ASTM D6911-03

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
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Designation:D6911–03
Standard Guide for
Packaging and Shipping Environmental Samples for
Laboratory Analysis
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6911; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope D653 Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and Contained
Fluids
1.1 This standard provides guidance on the selection of
D4220 Practices for Preserving and Transporting Soil
procedures for proper packaging and shipment of environmen-
Samples
tal samples to the laboratory for analysis to ensure compliance
D4840 Guide for Sample Chain-of-Custody Procedures
with appropriate regulatory programs and protection of sample
D5079 Practices for Preserving and Transporting Rock
integrity during shipment.
Core Samples
1.2 This standard does not address transport of hazardous
D5903 GuideforPlanningandPreparingforaGroundwater
wastes for disposal purposes.
Sampling Event
1.3 This standard does not address the selection of
D6089 Guide for Documenting a Ground-Water Sampling
parameter-specific sample bottles or containers.
Event
1.4 This guide offers an organized collection of information
D6517 Guide for Field Preservation of Ground-Water
oraseriesofoptionsanddoesnotrecommendaspecificcourse
Samples
of action. This guide cannot replace education or experience
2.2 Shipping Regulations:
and should be used in conjunction with professional judgment.
International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous
Not all aspects of this guide may be applicable in all circum-
Goods Regulations, 43rd Edition, January 2002
stances. This guide is not intended to represent or replace the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Regulations
standard of care by which the adequacy of a given professional
fortheSafeTransportofRadioactiveMaterial,Section10,
service must be judged, nor should this guide be applied
Publication IAEA TS-R-1
without consideration of the many unique aspects of a project.
International CivilAviation Organization (ICAO) Technical
The word “standard” in the title of this guide means only that
InstructionsfortheSafeTransportofDangerousGoodsby
the guide has been approved through the ASTM consensus
Air, Document #9284-AN/905
process.
U.S. Government Printing Office, Title 40 Code of Federal
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
Regulations Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
(RCRA), Part 261
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
U.S. Government Printing Office, Title 49 Code of Federal
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
Regulations Transportation (DOT), Parts 170-174
bility of regulatory requirements prior to use.
U.S. Postal Service, Hazardous, Restricted and Perishable
2. Referenced Documents Mail USPS Publication 52
2.1 ASTM Standards:
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.1.1 carrier—a commercial company that is responsible
This guide is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D18 on Soil and Rock
for the actual shipment of environmental samples from the
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.21 on Ground Water and
point of sample receipt from the shipper to the sample’s final
Vadose Zone Investigations.
destination.
Current edition approved July 10, 2003. Published August 2003. DOI: 10.1520/
D6911-03.
3.1.2 dangerous goods—those goods that meet the criteria
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
of one or more of nine United Nations (UN) hazard classes
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
and, where applicable, one of three UN packaging groups
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. according to the provisions of shipping regulations.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D6911–03
3.1.3 environmental sample—containerized liquids, solids 5.3 Should dangerous or hazardous samples be shipped
or gases that are collected for the purpose of laboratory using methods not in full compliance with applicable regula-
analysis. tory requirements, the following penalties can be assessed to
the shipper:
3.1.4 inner packaging—packaging for which an outer pack-
5.3.1 Refusal to deliver the environmental samples to their
age is required for transport (for example, a sample bottle or
intendeddestination,whichcanresultinsampleintegritybeing
container).
compromised, chain-of-custody being broken, or sample hold-
3.1.5 outer packaging—the outer protection of a composite
ing times being exceeded;
or combination packaging together with any absorbent mate-
5.3.2 Assessmentoffinancialpenaltieswhichcanbesevere;
rials, cushioning and any other components necessary to
and/or
contain and protect sample bottles or inner packaging.
5.3.3 Imprisonment for blatant illegal shipment of danger-
3.1.6 shipper—the person who actually packages and pre-
ous or hazardous substances.
sents environmental samples to a commercial carrier for
shipment or who personally transports samples. The shipper is
6. Procedures for Packaging and Shipping
commonly the person who collected the environmental
Environmental Samples
samples.
