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Table C. Data Quality Objectives and Criteria for Phytoplankton (i.e., Entities <50 and >10 µm)
Data Quality
Indicator
Evaluation Process
Performance Measure
MERC DQO
Precision
Analyze at least two out of five
treatment discharge samples and at
least one out of five control intake
or discharge samples (from each
set of five test trials).
Percent Similarity (PSC)
≥ 60% average PSC
between paired replicates.
Bias
Experiment Bias: Ensure proper
calibration/ verification and
maintenance of
equipment/analytical
instrumentation; ensure proper
sample handling to avoid
contamination.
N/A
N/A
Operator Bias: Ensure a second,
suitably-qualified operator
analyzes at least two treatment
discharge samples per set of five
test trials, and at least one control
intake or discharge sample per set
of five test trials.
Percent Similarity (PSC)
and Relative Percent
Difference (RPD)
≥90% average PSC and
≤20%average RPD
Representativeness Ensure augmented test organisms
are representative of those
naturally found in Baltimore
Harbor and other test sites. Ensure
sample water contains biota
representative of test siter water in
terms of species composition and
richness. Ensure pre-
treatment/control and post-
treatment/treatment samples are
handled and analyzed in the same
manner.
N/A – Qualitative term
N/A – Qualitative term
Comparability
Routine procedures are conducted
according to appropriate SOPs to
ensure consistency between tests.
Ensure correct implementation of
SOPs.
N/A – Qualitative term
N/A – Qualitative term
Completeness
Calculate percentage of valid
samples analyzed out of the total
number of samples collected.
Percent Completeness
(%C)
Greater than 90 %C.