities
Determine Whether the Information Exists
Determine the General Level of Quality Required
for the Data
Evaluate the Appropriateness of Existing Data
Usability Assessment
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Step 3a - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Specify Environmental Variables to be Measured
List General Sources of Information
Determine which environmental variables or other
information are needed to resolve the decision
statement.
Decision Statements
Continue Step 3 Activities
Determine Whether the Information Exists
Determine the General Level of Quality Required
for the Data
Evaluate the Appropriateness of Existing Data
Usability Assessment
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Step 3a - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Specify Environmental Variables to be Measured
List General Sources of Information

• Ask general questions such as
• Is information on the physical properties of the
  media required?
• Is information on the chemical/radiological
  characteristics of thematrix needed?

Decision Statements
Continue Step 3 Activities
Determine Whether the Information Exists
Determine the General Level of Quality Required
for the Data
Evaluate the Appropriateness of Existing Data
Usability Assessment
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Step 3a - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Specify Environmental Variables to be Measured

• Examples of Physical Properties
• Soil/Sediment Air
• - Kd - Temperature
• - Hydraulic conductivity - Moisture content
• - Porosity - Percent particulate/volume
• - Grain-size distribution
• Groundwater/Surface Water Building Materials
• - pH - Density
• - Temperature - Compaction
• - Electrical conductivity
• - Turbidity

List General Sources of Information
Decision Statements
Continue Step 3 Activities
Determine Whether the Information Exists
Determine the General Level of Quality Required
for the Data
Evaluate the Appropriateness of Existing Data
Usability Assessment
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Step 3a - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Specify Environmental Variables to be Measured
Examples of Chemical / Radiological
Properties Groundwater/Surface Water
Soil/Sediment - Concentration -
Concentration - Activity level - Activity
level Air Building Materials -
Concentration - Concentration - Activity
level - Activity level
List General Sources of Information
Decision Statements
Continue Step 3 Activities
Determine Whether the Information Exists
Determine the General Level of Quality Required
for the Data
Evaluate the Appropriateness of Existing Data
Usability Assessment
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Step 3a - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Specify Environmental Variables to be Measured
List General Sources of Information

• Create a list of environmental variables of
  interest for which
• environmental measurements may be required.
• Levels of lead, silver, Total Metals, etc.
• Levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
  semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), etc.
• Total Suspended Solids
• Temperature, pH, Eh, etc.
• Alpha, Beta, Gamma activities

Decision Statements
Continue Step 3 Activities
Determine Whether the Information Exists
Determine the General Level of Quality Required
for the Data
Evaluate the Appropriateness of Existing Data
Usability Assessment
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Step 3a - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Specify Environmental Variables to be Measured
List General Sources of Information
Decision Statements
Continue Step 3 Activities
Determine Whether the Information Exists
Identify and list the general sources where
information on the environmental variables to be
measure might exist.
Determine the General Level of Quality Required
for the Data
Evaluate the Appropriateness of Existing Data
Usability Assessment
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Step 3a - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Specify Environmental Variables to be Measured
List General Sources of Information

• Potential Data Sources
• New data collection
• Existing data
• Historical records
• Scientific literature
• Regulatory guidance
• Professional judgement
• Modeling

• Modeling Data Needs
• Scenario(s) - (develop)
• Parameters - (develop)
• - Values (obtain)
• - Ranges (obtain)
• Obtain Modeling Inputs
• Old/New environmental
• measurements
• Scientific literature
• Other

Decision Statements
Continue Step 3 Activities
Determine Whether the Information Exists
Determine the General Level of Quality Required
for the Data
Evaluate the Appropriateness of Existing Data
Usability Assessment
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Field Analytical Methods
TRIAD Approach
FAM Toolbox FAM Matrix
Web Sites http//fate.clu-in.org/ http//www.fr
tr.gov/site/
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Step 3a - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Specify Environmental Variables to be Measured
Identify reports, historical data and list the
source and type of information available.
List General Sources of Information
Decision Statements
Continue Step 3 Activities
Determine Whether the Information Exists
Determine the General Level of Quality Required
for the Data
Evaluate the Appropriateness of Existing Data
Usability Assessment
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Step 3a - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Specify Environmental Variables to be Measured
From Step 2 Consider the human health,
ecological, political, cost, and legal
consequences of each action when determining the
required level of quality.
List General Sources of Information
Decision Statements
Continue Step 3 Activities
Determine Whether the Information Exists
Determine the General Level of Quality Required
for the Data
Evaluate the Appropriateness of Existing Data
Usability Assessment
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Step 3a - Identify Inputs

