SEDL / STP / STP867-EB / STP30286S

Determination of Measurement Data Quality and Establishment of Achievable Goals for Environmental Measurements

Mitchell, WJ
Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC

Rhodes, RC
Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC

McElroy, FF
Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC

Pages: 12    Published: Jan 1985

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Abstract

In recognizing the need for measuring and documenting the quality of environmental measurements obtained in its monitoring projects and for setting achievable data quality goals for such projects, the Environmental Protection Agency, issues a number of guidance and informational documents addressed to those needs. This paper reviews one of those documents, a comprehensive compilation of the quality of measurements actually obtained with various environmental measurement methods in all environmental media. Included are a brief discussion of the rationale and purpose of the document, limited reviews of the four designated measures of data quality (precision, accuracy, completeness, and method detection limit), and explanations of the format used to list the data quality information. Examples of actual data listings from the document are also included.