ASTM D6089-97(2010)

Standard Guide for Documenting a Groundwater Sampling Event

ABSTRACT
This guide covers what and how information should be recorded in the field when sampling a ground-water monitoring well. This guide is limited to written documentation of a ground-water sampling event. When sampling ground-water monitoring wells, it is very important to thoroughly document all field activities. It is important to record procedures used and measurements immediately after they have been accomplished and are fresh in the memory. The format of the documentation is discretionary, but should be consistent from well to well and in accordance with regulatory requirements.
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
When sampling groundwater monitoring wells, it is very important to thoroughly document all field activities. Sufficient field data should be retained to allow one to reconstruct the procedures and conditions that may have affected the integrity of a sample. The field data generated are vital to the interpretation of the chemical data obtained from laboratory analyses of samples. Field data and observations may also be useful to analytical laboratory personnel.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers what and how information should be recorded in the field when sampling a groundwater monitoring well. Following these recommendations will provide adequate documentation in most monitoring programs. In some situations, it may be necessary to record additional or different information, or both, to thoroughly document the sampling event. In other cases, it may not be necessary to record all of the information recommended in this guide. The level of documentation will be based on site-specific conditions and regulatory requirements.
1.2 This guide is limited to written documentation of a groundwater sampling event. Other methods of documentation (that is, electronic and audiovisual) can be used but are not addressed in this guide. The specific activities addressed in this guide include documentation of static water level measurement, monitoring well purging, monitoring well sampling, field measurements, groundwater sample preparation, and groundwater sample shipment.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.4 This guide offers an organized collection of information or a series of options and does not recommend a specific course of action. This document cannot replace education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgment. Not all aspects of this guide may be applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM standard is not intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which the adequacy of a given professional service must be judged, nor should this document be applied without consideration of a project's many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the title of this document means only that the document has been approved through the ASTM consensus process.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 30-Jun-2010
• ICS: 13.060.10 - Water of natural resources
• Technical Committee: D18 - Soil and Rock
• Drafting Committee: D18.21 - Groundwater and Vadose Zone Investigations

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM D6089-97(2003) - Standard Guide for Documenting a Ground-Water Sampling Event
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2010
• Replaced By: ASTM D6089-15 - Standard Guide for Documenting a Groundwater Sampling Event
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2015
• Referred By: ASTM D6911-15 - Standard Guide for Packaging and Shipping Environmental Samples for Laboratory Analysis
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2010
• Referred By: ASTM D6001/D6001M-20 - Standard Guide for Direct-Push Groundwater Sampling for Environmental Site Characterization
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2010
• Referred By: ASTM D4448-01(2019) - Standard Guide for Sampling Ground-Water Monitoring Wells
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2010
• Referred By: ASTM D6517-18 - Standard Guide for Field Preservation of Ground Water Samples
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2010
• Referred By: ASTM D8083-16(2023) - Standard Test Method for Total Nitrogen, and Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) by Calculation, in Water by High Temperature Catalytic Combustion and Chemiluminescence Detection
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2010
• Referred By: ASTM D7929-20 - Standard Guide for Selection of Passive Techniques for Sampling Groundwater Monitoring Wells
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2010
• Referred By: ASTM D6771-21 - Standard Practice for Low-Flow Purging and Sampling Used for Groundwater Monitoring
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2010
• Referred By: ASTM D6564/D6564M-17 - Standard Guide for Field Filtration of Groundwater Samples
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2010
• Referred By: ASTM D7069-04(2015) - Standard Guide for Field Quality Assurance in a Groundwater Sampling Event
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2010
• Referred By: ASTM D6452-18 - Standard Guide for Purging Methods for Wells Used for Ground Water Quality Investigations
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2010
• Referred By: ASTM D8456-22 - Standard Test Method for Determination of Nitrosamines in Water by Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2010

