Cyanide is routinely analyzed in water samples, often to demonstrate regulatory compliance; however, improper sample collection or pretreatment can result in significant positive or negative bias potentially resulting in unnecessary permit violations or undetected cyanide releases into the environment.

1. Scope

1.1 This practice is applicable for the collection and preservation of water samples for the analysis of cyanide. This practice addresses the mitigation of known interferences prior to the analysis of cyanide. Responsibilities of field sampling personnel and the laboratory are indicated.

1.2 The sampling, preservation and mitigation of interference procedures described in this practice are recommended for the analysis of total cyanide, available cyanide, weak acid dissociable cyanide, and free cyanide by Test Methods D 2036, D 4282, D 4374, D 6888, D 6994, D 7237, D 7284, and D 7511. The information supplied in this practice can also be applied to other analytical methods for cyanide, for example, EPA Method 335.4.

1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.

1.4 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.

2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.

ASTM Standards

D1129 Terminology Relating to Water

D1193 Specification for Reagent Water

D2036 Test Methods for Cyanides in Water

D3370 Practices for Sampling Water from Closed Conduits

D3694 Practices for Preparation of Sample Containers and for Preservation of Organic Constituents

D3856 Guide for Management Systems in Laboratories Engaged in Analysis of Water

D4282 Test Method for Determination of Free Cyanide in Water and Wastewater by Microdiffusion

D4374 Test Methods for Cyanides in Water--Automated Methods for Total Cyanide, Weak Acid Dissociable Cyanide, and Thiocyanate

D4411 Guide for Sampling Fluvial Sediment in Motion

D4840 Guide for Sample Chain-of-Custody Procedures

D4841 Practice for Estimation of Holding Time for Water Samples Containing Organic and Inorganic Constituents

D5847 Practice for Writing Quality Control Specifications for Standard Test Methods for Water Analysis

D6696 Guide for Understanding Cyanide Species

D6888 Test Method for Available Cyanide with Ligand Displacement and Flow Injection Analysis (FIA) Utilizing Gas Diffusion Separation and Amperometric Detection

D6994 Test Method for Determination of Metal Cyanide Complexes in Wastewater, Surface Water, Groundwater and Drinking Water Using Anion Exchange Chromatography with UV Detection

D7237 Test Method for Free Cyanide with Flow Injection Analysis (FIA) Utilizing Gas Diffusion Separation and Amperometric Detection

D7284 Test Method for Total Cyanide in Water by Micro Distillation followed by Flow Injection Analysis with Gas Diffusion Separation and Amperometric Detection

D7511 Test Method for Total Cyanide by Segmented Flow Injection Analysis, In-Line Ultraviolet Digestion and Amperometric Detection

USGS Methods

U.S. EPA Methods

Keywords

available cyanide; cyanide; free cyanide; hydrogen cyanide; interference; preservative; sample collection; total cyanide; Cyanides; Interferences; Preservation; Sampling; Water sampling;

ICS Code

ICS Number Code 13.060.50 (Examination of water for chemical substances)

Citing ASTM Standards

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