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[Remedial Investigation Report]

B-20 Remedial Investigation Report for Former Open Burn/Open Detonation Area

Appendix F - Data Validation Summary Report

1 - Introduction

This data validation report covers environmental aqueous and soil/sediment samples and associated field quality control (QC) samples collected from Camp Stanley Storage Activity (CSSA) Site B-20 between December 7, 1994 and December 21, 1994.

Field QC samples collected were trip blanks, rinsate/equipment blanks, matrix spike/matrix spike duplicate (MS/MSDs), and field duplicates. The trip blanks were analyzed for volatile organics only. All other field quality control samples were analyzed for the same parameters as their associated samples.

Each data package submitted by the Terra Laboratories, Ltd. (Terra) and Inchcape Testing Services/NRDC Laboratories (IITS) has been reviewed and validated following the guidelines described in Section 6 of the Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP). Information included in the data packages included: sample results, laboratory QC results, a case narrative, and chain-of-custody forms. The information and decisions presented in this report are based on the information supplied by the laboratories and guidelines in the QAPP.

This report is organized by analysis group. Quality assurance (QA) items discussed for each analysis group include, as necessary; General, Deliverables, Holding Times, Instrument Performance Checks, Calibrations, Blanks, Surrogate Spikes, Matrix Spike Sample Recovery, Laboratory Control Samples, Internal Standards, ICP Interference Check Sample Recovery, Laboratory Check Sample Recovery, Duplicate Sample Recovery, AA Post-Digestion Spike Recovery, and Field Duplicate Samples. A summary on the overall acceptability of the data to meet the stated QAPP QA objectives is presented in the conclusion section of this report.

2 - Explosives

2.1   General

Explosives analyses of soil and water samples collected at CSSA Site B-29 were conducted by ITS by SW-846 Method 8330. ITS reported analysis results for these samples in reports D94-12557, D94-12614, D94-12650, D94-12687, D94-12740, and D94-13002.

2.2   Deliverables

Each laboratory report package was checked for the presence of required laboratory information as specified in Table 6.1 of the QAPP. All deliverables were present.

2.3   Holding Times

The holding time for Method 8330 is seven (7) days from sample collection to sample extraction and forty (40) days from sample extraction to sample analysis. All analyses met holding time criteria with the exception of water samples D94-13002-2 (b20-SW5) and D94-13002-3 (EB-10) which were extracted eight (8) days after sample collection. All target analytes in the two samples that were extracted beyond the method required holding time have been qualified as estimated (flagged "J" or "UJ").

2.4   Calibrations

Method 8330 requires triplicate injections for initial calibration with daily midpoint calibrations agreeing within +/-15% of the initial calibration response factor. ITS only used a single set of injections for the initial calibrations, however, the correlation coefficients for all target analytes exceeded 0.995 so the data was not qualified because to this exception to method criteria.

2.5   Blanks

No target analytes should be present in any blank analyzed. All method blanks and equipment blanks were free of target analytes above the instrument quantitation limit for each target analyte.

2.6   Surrogate Spikes

Laboratory surrogate spike recovery criteria for Method 8330 is 50-150% for soil samples and 60-150% for water samples. All samples met laboratory surrogate spike recovery criteria.

2.7   Matrix Spike Sample Recovery

Laboratory matrix spike sample percent recovery (%R) criteria is 50-150 %R for all analytes in spiked soil samples and 60-140 %R for all analytes in spiked water samples. All environmental matrix spike samples and laboratory control spike samples met spike recovery criteria.

2.8   Field Duplicate Samples

Field duplicate samples must agree within +/- 50% for samples greater than five times the reporting limit. When samples or duplicates have results less than five times the reporting limits, sample and duplicate results must agree within +/-four times the reporting limit. All field duplicates met this criteria.

3 - Metals

3.1   General

Metals analyses of soil and water samples collected at CSSA Site B-20 were conducted by Terra by SW-846 Methods 6010, 7062, 7421, and 7471. Terra reported metals results for Terra sample numbers 94-8515 through 94-8541, 94-8547 through 94-8549, 94-8564 through 94-8589, 94-8647 through 94-8673, 94-8745 through 94-8761, 94-8764, 94-8765, 94-8829 through 94-8837, 94-8839 through 94-8866, and 94-9025 through 94-9027, where applicable.

