What is a Chain of Custody? And why is it important?
A written record of individuals who had physical possession of the sample.
The Chain of Custody is prepared when the sample is taken and, follows the sample to the lab, and tells the lab what analyses to perform.
Whoever relinquishes the sample and whoever accepts the sample must acknowledge doing so with their signature, time and date.
Without a Chain of Custody, your lab results are not going to stand up in court. Who can say where the sample came from or whether someone with a vested interest in the results handled it.
Samples may be submitted to directly by the client, by a representative of Princeton Analytical who has collected the sample or by common carrier.
A completed Chain of Custody must accompany the sample, including the following information:
Individual and/or company name
Complete mailing address
Email address for electronic delivery of results
Samples description, including collection date(s), time(s), preservative, if any
Requested analyses
Sample bottles must arrive:
Intact
In temperature (2-6 degrees celsius)
Properly labeled to correspond to Chain of Custody
Are results available online?
Yes. We have a secure, easy-to-use online portal for access to all your reports, data, and chains of custody.
Do you provide rush services?
Yes. For expedited analysis and reporting, additional charges will apply
Contact us early to help manage logistics, sample acceptance and bench time
Open communication is essential!
What is the “Method” on my results report?
These test methods are EPA-approved procedures for measuring the presence and concentration pollutants. The EPA does not release test methods for all chemicals, but only those that it regulates.
When the EPA does not regulate a chemical, Standard Methods, a joint publication of the American Public Health Association (APHA), the American Water Works Association (AWWA), and the Water Environment Federation (WEF), covers all aspects of water and wastewater analysis techniques.
Where can I get details on my drinking water well?