Guidance

Standing Committee of Analysts (SCA) blue books

Methods for the examination of waters and associated materials.

This publication was withdrawn on

The Standing Committee of Analysts (SCA) now sits outside of the Environment Agency and of government. See the SCA website for authoritative information on methods of sampling and analysis.

Documents

The Microbiology of Drinking Water (2012) - Part 7 - Methods for the enumeration of heterotrophic bacteria

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The Microbiology of Drinking Water (2012) - Part 5 - Methods for the Isolation and enumeration of enterococci

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Index of Methods for the Examination of Waters and Associated Materials 1976 - 2011

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The determination of cyanide and thiocyanate in soils and similar matrices (2011)

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The Microbiology of Drinking Water (2010) - Part 14 - Methods for the isolation, identification and enumeration of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts

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The determination of taste and odour in drinking waters (2010)

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The Microbiology of Drinking Water (2010) - Part 2 - Practices and procedures for sampling

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The Microbiology of Drinking Water (2010) - Part 8 - The isolation and enumeration of Aeromonas and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by membrane filtration

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The Microbiology of Drinking Water (2010) - Part 6 - Methods for the isolation and enumeration of sulphite-reducing clostridia and Clostridium perfringens by membrane filtration

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The determination of easily liberated sulphide in soils and similar matrices (2010)

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The determination of acrylamide in waters using chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (2009)

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The determination of metaldehyde in waters using chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (2009)

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The direct toxicity assessment of aqueous environmental samples using the Skeletonema costatum marine algal growth inhibition test (2009)

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The Microbiology of Drinking Water (2009) - Part 4 - Methods for the isolation and enumeration of coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli (including E. coli O157:H7)

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The determination of steroid oestrogens in waters using chromatography and mass spectrometry (2008)

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The direct toxicity assessment of aqueous environmental samples using the Skeletonema costatum marine algal growth inhibition test (2009) growth inhibition test (2008)

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Chemical disinfecting agents in waters and effluents (2008)

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An inter-laboratory trial on chemical oxygen demand determinations (2007)

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The determination of chemical oxygen demand in waters and effluents (2007)

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The determination of cyanide in waters and associated materials (2007)

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The Microbiology of Drinking Water (2007) - Part 13 - The isolation and enumeration of aerobic spore-forming bacteria by membrane filtration

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The direct toxicity assessment of aqueous environmental samples using the marine copepod Tisbe battagliai lethality test (2007)

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The direct toxicity assessment of aqueous environmental samples using the oyster (Crassostrea gigas) embryo-larval development test (2007)

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The direct toxicity assessment of aqueous environmental samples using the juvenile Daphnia magna immobilisation test (2007)

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Determination of the inhibitory effect of chemicals, industrial and other waste waters on nitrification by Nitrosomonas bacteria (2006)

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The Microbiology of Drinking Water (2006) - Part 9 - Methods for the isolation and enumeration of Salmonella and Shigella by selective enrichment, membrane filtration and multiple tube-most probable number techniques

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The determination of metals in solid environmental samples (2006)

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The preparation and pre-treatment of potentially contaminated soils prior to chemical analysis (2006)

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The determination of Legionella bacteria in waters and other environmental samples (2005) - Part 1 - Rationale of surveying and sampling

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The assessment of aerobic biodegradability by measurement of dissolved and/or gaseous inorganic carbon in sealed vessels (2005)

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Guidance on the measurement of tritium in environmental samples (2005)

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The Microbiology of Drinking Water (2004) - Part 12 - Methods for the isolation and enumeration of micro-organisms associated with taste, odour and related aesthetic problems

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The Microbiology of Drinking Water (2004) - Part 11 - Taste, odour and related aesthetic problems

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The Microbiology of Sewage Sludge (2004) - Part 4 - Methods for the detection, isolation and enumeration of Salmonellae

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A guide to practices, procedures and methodologies following oil spill contamination incidents (2004)

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The Microbiology of Sewage Sludge (2003) - Part 3 - Methods for the isolation and enumeration of Escherichia coli, including verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli

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The Microbiology of Sewage Sludge (2003) - Part 2 - Practices and procedures for sampling and sample preparation

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The Microbiology of Sewage Sludge (2003) - Part 1 - An overview of the treatment and use in agriculture of sewage sludge in relation to its impact on the environment and public health

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The determination of polychlorinated biphenyls by gas chromatography using mass spectrometric detection (2003)

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The determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil by dichloromethane extraction using gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (2003)

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The Microbiology of Drinking Water (2002) - Part 10 - Methods for the isolation of Yersinia, Vibrio and Campylobacter by selective enrichment

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The Microbiology of Drinking Water (2002) - Part 3 - Practices and procedures for laboratories

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The Microbiology of Drinking Water (2002) - Part 1 - Water Quality and Public Health

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The Microbiology of Recreational and Environmental Waters (2000)

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The determination of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in waters and complex matrices (2000)

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The determination of tritium (tritiated water) activity concentration by alkaline distillation and liquid scintillation counting (1999)

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The assessment of taste, odour and related aesthetic problems in drinking waters 1998

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Details

The Standing Committee of Analysts (SCA) provides guidance on recommended methods of sampling and analysis of waters and effluents, sewage sludges, sediments, soils (including contaminated land) and biota. These are known as ‘blue books’.

The Environment Agency sponsors and provides support to SCA. For any questions about SCA please contact mark.gale@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Updates to this page

Published 5 June 2014
Last updated 2 October 2014 + show all updates
  1. Removed link to Standing Committee of Analysts (SCA) feedback survey which has now closed.

  2. Added link to Standing Committee of Analysts (SCA) feedback survey.

  3. First published.

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