Following a wide-area release (intentional or unintentional) of an environmentally persistent pathogen, remediation of contaminated areas might be required to protect human health and the environment. In order to collect the data necessary to assess the efficacy of remediation efforts following a microbiological contamination incident, a well-defined and thorough sampling and analysis plan (SAP) needs to be developed and implemented. The  resources below are applicable for developing SAPs needed for site characterization, verification sampling, waste characterization sampling, and post decontamination sampling stages of sampling and analysis activities for a microbiological contamination incident in which the EPA would be responsible. The resources are also applicable to development of SAPs for research studies and exercises related to microbiological contamination incidents.

Considerations for Developing Sampling and Analysis Plans

Summarizes elements that should be considered when planning, developing and implementing a SAP including lines of evidence, field sampling, laboratory analyses and reporting, and data quality assessment and interpretation.

Sampling, Laboratory and Data Considerations for Microbial Data Collected in the Field
 

Sampling and Analysis Plan Outline

Interim Draft Outline: Sampling and Analysis Plan for Environmental Samples Potentially Containing Pathogens to assist in generation of a SAP in an instance that one needs to be created offline.

Sampling and Analysis Plan Outline for Environmental Samples Potentially Containing Pathogens
 

Additional Resources

• Acronyms and Abbreviations
• DQO Process
• Glossary