About Rate Driven QC

To access rate driven QC, you must have the ICP Expert Pro package installed. Otherwise, all QC solutions are non-rate driven.

This page provides information on the following:

Creating rate driven blocks
QC solution placement behaviors
Complying with USEPA Method 200.7 and ISM02.1 protocols
Comparing non-rate driven and rate driven QC solutions
Tips and information about rate driven solutions or blocks

Creating rate driven blocks

A rate driven QC block is created on the Sequence page by selecting, dragging and then dropping the required QC solutions after samples or other rate driven QC blocks into the Sequence table on the Sequence page or by selecting and then editing the 'Number of samples between QC tests' in the Rate QC Parameters dialog box.

QC solution placement behaviors

The table below indicates default behaviors when dragging a QC test into the sample list.

QC test - click the links for additional information on the test
Drag over - lists the possible solution types the test can be dragged over
Default preference - indicates if the test can be placed in that location, whether it becomes rate driven or non-rate driven and the frequency of rate driven blocks generated
Rack allocation - indicates where on the autosampler rack the solution should be placed
Count as sample - indicates whether the test will be counted as a sample during rate driven frequency calculations

QC test	Drag over	Default preference	Rack allocation
ICB	Over calibration	Insert after every calibration	Standards
	Over sample	Number of samples between QC tests
	Over QC	Number of samples between QC tests
CCB	Over calibration	Insert after every calibration	Standards
	Over sample	Number of samples between QC tests
	Over QC	Number of samples between QC tests
ICV	Over calibration	Insert after every calibration	Standards
	Over sample	Number of samples between QC tests
	Over QC	Number of samples between QC tests
CCV	Over calibration	Insert after every calibration	Standards
	Over sample	Number of samples between QC tests
	Over QC	Number of samples between QC tests
LCS	Over calibration	Non-rate driven	Sample
	Over sample	Non-rate driven
	Over QC	Non-rate driven
Matrix Spike	Over calibration	Not droppable	Sample
	Over sample	Non-rate driven
	Over sample related QCs	Non-rate driven
	Other QCs	Not droppable
Duplicate and Matrix Spike Duplicate	Over calibration	Not droppable	Sample
	Over sample	Non-rate driven
	Over sample related QCs	Non-rate driven
	Other QCs	Not droppable
CRS	Over calibration	Non-rate driven	Sample
	Over sample	Non-rate driven
	Over QC	Non-rate driven
Preparation Blank	Over calibration	Non-rate driven	Sample
	Over sample	Non-rate driven
	Over QC	Non-rate driven
Serial Dilution	Over calibration	Not droppable	Sample
	Over sample	Non-rate driven
	Over sample related QCs	Non-rate driven
	Other QCs	Not droppable
QC Spike	Over calibration	Not droppable	Sample
	Over sample	Non-rate driven
	Over sample related QCs	Non-rate driven
	Other QCs	Not droppable
ICSA	Over calibration	Non-rate driven	Sample
	Over sample	Non-rate driven
	Over QC	Non-rate driven
ICSAB	Over calibration	Non-rate driven	Sample
	Over sample	Non-rate driven
	Over QC	Non-rate driven

Complying with USEPA Method 200.7 and ISM02.1 protocols

The ICP Expert software provides templates to help you run analyses based on the requirements of the United States Environmental Protection Authority (US EPA) Method 200.7 and Contract Laboratory Program (CLP) Inorganic Superfund Methods (ISM02.1) protocols.

How do I access templates?

Comparing non-rate driven and rate driven QC solutions

Non-rate driven QC solutions

Non-rate driven solutions are defined as those that have been entered at a fixed location. They will only be run if they are selected on the Analysis page. In an analysis the QC solutions will always be run directly after the Solution Label to which they are attached.

Non-rate driven QC solutions and blocks include:

Solution or block entered after the first calibration.
Solution or block entered at the end of the run.
When the solution or blocks include Duplicate, Matrix spike, Matrix spike duplicate, QC spike or Serial dilution. These can be mixed with other solution types in a block but must always be placed before the other QC solutions.
When 'After Sample x' is selected in the Rate QC Parameters dialog box*.
When the solution type is changed via the drop-down menu in the 'Solution type' column on the Sequence page*.
When the solution is inserted via the right-click context menu*.

*These can be edited to become rate driven solutions in the Rate QC Parameters dialog box.

Rate driven QC solutions

In contrast to non-rate driven solutions, rate driven solutions are defined as those that are automatically entered at a location, which is dependent upon the overall analysis sequence chosen. For example, ‘Recalibrate every 5 samples’ is a rate driven option that means the standard/s will be automatically inserted after every fifth sample in the sequence. The sequencing of these solutions is set and they will be run as required. Therefore the samples may not necessarily occur at the location in which they appear in the sequence.

When the QC solutions listed above are selected, dragged and then dropped into the samples table on the Sequence page, they are automatically considered a rate driven QC block. The Rate QC Parameters dialog box opens so that these solutions can be configured. By default, ICP Expert will work out the number of samples the block has preceding it, and use it as the rate (where the same QC block will appear throughout the rest of the sequence).

Rate driven QC solutions and blocks include:

When the QC solution(s) are dragged and dropped in between samples**
When 'Number of samples between QC tests' is selected on the Rate QC Parameters dialog box**

**These can be edited to become non-rate driven solutions in the Rate QC Parameters dialog box.

Tips and information about rate driven solutions or blocks

If QC tests are mixed (for example, if you have Calibration QC tests mixed with sample related QC tests) then all sample related QC tests will be ordered before the Calibration QC tests. You cannot move Calibration QC tests above sample related QC tests. Only sample related QC tests can be ordered before sample related QC tests.
The QC name for rate driven QC samples can be changed on the QC page, but their weight, volume and dilution factors cannot be changed.
You cannot drop QC solutions between calibration standards, standard additions, reslope standards or other rate driven QC blocks.
Rate driven QCs are placed in the standards racks. If all the tubes are full, it overflows into the sample racks.