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: D6089 − 97(Reapproved 2010)
Standard Guide for
Documenting a Groundwater Sampling Event
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6089; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 2. Referenced Documents
1.1 This guide covers what and how information should be 2.1 ASTM Standards:
recorded in the field when sampling a groundwater monitoring D4750 Test Method for Determining Subsurface Liquid
Levels in a Borehole or Monitoring Well (Observation
well. Following these recommendations will provide adequate
documentation in most monitoring programs. In some Well) (Withdrawn 2010)
D5088 Practice for Decontamination of Field Equipment
situations, it may be necessary to record additional or different
information, or both, to thoroughly document the sampling Used at Waste Sites
D5608 Practices for Decontamination of Field Equipment
event. In other cases, it may not be necessary to record all of
the information recommended in this guide. The level of Used at Low Level Radioactive Waste Sites
D5903 Guide for Planning and Preparing for a Groundwater
documentation will be based on site-specific conditions and
regulatory requirements. Sampling Event
2.2 Government Document:
1.2 This guide is limited to written documentation of a
40 CFR 261.4 (d) (ii)
groundwater sampling event. Other methods of documentation
(that is, electronic and audiovisual) can be used but are not
3. Terminology
addressed in this guide.The specific activities addressed in this
guide include documentation of static water level
3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in this guide,
measurement, monitoring well purging, monitoring well
refer to Terminology D653.
sampling, field measurements, groundwater sample
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
preparation, and groundwater sample shipment.
3.2.1 chain of custody—the process of maintaining account-
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
ability of the samples for the purpose of identifying potential
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
breaches in sample integrity.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3.2.2 chain of custody record—a record of all individuals
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
who possess the samples from the time of collection until
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
analysis.
1.4 This guide offers an organized collection of information
or a series of options and does not recommend a specific
4. Significance and Use
course of action. This document cannot replace education or
4.1 Whensamplinggroundwatermonitoringwells,itisvery
experience and should be used in conjunction with professional
important to thoroughly document all field activities. Sufficient
judgment. Not all aspects of this guide may be applicable in all
field data should be retained to allow one to reconstruct the
circumstances. This ASTM standard is not intended to repre-
procedures and conditions that may have affected the integrity
sent or replace the standard of care by which the adequacy of
of a sample. The field data generated are vital to the interpre-
a given professional service must be judged, nor should this
tation of the chemical data obtained from laboratory analyses
document be applied without consideration of a project’s many
of samples. Field data and observations may also be useful to
unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the title of this
analytical laboratory personnel.
document means only that the document has been approved
through the ASTM consensus process.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
This guide is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D18 on Soil and Rock Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.21 on Groundwater and the ASTM website.
Vadose Zone Investigations. The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on
Current edition approved July 1, 2010. Published September 2010. Originally www.astm.org.
approved in 1997. Last previous edition approved in 2003 as D6089 – 97 (2003). Available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
DOI: 10.1520/D6089-97R10. Office, Washington, DC 20402.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
D6089 − 97 (2010)
5. Documentation Methods 6.3.3 Record the volume of water removed from the well.
Indicate if the well was purged to dryness.
5.1 Field records should be generated by a member of the
6.3.4 Record all measurements taken during purging (that
sampling team. It is important to record procedures used and
is, water levels, indicator parameter levels, organic vapor
measurements immediately after they have been accomplished
monitoring data).
and are fresh in the memory. In general, notes should not be
6.3.5 Record the pumping rate, if known.
taken after returning from the field.
6.3.6 Record the type of equipment used to purge the well.
5.2 The format of the documentation is discretionary, but
Include the materials of construction of the equipment used.
should be consistent from well to well and in accordance with
6.3.7 Record the length of time spent purging the well.
regulatory requirements. Forms are often used for consistency
6.3.8 Record the appearance of the water before and after
and to reduce the chance of failing to record needed informa-
purging.
tion.Itmaybedesirableforrecordstobeenteredwithindelible
6.3.9 Record the date and time that well purging is com-
ink in a hard cover, stitch-bound book for credibility in
pleted.
litigation.
6.3.10 Briefly describe management of purged water.
6. Documentation Content 6.4 Monitoring Well Sampling:
6.4.1 Record the analytes for which samples are being
6.1 General:
collected.
6.1.1 Record the facility or site name, or both, and the well
6.4.2 Record the order, by analyte, that sample containers
identification.
are filled.
6.1.2 Record the weather conditions.
6.4.3 Record the volume, material of construction, and
6.1.3 Record the names of all s
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