SPADA Docs

548

10.0 Experimental Set-up Recommendations 549 variable affecting biothreat agent detection in a laboratory experiment set-up or during 550 field experiments. The previous sections provide guidance on obtaining and processing 551 the soil prior to these types of experiments. During the laboratory experiments and 552 evaluations, multiple soil matrixes could be tested in order to evaluate a range of possible 553 conditions that could impact detectors or assays. Field experiments are specific to 554 understanding what could happen after a release and tend to focus on one soil matrix. 558 method or system will depend on the method or system being tested. General guidance 559 includes testing a minimum of three replicates of each sample and including positive and 560 negative controls. Laboratory experiments also need to include multiple soil types. It is 561 recommended to test at least 5 different soils with the varying characteristics listed in 562 Table 1. Online resources, such as the web soil survey (Table 2), provide tools to search 563 for locations to collect the various soils with the desired approximate pH, clay content 564 and organic content. Academic institutions with soil science departments may also be 565 useful in obtaining specific soils (Table 2). 566 Prior to experimentation using a soil matrix as a testing variable in a laboratory 567 environment, pH, water content, water holding capacity, organic carbon content, texture 568 and CEC of each soil should be measured. Other characteristics that may affect the 569 experiments should also be included. If it is important to start an experiment quickly after 570 This section provides guidance on using one or several soil matrixes either as a 555 556 557 10.1 Laboratory Test and Evaluation Set-up The laboratory experimental set-up for testing and evaluating a biothreat agent

Draft Version 19

27