Lab reports

Lab reports - method codes

Updated: 26 June 2007 (first release)

Lab reports contain space to detail the methodology used to make the determinations. Details of Delta's commonly used test methods and information about speciation of analyses are provided here.

The minimum requirement on lab reports is to report the method used, as detailed in the Method column below. Additional details from the Reference and Special notes columns may be incorporated as necessary.

In some cases several methods are in common use. In such a case, select the mthod used to conduct the specific analysis being reported.

Available chemical tests for waters	Method	Reference	Special notes
alkalinity of waters	Titration, Merck 11109	APHA 2320-Alk-B AS2093-1977 (P) ASLSH Alkalinity	See ASLSH for speciation of carbonate, bicarbonate and hydroxide alkalinity
aluminium (available) in waters (min detection limit 0.02 mg/L)	Vis-spectrometry, Merck 100594	APHA 3500-Al-D	Chromazurol S
ammonium test for waters	Vis-spectrometry, Merck 14558	APHA 4500-NH3-D	Blue indophenol deriv. Measures NH4 form of N
arsenic in waters (min detection limit 0.1 mg/L)	Arsine generation, Hach 8013	US EPA	Mercuric chloride. Measures inorganic As. Method may be adapted to measure organic forms as well.
barium in waters	Turbidimetry, Hach 8014	Adapted from Snell and Snell, Colorimetric Methods of Analysis, Vol. II, 769 (1959)
biochemical oxygen demand (BOD ₅ ) of waters	Oxitop (mercury-free manometer)	APHA 5210-BOD-D
cadmium in waters (min detection limit 0.002 mg/L)	Vis-spectrometry, Merck 14834		Cadion deriv
calcium in waters	Titration, EDTA	APHA 3500-Ca-D AS2093-1977 (O)	Glyoxal-bis indicator
chloride in waters	Titration, Mohr's argentometric	AS2093-1977 (G) APHA 4500-Cl-B	Potassium chromate indicator
chlorine (total and free) in waters	Vis-spectrometry, Merck 00599	US EPA APHA 4500-Cl-G	DPD
colour of waters	Vis-spectrometry Apparent	APHA 2120-Color-C Derived from AT Palin (1955) "Photometric determination of the colour and turbidity of water." Water & Water Engineering, 59:341-345
copper (available) in waters (min detection limit 0.05 mg/L)	Vis-spectrometry, Merck 14767		Cuprizone.Measures ionic Cu(II)
copper (total) in waters (min detection limit 0.05 mg/L)	Vis-spectrometry after acid thermal digestion, Merck 14767		Cuprizone. Measures ionic, organically bound and undissolved Cu.
electrical conductivity of waters	Meter	ASLSH B1a	KCl calibration
hardness (total) test for waters	Titration, EDTA Eriochrome EDTA tablet count (Lovibond)	APHA 2340-Hardness-C AS2093-1977 (O)	Eriochrome indicator Field method only
hardness (total and separate Ca & Mg determination) for waters	Titration (EDTA) and calculation	AS2093-1977 (O)	Eriochrome indicator
iodine in waters (min detection limit 0.05 mg/L)	Vis-spectrometry, Merck 00606	CCAM	DPD
iron (available) in waters (min detection limit 0.03 mg/L)	Vis-spectrometry, Merck 14761		Triazine deriv. Meaasures bivalent & trivalent forms, and fresh colloidal iron hydroxide
iron (total) in waters (min detection limit 0.03 mg/L)	Vis-spectrometry after acid thermal digestion, Merck 14761		Triazine deriv. Measures bivalent & trivalent forms, fresh colloidal iron hydroxide, aged iron hydrocxides, iron oxides and complex-bound iron.
lead (available) in waters (min detection limit 0.05 mg/L)	Vis-spectrometry, Merck 09717		PAR deriv. Measures ionic Pb only.
lead (total) in waters (min detection limit 0.05 mg/L)	Vis-spectrometry after acid thermal digestion, Merck 09717		PAR deriv. Measures ionic Pb as well as colloidal, undissolved and complex-bound Pb.
magnesium in waters	Titration, EDTA Vis-spectrometry, Merck 00815	AS2093-1977 (O)	Eriochrome indicator Phthaleinkomlexone
nitrogen - oxidised nitrogen test for waters (nitrate + nitrite)	Vis-spectrometry, Griess-Ilosvay reaction after zinc reduction	ASLSH G2a	Sulfanilamide derived azo dye. Measures NO2 and NO3
nitrogen - separate analysis of nitrite and nitrate in waters	Vis-spectrometry, Griess-Ilosvay reaction after zinc reduction	ASLSH G2a	Sulfanilamide derived azo dye. Measures NO2 and NO3
nitrogen (total) test for waters	Vis-spectrometry after Koroleff digestion, Merck 00613		2,6-dimethylphenol (DMP) Measures all forms of N (NH4, NO2, NO3 and organically bound N).
oxygen (dissolved) in waters (in-situ)	Meter	APHA 4500-O-G
pH of waters	Meter	APHA 4500-H+-B ASLSH C1a
phosphorus - dissolved orthophosphate test for waters	Vis-spectrometry after filtration, Merck 14543	USEPA APHA 4500-P-E	Phosphomolybdenum blue (PMB). Measures soluble orthophosphate.
phosphorus - total orthophosphate test for waters	Vis-spectrometry, Merck 14543	USEPA APHA 4500-P-E	Phosphomolybdenum blue (PMB). Measures all orthophosphate.
phosphorus - total phosphorus test for waters	Vis-spectrometry after acid thermal digestion, Merck 14543	USEPA APHA 4500-P-E	Phosphomolybdenum blue (PMB). Measures orthophosphate, polyphosphate and organically bound phosphate.
silicate in waters (min detection limit 0.005 mg/L)	Vis-spectrometry, Merck 14794	APHA 4500-Si-D	Silico-molybdenum blue
solids (settleable) in waters	Imhoff cone	APHA 2540-Solids-F
solids (suspended) in waters	Gravimetry	APHA 2540-Solids-D
sulfur - sulfide in waters	Vis-spectrometry, Merck 14779	APHA 4500-S2-D USEPA 376.2 ISO 10530	Dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine.
sulfur - sulfate in waters	Turbidimetry, Merck 14548 & Merck 14564	APHA 4500-SO4-E USEPA	Barium sulfate
total organic carbon in waters	Vis-spectrometry after peroxodisulfate digestion, Merck 14878		Measures organically bound carbon in dissolved and undissolved compounds. Inorganic carbon (eg carbonates and CO2) is expelled in gaseous formin an early step.
turbidity of waters	Turbidity meter Vis-spectrometry	APHA 2130-Turbidity-B Derived from AT Palin (1955) "Photometric determination of the colour and turbidity of water." Water & Water Engineering, 59:341-345
calculated results (eg TDS by calculation from EC)	Calculation	ASLSH B1b Baseggio G (1974) “The Composition of Seawater and Its Concentrates” in Fourth Symposium on Salt, Vol 2:351-358 (1974) Northern Ohio Geological Society, Ohio Williams WD (1986) “Conductivity and Salinity of Australian Salt Lakes” in Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 37:177-82 Williams WD and JE Sherwood (1994) “Definition and measurement of salinity in salt lakes” in International Journal of Salt Lake Research 3:53-63

