Calliope
Former Member
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- Jan 29, 2007
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Zaha, it's actually chain of custody. Here's a description and link for more info.
Chain of custody (CoC) refers to the chronological documentation or paper trail, showing the seizure, custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of evidence, physical or electronic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_of_custody
(Sorry about the wiki link, it actually explained it best)
This tutorial is helpful too; start with overview.
Many different people participate in the process of collecting, transporting, analyzing, and reporting on particular samples and data. As an environmental professional, you are aware that the test results from any samples you handle may be used as evidence in future court cases. Imagine a courtroom situation where the chemist who analyzed the sample takes the witness stand and cannot state with certainty who has had access to the sample before s/he received it. To avoid such situations, you should maintain a chronological record of who has been in possession of the samples and what analyses have been performed on them. Following chain-of-custody procedures when handling samples and data helps provide assurance that they have not been tampered with.
This lesson introduces you to the basic concepts underlying chain of custody: what it is and why it is important.
http://www.epa.gov/apti/coc/