EVR 2892C - Environmental Sampling and Analysis I

College of Natural Sciences

Credit(s): 3
Contact Hours: 77
Effective Term Fall 2018 (550)

Requisites

(Prerequisite EVR 1001C with a minimum grade of C or
Prerequisite EVS 1001 with a minimum grade of C) and
((Prerequisite CHM 1025 with a minimum grade of C and
Prerequisite CHM 1025L with a minimum grade of C) or
Permission of the Program)

Course Description

This course is intended to build student knowledge, skills and experience in environmental sampling and analysis. Topics included are the Florida Department of Environmental Protection standard operating procedures for the collection of surface water, groundwater, wastewater, potable water systems, and sediment. Hands-on field activities will complement class room exercises related to these topics to achieve the requisite knowledge of environmental sampling and analysis.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. The student will recognize the regulatory requirements and administrative procedures for application of standard operating procedures for field sampling by:
    1. listing the intent and purpose of the Department of Environmental Protection standard operating procedures related to recommended and required procedure language, and compliance with regulations for health, safety, and waste disposal.
    2. describing the Department of Environmental Protection standard operating procedures format, definitions, and terms.
    3. identifying and performing the correct analysis for selected parameters listed with state and federal regulations for wastewater effluent, surface water and groundwater.
    4. defining general and alternative administrative procedures for, quality assurance policies, procedures and responsibilities, and application of quality manuals, audits, data validation procedures, and field personnel qualifications and training.
  2. The student will perform cleaning and decontamination procedures of sampling equipment and sampling containers by:
    1. recalling performance criteria, cleaning reagents, reagent storage containers, and cleaning sample equipment requirements.
    2. conducting in-field cleaning, including heavily contaminated equipment cleaning, general cleaning for teflon, stainless steel, glass, and plastic sampling equipment.
    3. performing cleaning procedures for filtration equipment, various types of sampling tubing, submersible pumps, above ground pumps, field instruments, drilling equipment, shipping containers, and sample containers.
  3. The student will apply documentation procedures to ensure that all field activities associated with sample collection, sample handling, and field testing are appropriately recorded by:
    1. writing clear, accurate, and methodical records which document all field activities affecting sample data.
    2. employing universal documentation requirements, electronic documentation, and other media such as photographs and videotape.
    3. completing documentation requirements for cleaned equipment, sample containers, reagents, supplies, equipment maintenance, calibration of field testing instruments and field analysis, sample collection, preservation, and transport.
    4. comparing and contrasting documentation requirements for aqueous chemistry sampling, non-aqueous sampling, soil sampling, sediment sampling, waste sampling, and biological sampling.
    5. creating sample documents for quality control, legal or evidentiary chain-of-custody protocols, evidentiary general requirements, controlled access, and disposal of evidence samples using appropriate documentation forms.
  4. The student will describe field quality control requirements by:
    1. discussing the purpose of field quality control as measures to monitor the sampling event to ensure that the collected samples are representative of the sample source.
    2. explaining the appropriate use of quality control blank samples, field duplicate samples, mandatory field quality control samples, split samples and quality control documentation.
  5. The student will utilize principles of different types of water and sediment sampling by:
    1. conducting preliminary sampling activities relating to number of people assigned to sampling activities associated with safety concerns, and appropriate sampling equipment used for various types of contamination assessments.
    2. defining the use of grab samples, composite samples, and special considerations for various analyte groups.
    3. restating standard operating procedures for consistent collection of representative surface water samples, drinking water supply samples, and wastewater samples using various sampling equipment appropriate to the analyte of interest and the sample site conditions.
    4. establishing the appropriate selection and application of scoops, corers dredges, and grab samplers for sediment sampling, the procedures for compositing samples, and the collection of interstitial or pore water samples.
    5. collecting water samples for analysis.
    6. gathering and analyzing selected samples.
  6. The student will perform techniques of lab, field testing and field measurement collection by:
    1. executing basic laboratory operations.
    2. operating and calibrating selected laboratory instruments.
    3. operating, calibrating and verifying calibration for field instruments measuring pH, specific conductance, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and total residual chlorine.
    4. establishing field testing acceptance criteria for pH, specific conductance, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and total residual chlorine.
    5. completing an acceptable Department of Environmental Protection standard operating procedures forms for calibration log, field instrument calibration record, residual chlorine photometer calibration-verification log, residual chlorine secondary standard cal-verfication log, water field form, and sediment field form.
  7. The student will produce written reports of compiled data by:
    1. writing formal technical reports that include using software applications for tabular summaries and graphic data representation.
    2. manipulating data and reach confident conclusions.
  8. The student will demonstrate employability skills by:
    1. identifying acceptable work habits.
    2. identifying of how to make job changes appropriately.
    3. practicing and exhibiting acceptable employee health habits.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures and field exercises developed by individual course instructors.

History of Changes

Effective 20112(0450). Submitted as 2893C, SCNS approved as 2892C. C&I Approval: 09/16/2011, BOT Approval: 10/01/2011, Effective Term: Spring 2012 (450). C&I Approval: 02/09/2017, BOT Approval: 03/21/2017, Effective Term: Fall 2017 (535).
C&I Approval: 02/09/2018, BOT Approval: 04/17/2018, Effective Term: Fall 2018 (550)

Related Programs

  1. Environmental Science Technology (ENVSC-AS) (635) (Active)
  2. Sustainability Management (SUSMGT-BAS) (640) (Active)
  3. Sustainability Management (SUSMGT-TR) (670) (Active)
  4. Water Quality Technician (WQT-CT) (635) (Active)