Quality Assurance/

Quality Control
Nate Herbst
Southern Ute Indian Tribe

Intro to QA/QC
Getting good data requires many different
steps
Data quality objectives (DQOs) developed
DQOs for ozone being developed
Measurement quality objectives (MQOs) for ozone exist

Analysis begun (after correct calibration)

QC checks performed
QA conducted

Data Quality Objectives (7 steps)

State problem
Define why monitoring is needed
Create team and purpose

Identify decision
What decision will be made with data?

Identify decision inputs

What data necessary to make decision?

Define boundaries
What are study area boundaries?
3

Data Quality Objectives (cont.)

Develop decision rule
What conditions will require action (action level)?

Specify decision error limits

What margin of error is allowable

Optimize monitoring design

Develop most cost-effective method of reaching
DQOs

EPA hasnt yet defined DQOs for ozone

analysis
4

DQOs
(cont.)
Diagram of
DQO steps
(Diagram courtesy of
U.S. Department of
Energy DQO
homepage)

Measurement Quality
Objectives (MQOs)

Thanks to
Melinda RoncaBatista (ITEP)

EPA has ozone analysis MQOs

Use these in element 7 of your QAPP
MQOs in a nutshell

Shelter temperature kept between 20-30oC 2oC

Analyzer must be reference or equivalent method
Lower detectable limit 0.01ppm, noise 0.005ppm
Data completeness 75% of hourly values between
9:01am and 9:00pm (for the ozone season)
Transfer standard certification 4% or 4ppb
(whichever is greater)
6

MQOs (cont.)
Transfer standard re-certification to primary
std.dev 1.5%
Local primary standard certification 5% of
reference
EPA reference photometer regression slope 1.00
0.01
Zero air free of O3 and anything that might react
with O3

MQOs (cont.)
Ozone analyzer calibration
Z/S check zero 10ppb, span 15%
5pt calibration linearity error 5%

Performance (NPAP) mean absolute

difference 15%
Precision (quarterly) 95% CI < 15%
Audits (annually) 95% CI < 20%

Quality Assurance Project Plans

(QAPPs)
Contain 24 elements
Element 7 is where MQOs go
Cut and paste from red book

Ensure data quality

Required by EPA
Developed by program approved by EPA
They must be followed!
No good if not followed
9

Documentation
Document everything!!!
Documentation in

Logbooks
Site folders
QA/QC field forms
Anywhere else you think is appropriate

QA/QC document standard values and

response
10

Documentation (cont.)
Document repairs, checks, fine tunes
Document site conditions
Document everything that could ever be
important
Write only in pen (black if possible)
Cross out errors with a single line

11

Linearity
Slope = rise over
run
m = slope
b = intercept (where

y=x
6
5
4
3
Y axis
2
1
0
0

y=x
R2 = 1

b
2

X axis

m
4

y = mx+b
14
12
y = 2.0829x + 1.9095
10
R2 = 0.997
8
6
4
Y axis
2
0
0
2 X axis

the trend-line crosses the Y

axis)

r2 close to 1 shows
correlation

12

Instrument Calibration
Measurements require point of reference
Measurement without standard is impossible
Calibration involves setting instrument to known
level
Calibrations performed fairly regularly
When monitoring is begun
When repairs or maintenance are performed
When precision checks or audits show need

Calibrations must be done correctly

13

Calibrations (cont.)
Calibration = setting analyzer to standard
Data only good within linear range (~0-0.400ppm)

Calibration followed by a 5-pt check

Analyzer must agree with standard at all 5 pts
Linearity error < 5%
See next slide on linearity

Monitoring begins after calibration

Note: Never initiate
monitoring without calibration
14

Pre-Calibration Check
5pt check
0.500
0.400
0.300

y = 1.1368x + 0.0203
R2 = 0.98

0.200
0.100

Analyzer

0.000
0.000

0.100

0.200

0.300

Standard

0.400

0.500

Standard

Analyzer

% dif.

0.000

0.000

0.0

0.080

0.100

-25.0

0.150

0.220

-46.7

0.250

0.340

-36.0

0.350

0.400

-14.3

0.400

0.460

-15.0

Not always
necessary
Can do 5-pt check
Analyzer must be
calibrated
The r2 value and %
differences for each
point are
unacceptable
15

Instrument Calibration
Calibrate instrument to the standard
Use calibration point near URL
Setting low produces large error at URL

Set standard to ~0.400 ppm

Let analyzer stabilize
Calibrate analyzer
Do new 5-pt check

16

Post-Calibration 5-pt Check

Calibration
0.600
0.400
0.200

y = 1.0145x - 0.0006
R2 = 0.9997

0.000
Analyzer
0.000

0.100

0.200 0.300
Standard

0.400

0.500

Standard

Analyzer

% dif.

0.000

0.000

0.0

0.080

0.081

-1.3

0.150

0.153

-2.0

0.250

0.248

0.8

0.350

0.354

-1.1

0.400

0.408

-2.0

Is analyzer response
within 7% at each
point?
Would you put this
analyzer online?

17

Quality Control (QC)

QC involves in-house verifications
Also referred to as precision checks
Verifications are comparisons between
transfer standard and analyzer
Relative % difference within allowable margin?

Verifications determine monitoring

repeatability
Standard deviation

Different types of verifications

18

QC (cont.)
Level 1: 40 CFR, Pt. 58, App. A, Table A-1
defines ozone verification requirements (for
SLAMS)
Biweekly response check between 0.08 and 0.1
ppm
Comparison between analyzer and standard

Determines repeatability

Level 2: extra precision checks

Weekly span level (~80% URL) checks
Quarterly 5-pt checks
Determines analyzer performance trends

19

Quality Assurance (QA)

QA involves external checks
Referred to as audits
Audits involve comparison between transfer
standard and analyzer
Accuracy levels must be within 10%

Audits determine how close monitoring gets

to actual values
Different types of audits
20

QA (cont.)
40 CFR, Pt. 58, App. A, Table A-1 defines
ozone audit requirements (for SLAMS)
Annual (and other) response checks at multiple
points
0.03-0.08 ppm
0.15-0.2 ppm
0.35-0.45 ppm

Comparison between analyzer and external

standard
Audits should include zero check

21

QA (cont.)
Different types of audits
By reporting organization (RO) certified by
RO
By RO certified by other than RO
By other than RO certified by other than
RO

22

Precision & Accuracy (P&A) Data

Precision data come from biweekly precision
checks
Accuracy data come from annual and other
audits
P&A data validate ambient data
P&A data must be included in AQS data
submittals

23

Siting Criteria
Data quality depends on correct siting of all
instrumentation
Specific instrument siting guidelines
Following guidelines is vital part of quality
assurance and control
Well learn more about these guidelines in the
next presentation

24

Summary
Establish DQOs
Develop QAPP
Get it approved by EPA

Follow your QAPP

Conduct bi-weekly precision checks
Conduct level 2 checks to follow monitor trends

Participate in annual audits and others if

possible
Data quality will be guaranteed
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