A review of marine water sampling methods for trace metals

This review summarizes government agency and scientific organization guidance for collecting representative, reliable, and defensible water samples for trace metal analysis, and provides a framework for choosing appropriate sampling techniques to meet a study's data quality objectives, with respect to Natural Resource Damage Assessment in the marine environment. Preventing or limiting contamination is a primary concern during the sampling process, with the goal of constraining sampling-related contamination to below the targeted screening levels. Best practices should include clean-hands/dirty-hands sampling techniques and acid-washed plastic sample bottles. Quality control samples should be collected to detect and quantify contamination and to monitor the precision of the measurement process.