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The Reason Codes provide a short reference to a longer description of why a qualifier has been added to a result. Applicable Reason Codes are stored in the REASON_CODE column of the DT_RESULT_DQM table when a result record is qualified during DQM Event processing. When the Event is Completed, the Reason Codes are written to the DQM_REASON_CODE column of the DT_RESULT table.  

 

Qualifiers and Reason Codes are assigned to results by DQM based on which DQM Rule is causing the Exception. The RT_DQM_REASON table defines the Reason Codes that are available for assignment in RT_DQM_RULE for each DQM QAPP. REASON_CODE_DESC in RT_DQM_REASON will be added as a footnote for each Reason Code displayed in the Validation Report tab of the DQM Event Report; this field is not displayed in the DQM event screen and is not saved to another table by DQM when a DQM event is completed.

 

For all DQM Checks, DQM will look to the reason code in RT_DQM_RULE.REASON_CODE and apply this reason code when there is an exception to the DQM Rule.

 

For DQM version 7.21.2 and later versions, DQM makes use of the RT_DQM_RULE.REASON_CODE_2 and RT_DQM_RULE.REASON_CODE_3 fields for the following checks:

 

•Field Blank Contamination

•Laboratory Blank Contamination

•Trip Blank Contamination

•Spike Recovery

•Holding Times

 

Field Blank Contamination

 

The DQM Check for Field Blank Contamination identifies detected concentrations of target analytes in field blanks.

 

There are 3 parameters in RT_DQM_CHECK_PARAM that DQM uses relating to the field blank sample_type:

 

•AmbientBlankSampleType

•EquipmentBlankSampleType

•FieldBlankSampleType

 

DQM will identify which of the field blank sample types created an exception for field blank contamination check as follows:

 

For the DQM rule BLANK CONTAMINATION < QL:

 

Populate Reason_Code with the reason code associated with ‘FieldBlankSampleType’ (e.g. FBL, meaning Field Blank Low)

Populate Reason_Code_2 with the reason code associated with ‘EquipmentBlankSampleType’ (e.g., EBL, meaning Equipment Blank Low)

Populate Reason_Code_3 with the reason code associated with ‘AmbientBlankSampleType’ (e.g., ABL, meaning Ambient Blank Low)

 

For the DQM rule BLANK CONTAMINATION >= QL:

 

Populate Reason_Code with the reason code associated with ‘FieldBlankSampleType’ (e.g., FBH, meaning Field Blank High)

Populate Reason_Code_2 with the reason code associated with ‘EquipmentBlankSampleType’ (e.g., EBH, meaning Equipment Blank High)

Populate Reason_Code_3 with the reason code associated with ‘AmbientBlankSampleType’ (e.g., ABH, meaning Ambient Blank High)

 

Laboratory Blank Contamination

 

There are 2 different parameters in RT_DQM_CHECK_PARAM used by DQM for the laboratory blank contamination check that allow users to specify a sample_type:

 

•LabBlankSampleType

•MethodBlankSampleType

 

DQM will identify which of the laboratory blank sample types created an exception for laboratory blank contamination check as follows:

 

For the DQM rule BLANK CONTAMINATION < QL:

 

Populate Reason_Code with the reason code associated with ‘LabBlankSampleType’ (e.g., LBL, meaning Laboratory Blank Low)

Populate Reason_Code_2 with the reason code associated with ‘MethodBlankSampleType’ (e.g., MBL, meaning Method Blank Low)

 

For the DQM rule BLANK CONTAMINATION >= QL:

 

Populate Reason_Code with the reason code associated with ‘LabBlankSampleType’ (e.g., LBH, meaning Laboratory Blank High)

Populate Reason_Code_2 with the reason code associated with ‘MethodBlankSampleType’ (e.g., MBH, meaning Method Blank High)

 

Trip Blank Contamination  

 

There are 2 different parameters in RT_DQM_CHECK_PARAM used by DQM for the trip blank contamination check that allow users to specify a sample_type:

 

•AmbientBlankSampleType

•TripBlankSampleType

 

DQM will identify which of the trip blank sample types created an exception for trip blank contamination check as follows:

 

For the DQM rule BLANK CONTAMINATION < QL:

 

Populate Reason_Code with the reason code associated with ‘AmbientBlankSampleType’ (e.g., ABL, meaning Ambient Blank Low)

Populate Reason_Code_2 with the reason code associated with ‘TripBlankSampleType’ (e.g., TBL, meaning Trip Blank Low)

 

For the DQM rule BLANK CONTAMINATION >= QL:

 

Populate Reason_Code with the reason code associated with ‘AmbientBlankSampleType’ (e.g., ABH, meaning Ambient Blank High)

Populate Reason_Code_2 with the reason code associated with ‘TripBlankSampleType’ (e.g., TBH, meaning Trip Blank High)

 

Spike Recovery

 

The DQM Check for Spike Recovery will qualify results if spike sample recoveries fall outside Quality Control (QC) limits.

 

DQM will identify which of the sample types for the blank spike (e.g., BS, BD) and the matrix spike (e.g., MS, MSD) created an exception for the spike recovery check as follows:

 

For all the Spike Recovery check rules, RT_DQM_RULE.REASON_CODE will be used for the blank spike and matrix spike sample_types and RT_DQM_RULE.REASON_CODE_2 will be used for the duplicate sample_types (e.g., Blank Spike Duplicate or Matrix Spike Duplicate).  Table 1 below shows all rules for the Spike Recovery Check and example Reason Codes that can be used.

Table 1

 

 

Holding Times

 

The DQM Check for Holding Times identifies holding times that fall outside holding time intervals.

 

DQM will identify which of the holding time intervals was exceeded for a result and create an exception as follows:

 

RT_DQM_RULE.REASON_CODE will be used for analysis holding time intervals (e.g., collect_analysis_unpreserved, collect_analysis_preserved, preserve_analysis, and prep_analysis), RT_DQM_RULE.REASON_CODE_2 will be used for the sample preparation holding time intervals (e.g. collect_prep, preserve_prep, and  leachate_prep), and RT_DQM_RULE.REASON_CODE_3 will be used for the preservation and leachate holding time intervals (e.g., collect_preserve, and collect_leachate).  Table 2 below shows all rules for the Holding Times Check and example Reason Codes that can be used. Note that only RT_DQM_RULE.REASON_CODE is used for gross holding time interval exceedances.

Table 2