Available chemical tests for soils	Method
electrical conductivity of soils	1:5 (soil:water) extraction, then meter	ASLSH 3A1	KCl calibration
nitrogen - water soluble oxidised nitrogen in soil (fertility test)	1:5 (soil:water) extraction then vis-spectrometry, Griess-Ilosvay reaction after zinc reduction	ASLSH 7B1	Sulfanilamide derived azo dye. Measures NO2 and NO3
oil in soils (TPH) presence	Friedel-Crafts reaction and portable vis-spectrometry field protocol	US EPA (EPA/600-R-01/082)
pH of soils	1:5 (soil:water) extraction, then meter	ASLSH 4A1
phosphorus - calcium chloride extractable phosphorus in soil (fertility test)	Vis-spectrometry after dilute calcium chloride extraction, Merck 14543	ASLSH 9F1 APHA 4500-P-E	Phosphomolybdenum blue (PMB). Measures the labile P. This measure (in ug) is highly correlated with yield response in soybeans and potatoes.
phosphorus in soil - bicarbonate extractable (fertility test)	Vis-spectrometry after bicarbonate (Olsen's) extraction, Merck 14543	ASLSH 9B1 APHA 4500-P-E	Phosphomolybdenum blue (PMB). Measures orthophosphate.
soil moisture	Gravimetry, oven-dried at 105oC	ASLSH 2A1 & 2B1
soil sodicity (indicator, CRC Soil & Land Management)	Visual dispersion, field test	Rengasamy P and J Bourne (1994) Managing Sodic, Acidic and Saline Soils, CRC Soil & Land Management. Adelaide.
acid extractable metals (iron, copper, lead, aluminium, magnesium, calcium and cadmium are available)	Vis-spectrometry after acid thermal digestion		See methods for separate parameters in water testing section of this table

