To analyze a substance, one or more representative samples must be taken and analyzed. Therefore, proper sample collection is essential for subsequent analyses and for obtaining reliable results.
Intertek Dominican Republic is accredited according to ASTM standards for the collection of gasoline and petroleum samples at service stations and industrial dispensers, manual sampling of liquid petroleum products, and sampling of natural gas.
The sample taken must be homogeneous and representative of the average of the substance to be analyzed. Sampling can be carried out in different ways depending on the type of substance, although there are general guidelines:
For liquid substances, it is necessary to homogenize/stir and extract the sample. These samples can be taken at different levels/heights, at various times, or by performing a "running sample" (when it is impossible to homogenize the contents of a tank because it lacks mechanical stirrers, running samples should be taken, i.e., composite samples from the entire tank, taken in a single operation from bottom to top), depending on what needs to be analyzed.
For bulk products, samples are taken at different points, homogenized, and a portion is analyzed.
For natural gas, samples can be taken on-site using gas sampling bottles or through the gas transport line connected to a chromatograph.
Afterward, samples are labeled for identification and processed for storage and analysis. A portion of the sample should always be kept in case a confirmation or counter-analysis is needed.