6.1 Planning—As indicated in Guide D5903, the Sampling
3.1.7 shipping—the commercial or private transport of en-
and Analysis Plan (SAP) for a project will specify the number
vironmental samples via highway, rail, vessel or aircraft.
of samples to be collected for each medium being sampled (for
example, soil, ground-water, surface water, soil gas, sediment
4. Significance and Use
and corresponding quality control samples).This SAPwill also
include a discussion on the need to plan for the appropriate
4.1 This standard provides guidance in determining the
number, size(s), and type(s) of outer packaging based on the
most appropriate procedures for packaging and shipping envi-
number and sizes of sample containers to be filled and to plan
ronmental samples. Use of this guide by personnel involved in
for adequate space in outer packaging to accommodate inner
packaging and shipping environmental samples will facilitate
packing materials and temperature controls. The SAP will
safe, effective and compliant procedures.
specify the analyses to be performed on each sample and
should also indicate the type of sample bottle or container and
5. Regulatory Requirements
volumerequiredforeachanalyte.TheSAPshouldalsoprovide
5.1 The shipment of many environmental samples falls
guidanceonselectionofthemethodsforsamplepackagingand
underthejurisdictionofnationalandstandardizedinternational
shipment of samples to the laboratory for analysis when
regulations whenever samples exhibit one or more properties
dangerous or hazardous samples are anticipated.
that classify the samples as being dangerous or hazardous. Not
6.2 Regulatory Responsibilities of the Shipper—The sample
all environmental samples, however, satisfy the criteria for
shipper is responsible for ensuring that all environmental
being classified as dangerous or hazardous substances. These
samples are packaged, labeled, and marked in a manner that is
samples can be packaged and shipped as non-regulated or
consistent with applicable shipping regulations. Failure to do
non-hazardous environmental samples.
so puts the shipper at risk of the penalties discussed in 5.3.
5.2 It is the shipper’s responsibility to determine which
6.3 Determination of Dangerous or Hazardous Properties
regulations apply to the environmental samples requiring
of Environmental Samples:
shipment. This determination must be made prior to sample
6.3.1 Prior to collection of environmental samples, it is
collection to ensure compliance with shipping regulations at
necessary to determine the hazard class of a sample. If this is
the conclusion of sample collection. The primary sources of
unknown, the shipper must use best professional judgment to
shipping regulations that can apply to environmental samples
determine the potential for samples to exhibit one or more
include the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the
hazardous characteristics (for example, through background
International Air Transport Association (IATA), and the U.S.
research review, interviews and review of purchasing and
Postal Service (USPS). DOT regulations govern transport of
disposal records) and to determine the appropriate degree of
samples by water, rail, roadway and air; IATA regulations
danger associated with those hazardous properties as defined
govern air transport of samples; USPS regulates both ground
by applicable shipping regulations (see Note 1). Table 1
and air delivery of samples through the U.S. Postal System.
summarizes the nine United Nations (UN) hazard classes that
Other agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture
are defined within shipping regulations and provides three
(USDA) (restrictions on interstate shipment of soil samples to
examplesofenvironmentalsamplesthatmightmeetthecriteria
prevent the spread of biological contaminants), The Interna-
of a given hazard class. Table 2 summarizes the degree of
tionalAtomic EnergyAgency (IAEA) (transport of radioactive
hazard associated with dangerous goods being shipped as
materials by air), the International CivilAviation Organization
defined by applicable shipping regulations.
(ICAO) (shipment of the dangerous goods by air). The Inter-
NOTE 1—Dangerous or hazardous properties of environmental samples
national Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (shipment by ves-
are as defined specifically by shipping regulations. Definitions developed
sel)mayalsoneedtobeconsidered.Sampleshippersmustalso
for use under other regulatory programs may be substantially different and
beawareofthepotentialforrestrictionsonshippingsamplesat
are not applicable. For example, a corrosive liquid under IATA definition
both the state and local levels. Shippers should contact state
is “a substance which, in the event of leakage, can cause severe damage
and local agencies to determine any shipping restrictions. by chemical action when in contact with living tissue or can materially
D6911–03
TABLE 1 Summary of United Nations Hazard Classes TABLE 3 Examples of Proper Shipping Names and Associated
UN Numbers
Class 1 Explosives
Class 2 Gases
Proper Shipping Name/ UN
Example of Environmental Sample
Class 3 Flammable Liquids
Description Number
Class 4 Flammable Solids; Substances Liable to Spontaneous
Flammable solid, organic, 1325 Soil sample saturated with gasoline
Combustion; Substances Which, in Contact with Water, Emit
n.o.s.
