The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has a certification program for specific “analyze immediately” parameters required while sampling groundwater and surface water in New Jersey. The governing regulation for this program is N.J.A.C. 7:18.
Pine Environmental Services, LLC. is proud to announce that we are now a New Jersey Certified Laboratory (New Jersey Certified Lab ID# 11034) for “Field Parameters” including pH, specific conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity.
This is of significance to those companies or individuals that collect ground water samples in New Jersey based on Low Flow sampling procedures (field parameter stabilization). It is important to remember that the end user must also be a New Jersey Certified Laboratory per N.J.A.C. 7:18, but with Pine Environmental Services, LLC. gaining accreditation, we can significantly reduce the end users time and money invested into the “Pre-Field” calibration requirements.
Essentially, the end user is required to perform “Pre Field” calibration requirements and “Field” calibration requirements. By Pine becoming a certified laboratory, our New Jersey customers can save time and materials cost by having Pine perform the “Pre-Field” calibrations. These are at most time consuming and expensive calibrations for preparation of the field instrument.
Upon request, Pine will calibrate an instrument, identified by Pine ID # and Serial #, in compliance with N.J.A.C. 7:18 and in accordance with the manufacturer calibration procedures. There is a service charge of $50 per unit/calibration that requires the “Pre-Field” calibration requirements.
The appurtenant documentation will be included with the instrument and should be saved by the end-user. Pine then delivers the calibrated instrument with calibration solutions included as part of the calibration package. Pine also includes the associated Certificates of Analysis (COAs) for each instrument.
The end user is responsible for meeting the daily “Field Calibrations” as required by N.J.A.C. 7:18. Below is a brief description of what the “Pre-Field” calibration requirements and “Field” calibration requirements entail (these requirements are based on the SOPs under which the “laboratory” is certified for and can be slightly different from one lab to the next).
New Jersey “Pre-Field” Requirements
The regulations indicate that specific procedures be performed by a New Jersey Certified Laboratory prior to field use (“Pre-Field requirements). Specifically this includes the following requirements and time estimates associated with performing this task:
- Winkler DO Titration (0.5 Hours)
- Cell Constant Calculation (0.25 Hours)
- 5-Point Conductivity Curve (0.25 Hours)
- NIST Traceable Thermometer Check/Calibration (0.25 Hours)
- 2nd Source Turbidity Check (0.25 hours)
- Solution Records and Documentation (COAs) (0.5 hours)
- Full Manufacturer Manual Calibration (NOT “Autocal”) (0.75 Hours)
Total time associated with performing these tasks is approximately 3 hours and does not factor in the cost for solutions and materials, or troubleshooting/repairing equipment that is not passing the calibration methods.
Field Requirements (End-User Requirements)
Once the instrumentation has been provided to the customer by Pine Environmental Services, LLC. (a Certified Laboratory having performed and documented the” Pre-Field” calibration requirements), it is then the responsibility of the end user to perform and document “Field” calibration requirements” as listed below:
- 2-Point pH Calibration (Pine will provide pH 4 and pH 10 for this);
- 1-Point pH Bump/Check once every three hours after Initial 2-Point Calibration (Pine will provide ph 7 for this step);
- 1-Point Specific Conductivity Check (Pine will provide 1413 uS/cm for this);
- 1-Point Turbidity Check (Pine will provide 100 NTU for Horibas, 123/126 NTU for YSIs, and 1 NTU and 10 NTUs for LaMotte and Hach Turbidity Meters).
- Pine includes the Certificates of Analysis for each solution that accompanies the rental instrument.
- Maintain the Pine “pre-field” records with your “field” records for NJDEP – OQA Audits.
So what does this change for Pine’s New Jersey customers?
There is the potential for significant time and cost savings associated with using Pine Environmental Services, LLC. to perform the labor intensive “Pre-Field” calibration. Pine performs “Pre-Field” calibrations and provides our customers with associated required documentation.
This eliminates a significant portion of the labor and consumable costs for our customers. The pre-field calibrations have acceptance criteria that are good for approximately a one week maximum (based on the Winkler Dissolved Oxygen calibration). Therefore, “Pre-Field” Calibrations will last one week and we can perform continued certification for instruments at the end of this term, and get a fresh instrument back into our customers possession for continued use.
Not only can we provide the “Pre Field” certified equipment but we can also provide “Field” calibration materials (reagents and solutions) for the “Field” calibration requirements often at no additional costs (we provide solutions to our customers to perform at least one daily field calibration).
We can provide long term rentals for instruments and help perform and maintain your “Pre-Field” calibration requirements. Pine can also perform the calibration procedures for meters our customers already own for a nominal fee.
We encourage our customers working on New Jersey projects to discuss these options to optimize your field time and become more efficient with meeting this important State requirement. Any questions regarding the Pine New Jersey Laboratory Certification, please contact:
Pine Environmental Services, LLC.