Available biological tests	Method
microbiology - plankton counts & ID (waters)	Microscopy after sedimentation	APHA 10200-Plankton-C to APHA 10200-Plankton-F
microbiology - presence/absence (waters) of total coliform & E.coli	Chromogenic media - IDEXX Colilert	APHA 9223-Coliforms-B US EPA	For fresh and brackish waters. Separately determines total coliforms and Escherichia coli.
microbiology - presence/absence (waters) of enterococci and d-streptococci	Chromogenic media - IDEXX Enterolert	US EPA	For fresh, marine, estuarine and groundwater. Detects D-streptococci and Enterococci faecalis, E. faecium, E. avium, E. gallinarum, E. casseliflavis, and E. durans
microbiology - COUNT - aerobic plate (Total viable count for waters or surfaces)	Agar slide with selective media - Merck Envirocheck dip and contact slides
microbiology - COUNT - yeasts & moulds plate (waters or surfaces)	Agar slide with selective media - Merck Envirocheck dip and contact slides
microbiology - COUNT - enterococci (waters or surfaces)	Chromogenic media - IDEXX Enterolert and quantitray (waters) Agar slide with selective media - Merck Envirocheck contact slides (surfaces)	US EPA	Detects D-streptococci and Enterococci faecalis, E. faecium, E. avium, E. gallinarum, E. casseliflavis, and E. durans
microbiology - COUNT - total coliforms & E.coli (waters or surfaces)	Chromogenic media - IDEXX Colilert and quantitray (waters) Agar slide with selective media - Merck Envirocheck contact slides (surfaces)	APHA 9223-Coliforms-B US EPA	Separately determines total coliforms and Escherichia coli.

Available air quality testing	Method
Microbial counts - total viable, coliforms or yeasts & moulds	Impactor type microbial air sampler with agar plates and selective media

Code	Reference
APHA	Eaton AD, Clesceri LS & AE Greenberg eds. (1995) Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, APHA, AWWA, WEF, Washington.
AS2093-1977	Australian Standard 2093-1977 Salt for Use in the Manufacture of Dairy Products, Standards Association of Australia. Sydney.
CCAM	Thomas LC and GJ Chamberlin (1953) Colorimetric Chemical Analytical Methods (CCAM). The Tintometer Limited. Salisbury.
ASLSH	Rayment GE & FR Higginson (1992) Australian Laboratory Handbook of Soil and Water Chemical Methods. Australian Soil and Land Survey Handbook Vol 3, Inkata Press Melbourne.
USEPA	Method approved by the US EPA (either an independant method, or one of the US EPA's own methods such as SW-846, NTIS, ECM, 40CFR etc)

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