Flammable Gases (for example, soil sample contaminated
Nitric acid 2031 Sample preservative that is other
with high concentrations of gasoline released from an
than red fuming, with 70 % or
underground storage tank)
less, but more than 20 % nitric
Class 5 Oxidizing Substances and Organic Peroxide
acid
Class 6 Toxic and Infectious Substances (for example, samples of
Refrigerant gas, n.o.s. 1078 Surface water sample containing
refuse collected from a solid waste landfill)
(Tetrafluoromethane, mixture of Freon 14Y and Freon
Class 7 Radioactive Material
Trifluoromethane) 23Y
Class 8 Corrosives (for example, nitric acid used for preservation of
some ground-water samples) (see Note 2)
Class 9 Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods
determine the proper shipping name for each environmental
TABLE 2 Summary of Packing Groups By Hazard Level
sample, the shipper must refer to the shipping regulations that
Packing Group I—High Danger
willbefolloweddirectly.Itispossiblefortheretobemorethan
Packing Group II—Medium Danger
one shipping name. The selected shipping name must accu-
Packing Group III—Low Danger
rately reflect the chemical, physical or biological characteris-
tics of the sample being shipped and must not include a Trade
name.
damage other freight or the means of transportation.” This is determined
6.4.2 When selecting the proper shipping name, the shipper
through a series of intact skin tissue exposure tests and/or corrosive tests
must consider:
on steel or aluminum for defined exposure periods. Under the Resource
6.4.2.1 The dangerous or hazardous property of the sample,
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), a corrosive liquid is defined as
6.4.2.2 If the sample is classified as a solid (for example,
a liquid with a pH less than or equal to 2 or greater than or equal to 12.5,
soil or sediment), liquid (for example, ground-water or surface
as determined by a pH meter using Method 9090.
water) or gas (for example, soil gas or atmospheric air),
NOTE 2—In a letter dated April 11, 1979, the Associate Director for
6.4.2.3 The anticipated or known contaminant(s) contained
Hazardous Materials Regulation of the Research and Special Programs
Administration granted exception to the DOT hazardous materials regu-
in the sample,
lations for water samples containing the corrosives: hydrochloric acid,
6.4.2.4 Whetherthecontaminantispresentinapureformor
mercuric chloride, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and
a mixture, and
phosphoric acid. The listed corrosives include the preservatives com-
6.4.2.5 The preferred method of sample shipment (for
monly used in water samples. This exception was revalidated in a letter
example, ground transportation versus overnight air transpor-
issued on December 13, 1993 and again in a letter dated February 14,
tation).
1997. This exception may not apply in other shipping regulations.
6.4.3 Onceselected,thepropershippingnameisusedbythe
6.3.1.1 When the actual hazard class of a sample is un-
shipper to obtain the following information from the appropri-
known, the most conservative packaging group possible for the
ate shipping regulations:
chosen shipping name must be used. Refer to 6.4.1 for
6.4.3.1 The corresponding UN number,
guidance on choosing the appropriate shipping name.
6.4.3.2 Correct sample packaging (inner and outer packag-
6.3.2 It is possible that environmental samples may not
ing),
exhibitadangerousorhazardouspropertyand,assuch,maybe
6.4.3.3 Required package labels and markings,
packaged and shipped as a non-regulated sample using meth-
6.4.3.4 Restrictions on sample volumes per package,
ods described in 6.5 and 6.6. Other packaging and shipping
6.4.3.5 Applicable exceptions for small quantity shipments
guidance is provided in Practices D4220, D5079, and D6517.
(see Note 3), and
6.3.3 The shipper must make the determination of sample
6.4.3.6 Available shipping options (for exampl
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