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| Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater | |
|---|---|
| Name | Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater |
| Author | American Public Health Association; American Water Works Association; Water Environment Federation |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Water quality analysis; wastewater treatment |
| Genre | Technical standard |
| Publisher | American Public Health Association |
| Pub date | First edition 1905; current editions ongoing |
| Pages | variable |
Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater is a compendium of analytical procedures and protocols used internationally for the assessment of drinking water, wastewater, and environmental waters. It is published collaboratively by the American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, and Water Environment Federation, and it informs practice among laboratories, utilities, and regulatory bodies such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency, European Environment Agency, and national standards organizations. The work underpins decision-making in contexts involving institutions like the World Health Organization, United Nations Environment Programme, and International Organization for Standardization.
The compendium originated in 1905 amid public health reforms influenced by figures such as Harvey W. Wiley and institutions including the Johns Hopkins University and the Pasteur Institute that advanced bacteriology, chemistry, and sanitary science. Throughout the 20th century the Methods evolved alongside milestones such as the establishment of the United States Public Health Service, the passage of the Clean Water Act (1972), and the formation of professional societies including the Water Environment Federation; contributors included practitioners from the United States Geological Survey, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and university laboratories at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, and University of California, Berkeley. International events—like the postwar public health initiatives coordinated by the World Bank and technical harmonization efforts tied to the International Organization for Standardization—shaped revisions that integrated novel analytical chemistry and microbiology methodologies developed by laboratories at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and research at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
The compendium covers microbial, chemical, physical, and radiological analyses used by utilities such as the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and agencies like the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Health Canada. It is organized into parts and sections aligned with editorial oversight from the American Public Health Association, technical committees that include members from the American Water Works Association, and specialist groups with links to institutions such as the National Institutes of Health, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Chapters address laboratory practice and field methods used by municipal systems in cities like New York City, London, and Tokyo, and are cross-referenced to regulatory frameworks such as the Safe Drinking Water Act and standards promulgated by the European Commission.
Analytical approaches documented range from classical titrations used by early chemists associated with Royal Society laboratories to modern instrumental techniques developed at facilities like Bell Labs and national laboratories such as Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Methods include spectrophotometry, chromatography, mass spectrometry, membrane filtration, and biochemical oxygen demand assays standardized in coordination with groups such as the American Chemical Society and experts from universities like Stanford University and University of Oxford. Principles reflect developments in analytical metrology championed by organizations including the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, enabling trace analysis for contaminants originally noted in studies from laboratories at Harvard University and Caltech.
Protocols for sampling and preservation reference practices established in field programs run by agencies such as the United States Geological Survey and municipal labs in places like Chicago and Los Angeles. Chain-of-custody, container selection, and preservation chemicals are specified with insight from laboratories at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and standards bodies like the International Organization for Standardization and American Society for Testing and Materials. Quality assurance and quality control elements align with accreditation expectations from organizations including the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference, College of American Pathologists, and national regulators such as Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Key analytes and tests include bacteriological determinations (membrane filtration, multiple-tube fermentation) used in municipal systems like San Francisco and in public health surveillance by the World Health Organization; nutrient analyses (nitrogen, phosphorus) relevant to eutrophication studies by researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; organic micropollutant screening using gas and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry developed at institutions such as Argonne National Laboratory; metals analysis traceable to methods from the National Institute of Standards and Technology; and toxicity and bioassay protocols employed by agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and research centers like EPA's Office of Research and Development.
Adoption of methods occurs through regulatory incorporation by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, harmonization with European Commission directives, and recognition by accreditation bodies such as the International Organization for Standardization and national accreditation agencies in countries like Australia and Germany. Laboratories implement the compendium to meet requirements from authorities including the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act (1972), and public health regulations enforced by ministries in nations such as Japan and France, often interfacing with professional organizations like the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation.
Revisions reflect advances in instrumentation at research centers such as Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and shifting priorities driven by global initiatives from the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Health Organization. Emerging directions emphasize real-time monitoring technologies developed by startups in regions like Silicon Valley and academic programs at MIT, integration with remote sensing from agencies like European Space Agency, and tightened reproducibility standards advocated by bodies such as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Continued liaison with international standards organizations including the International Organization for Standardization and multilateral funders like the World Bank will shape future editions.
Category:Water quality