• Usability Assessment Is data quality assured?
• Evaluate quality control data associated with
  each data set
• Spikes (bias)
• Duplicates (precision)
• Blanks (evaluate contamination)
• Other considerations
• Detection limits
• Data collection method (random, systematic,
  biased)
• Remove data that are of poor quality or that are
  not representative of the population

Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Specify Environmental Variables to be Measured
List General Sources of Information
Decision Statements
Continue Step 3 Activities
Determine Whether the Information Exists
Determine the General Level of Quality Required
for the Data
Evaluate the Appropriateness of Existing Data
Usability Assessment
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Step 3a - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Usability Assessment (Statistical) Are data
representative of the population? Can the data
be used to make inferences about the population
or sub-population of interest? Translation Can
sweeping claims be made about the site on the
basis of the results of an estimate, e.g., the
existing data.
Specify Environmental Variables to be Measured
List General Sources of Information
Decision Statements
Continue Step 3 Activities
Determine Whether the Information Exists
Determine the General Level of Quality Required
for the Data
Evaluate the Appropriateness of Existing Data
Usability Assessment
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Step 3a - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Specify Environmental Variables to be Measured
Usability Assessment (CSM) Are the data
reasonable for the proposed CSM? Do the data
fall within the range expected for the CSM?
List General Sources of Information
Decision Statements
Continue Step 3 Activities
Determine Whether the Information Exists
Determine the General Level of Quality Required
for the Data
Evaluate the Appropriateness of Existing Data
Usability Assessment
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Step 3a - Approaches

• Approach 1
• Use predominantly fixed traditional laboratory
  analyses and specify the method specific details
  at the beginning of the DQO Process and do not
  change measurement objectives as more information
  is obtained
• This approach will contain serious flaws.

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Step 3a - Approaches (cont.)

• Approach 2
• Allow more field decisions to meet the
  measurement objectives and allow the objectives
  to be refined in the field using dynamic work
  plans (TRIAD approach)
• This approach will attempt to overcome the
  serious flaws shown in Approach 1.

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Step 3a - Approaches (cont.)

• Approach 2 - Dynamic Work Plans
• Real-time, decision making in the field allows
  for a seamless flow of site activities resulting
  in fewer mobilizations
• Requires more flexible contracting approach
• Requires experienced, well-trained field team
  (e.g., geologists, chemists and statisticians)
  either in the field or able to receive and
  process electronic data in real-time

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Step 3a - Approaches (cont.)

• Approach 2
• Allows collection of more data in real-time
• Allows real-time decisions to be made
• Must have flexible but established decision trees
  approved by decision makers ahead of time
• Need general statements of measurement quality
  that will be interpreted by field team
• May be more costly due to higher level of
  expertise required butmore defensible

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Step 3b - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Confirm that Appropriate Measurement Methods
Exist to Provide the Necessary Data
Specify the Matrix to be Measured
Information Needed to Resolve Decision Statements
Identify Action Level and Basis for Level
Information From Previous Step 3 Activities
Specify Required Detection Limits
Specify the Precision Required
Specify the Accuracy Required
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Step 3b - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Confirm that Appropriate Measurement Methods
Exist to Provide the Necessary Data

• When selecting methods,
• consider
• Detection limits
• Sample size
• Particle size
• Turn around time
• Cost

Specify the Matrix to be Measured
Information Needed to Resolve Decision Statements
Identify Action Level and Basis for Level

• Can we use a FAM if the
• detection limit is higher than
• The action limit?
• AL 20 units
• Lab DL 1 unit
• Cost 1000 per
• FAM DL 50 units
• Cost 1 per

Information From Previous Step 3 Activities
Specify Required Detection Limits
Specify the Precision Required
Specify the Accuracy Required
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Step 3b - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Confirm that Appropriate Measurement Methods
Exist to Provide the Necessary Data
Specify the Matrix to be Measured
Information Needed to Resolve Decision Statements
Identify Action Level and Basis for Level

• Examples
• Surface and groundwater
• Surface and subsurface soil
• Concrete
• Air
• Biota

Information From Previous Step 3 Activities
Specify Required Detection Limits
Specify the Precision Required
Specify the Accuracy Required
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Step 3b - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
If practical, determine the actual numerical
value that will be used as the action level for
each environmental variable.
Confirm that Appropriate Measurement Methods
Exist to Provide the Necessary Data
Specify the Matrix to be Measured
Information Needed to Resolve Decision Statements
Identify Action Level and Basis for Level
Information From Previous Step 3 Activities
Specify Required Detection Limits
Specify the Precision Required
Specify the Accuracy Required
In Step 5 confirm that action levels are greater
than the detection limits.
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Step 3b - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Confirm that Appropriate Measurement Methods
Exist to Provide the Necessary Data
Specify the Matrix to be Measured
Information Needed to Resolve Decision Statements
Identify Action Level and Basis for Level
Information From Previous Step 3 Activities
Specify Required Detection Limits
Specify the Precision Required

