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a handheld calculator or commercial software (e.g., Excel). Calculations performed using standard
commercial office software (e.g., Excel) will be reviewed by inspection of the equations used for the
calculations and verification of selected calculations by handheld calculator. Calculations performed
using specialized commercial software (i.e., for analytical instrumentation) will be reviewed by inspection
and, when feasible, verified by handheld calculator, or standard commercial office software.
To ensure that the data generated from any BWTS test meet the goals of the test, a number of data
validation procedures will be performed by a MERC team member not immediately responsible for the
generation of the data. Sections B and C of this QAPP provide a description of the validation safeguards
employed for each BWTS test. Data validation efforts include the completion of QC activities and the
performance of a TSA audit as described in Section C. The data from this test will be evaluated relative to
the measurements to ensure that the DQOs are met. Data failing to meet these criteria will be flagged in
the data set and not used for evaluation of the technologies, unless these deviations are accompanied by
descriptions of their potential impacts on the data quality. An ADQ will be conducted by the MERC QA
Manager to ensure that data review, verification, and validation procedures were completed and to assure
the overall quality of the data.
D.3.
Reconciliation with User Requirements
The purpose of a test performed following this QAPP is to evaluate the performance of BWTS. To meet
the requirements of the user community, the data obtained in such an evaluation will include thorough
documentation of the technology’s performance during the test. The data review, verification, and
validation procedures described above will assure that test data meet these requirements, are accurately
presented in the reports generated from the test, and that data not meeting these requirements are
appropriately flagged and discussed in the reports. Additionally, all data generated from any reference
method used to evaluate technology results during the test should meet the QA requirements of any
applicable standard operating procedures or instrumentation instruction manuals.
This QAPP and the resulting MERC evaluation report(s) will be subjected to review by the participating
BWT vendors, MERC staff and Co-PIs, MARAD, and external expert peer reviewers. These reviews will
assure that this QAPP and the resulting evaluation report(s) meet the needs of potential users of the
BWTS. Performance data for the BWTS, collected under conditions where the QC requirements for the
duplicate and PEA samples were met, will be presented in the final evaluation report without any further
comment. The final evaluation report(s) will be submitted to the Maryland Port Administration and
MARAD in Adobe portable document format (pdf), and subsequently posted on the MERC website.
E.
REFERENCES
American National Standards Institute and American Society for Quality Control (ANSI/ASQC),
2004. Quality Systems for Environmental Data Collection and Environmental Technology Programs:
Requirements with Guidance for Use. E4-2004. Milwaukee, WI.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2002. Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans, EPA
QA/G-5, EPA/240/B-01/003. Office of Environmental Information. Washington, D.C.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2002. Short-term methods for estimating the chronic toxicity
of effluents and receiving waters to marine and estuarine organisms. Third edition.. EPA-821-R-02-014.
Office of Water, Washington, DC. www.epa.gov/OST/WET/