EPA Groundwater Standards - Your essential resource for Agilent ULTRA chemical standards

Significance of the topic

Certified reference materials and quality control standards are fundamental to reliable groundwater analysis under EPA methods. They ensure analytical accuracy, traceability, and compliance with regulatory limits for contaminants ranging from volatile organics and pesticides to semivolatiles and explosives. High‐quality standards reduce uncertainty and support defensible decision making in environmental monitoring and remediation.

Study objectives and overview

This Agilent ULTRA standards portfolio presents a comprehensive set of chemical reference materials aligned with EPA groundwater methods 8010B through 8440. The brochure aims to:

• Detail the range of available certified and custom products.
• Explain quality control validation levels and triple accreditation.
• Map standards to specific EPA methods for volatiles, semivolatiles, pesticides, PAHs, PCBs, dioxins, and more.

Methodology and instrumentation

All standards are manufactured under ISO 9001, ISO 17025, and ISO Guide 34 frameworks. Agilent’s ISO 17025‐accredited laboratory conducts pre‐ and postfill analyses, homogeneity and stability testing, and issues lot‐specific Certificates of Analysis. Reference materials are classified into three validation levels (I–III) based on gravimetric and analytical characterization. While no specific instruments are provided in this brochure, the standards support workflows on GC‐FID, GC‐ECD, GC‐MS, HPLC, LC/MS, NPD, FPD, ELCD, FTIR, and IR systems.

Key results and discussion

The portfolio includes over 7,000 certified mixtures: mixtures for volatile halocarbons, aromatic compounds, carbonyls, nitroaromatics, phenols, organophosphorus pesticides, PCBs, PAHs, explosives, and total petroleum hydrocarbons. Custom formulations are also offered. Standards are supplied in precise ampoules or convenient “Shooter” vials, with rapid lead times (5–20 business days for customs products). GHS‐compliant labeling and SDS are available in multiple languages.

Benefits and practical applications

• Assured traceability and product integrity through triple accreditation.
• Broad method coverage from EPA Method 8010B to 8440.
• Rapid global distribution and logistics support.
• Custom standards expedite specialized analyses.
• Certificates of Analysis and online documentation streamline QA/QC.

Future trends and potential uses

Emerging analytical challenges such as PFAS, microplastics, and novel polar contaminants will drive demand for new certified materials and isotopically labeled standards. Integration with laboratory information management systems (LIMS), enhanced data analytics, and expanded online configurators will further streamline standard selection and compliance reporting.

Conclusion

Agilent’s ULTRA chemical standards portfolio offers a robust, accredited, and versatile reference suite to support all phases of EPA groundwater testing. With global availability, custom formulation capability, and stringent quality controls, laboratories can achieve reliable, reproducible results across a wide range of methods.

Reference

Agilent ULTRA Chemical Standards for EPA Groundwater Methods