• Action levels are from
• Regulations (drinking water, RCRA TC)
• Derived from risk modeling (PRGs)

Specify the Accuracy Required
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Step 3b - Identify Inputs
For any new environmental measurements to be
made, develop a comprehensive list of
potentially appropriate measurement methods for
each matrix. Specify the detection limits,
precision, and accuracy for each environmental
variable per matrix.
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Confirm that Appropriate Measurement Methods
Exist to Provide the Necessary Data
Specify the Matrix to be Measured
Information Needed to Resolve Decision Statements
Identify Action Level and Basis for Level
Information From Previous Step 3 Activities
Specify Required Detection Limits
Specify the Precision Required
Specify the Accuracy Required
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Step 3b - Identify Inputs

• Specify the normal laboratory reporting limits.
• Compare these limits to action level.
• If the detection limit exceeds action level,
  either
• Use larger sample size to lower reporting limit,
• Use alternate method,
• Develop new method, or
• Make the reporting limit equal to the action
  level.

Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Confirm that Appropriate Measurement Methods
Exist to Provide the Necessary Data
Specify the Matrix to be Measured
Information Needed to Resolve Decision Statements
Identify Action Level and Basis for Level
Information From Previous Step 3 Activities
Specify Required Detection Limits
Specify the Precision Required
Specify the Accuracy Required
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Step 3b - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Confirm that Appropriate Measurement Methods
Exist to Provide the Necessary Data
Specify the Matrix to be Measured
Information Needed to Resolve Decision Statements
Identify Action Level and Basis for Level

• Precision is specified by
• Relative percent difference
• Relative standard deviation
• Confidence limits

Information From Previous Step 3 Activities
Specify Required Detection Limits
Specify the Precision Required
Specify the Accuracy Required
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Step 3b - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Confirm that Appropriate Measurement Methods
Exist to Provide the Necessary Data
Specify the Matrix to be Measured
Information Needed to Resolve Decision Statements
Accuracy is specified by percent recovery.
Identify Action Level and Basis for Level
Information From Previous Step 3 Activities
Specify Required Detection Limits
Specify the Precision Required
Specify the Accuracy Required
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2 Approaches

• Approach 1 Traditional lab methods
• Approach 2 Field analytical methods with final
  confirmation via lab methods
• Select onsite methods that focuses on driver
  COPCs (e.g., risk drivers, transport drivers,
  etc.)

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Lab Methods
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Onsite Methods
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Approach 2

• To use XRF for onsite, the following must be
  done
• Develop correlation between lab methods listed in
  Approach 1 and on-site XRF methods for Pb and U
  per method 6200
• Correlation must take into account in-situ
  measurements without drying soil, this creates
  greater error than drying
• In-situ must establish fixed distance of soil
  from source and fixed count (time exposed to
  X-rays) time
• Develop calibration curves using all different
  types of soil present at the site

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Approach 2 (cont.)

• For Diesel Range (DRO, GRO) onsite
• Develop quick extraction with hexane for the DRO,
  5 gm soil to 10 ml hexane
• Perform short accuracy and precision study for DRO

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Approach 2 (cont.)

• MQOs
• The RPDs in the previous tables represent the
  analytical precision and accuracy requirements
  based on the published methods.
• Due to biases, the correlation between the lab
  methods and on-site methods must meet r2 of 0.80
• Due to the higher detection limits and chance for
  false positives for Immunoassay, the final
  confirmation of the action limits must include
  lab analysis

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Step 3a - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Specify Environmental Variables to be Measured
List General Sources of Information
Decision Statements
Continue Step 3 Activities
Determine Whether the Information Exists
Determine the General Level of Quality Required
for the Data
Evaluate the Appropriateness of Existing Data
Usability Assessment
38
Step 3b - Identify Inputs
Information IN Actions
Information OUT From Previous Step
To Next Step
Confirm that Appropriate Measurement Methods
Exist to Provide the Necessary Data
Specify the Matrix to be Measured
Information Needed to Resolve Decision Statements
Identify Action Level and Basis for Level
Information From Previous Step 3 Activities
Specify Required Detection Limits
Specify the Precision Required
Specify the Accuracy Required
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End of Module 13

• Thank you
• Questions?
• We will now take a
• 5-minute Stretch Break.
• Please be back in 5 minutes