3.2   Deliverables

Each laboratory report package was checked for the presence of required laboratory information as specified in Table 6.1 of the QAPP. All deliverables were present.

3.3   Holding Times

The holding time for metal analyses is twenty-eight (28) days from sample collection to sample analysis for mercury and six (6) months for all other metals. All analyses met holding time criteria.

3.4   Calibrations

Calibration criteria require that the correlation coefficient for the three (four for mercury) standards in the initial atomic adsorption (AA) calibration be greater than 0.995. ICP analyses require one high-level standard only. Percent recoveries for all calibration verifications must be between 90 and 110 (80-120 for mercury). All criteria were met for all samples.

3.5   Blanks

No target analytes should be present in any blank analyzed. All method blanks and equipment blanks were free of target analytes above the instrument quantitation limit for each target analyte with the exception of sample 94-8653 (B20-EB4 [subsurface water]) which contained 1 ug/L of lead and sample 94-9027 (B20-EB10 [surface water]) which contained 190 ug/L of barium. Barium results in samples associated with EB10 that were less than five (5) times the barium level found in EB10 were qualified as nondetects (flagged "U"). The single subsurface water sample associated with EB4 contained greater than five times the lead level found in EB4 so no sample results were qualified due to contamination in EB4.

3.6 Matrix Spike Sample Recovery

Matrix spike/matrix spike duplicate (MS/MSD) sample %R criteria is 75-125 %R and relative percent difference (RPD) of 20% for all analytes. All MS/MSD samples met spike recovery criteria with the exception of the following samples:

Terra Sample No(s).

Parsons ES No(s).

Analyte(s)

Surface soils

94-8647MS/MSD

B20-SS3

Ba, Cd, Cr

94-8515MS/MSD

B20-SS8

As

94-8527/94-8547

B20-SS9 MS/MSD

As, Pb

94-8535/94-8548

B20-SS17 MS/MSD

As

94-8574/94-8575

B20-SS20 MS/MSD

As, Ba, Cd, Cr

94-8564 MS/MSD

B20-SS24

As, Ba, Cd, Cr

Subsurface soils

94-8668/94-8669

B20-SB4 (19.0-21.0)

Ba, Cd, Cr

Sediments

94-8657/94-8658

B20-SE5 MS/MSD

Cr

94-8656 MS/MSD

B20-SE100 (B20-SE5 duplicate)

As

Surface waters

94-9025 MS/MSD

B20-SW4

As

The results for analytes in environmental samples and duplicates with noncompliant MS/MSDs were qualified as estimated (flagged "J" or "UJ").

3.7   ICP Interference Check Sample Recover

Percent recovery of all ICP interference check sample (ICS) results maust be within 80 to 120 %R. All ICS samples met this criteria.

3.8   Laboratory Check Sample Recovery

Percent recovery of all laboratory control sample results for water analyses must be within 80 to 120 %R. All appropriate samples met this criteria.

3.9   Duplicate Sample Recovery

The RPD between a sample and its duplicate injection must be less than 35%. All samples met this criteria.

3.10   AA Post-Digestion Spike Recovery

Percent recovery of all post-digestion spike samples must be within 85-115 %R. All samples met this criteria with the exception of arsenic in samples 94-8564 (B20-SS24), 94-8656 (B20-SE100 [B20-SE5 duplicate]), and 94-8831 (BKGR-SS28). Arsenic results in these three samples have been qualified as estimated (flagged "J"or "UJ").

3.11 Field Duplicate Samples

Field duplicate samples must agree within +/- 50% for samples greater than five times the reporting limit. When samples or duplicates have results less than five times the reporting limits, sample and duplicate results must agree within +/- four times the reporting limit. All field duplicates met this criteria with the exception of mercury in sample SS20/duplicate SS102.

4 - Organics

4.1   General

Organics analyses of soil and water samples collected at CSSA site B-20 were conducted by Terra by SW-846 Methods 8240