US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Pesticide Programs
Office of Pesticide Programs
Microbiology Laboratory
Environmental Science Center, Ft. Meade, MD
Standard Operating Procedure for
Use and Maintenance of Laboratory Notebooks
and Project Binders (SOPs)
SOP Number: ADM-05-02
Date Revised: 11-03-10

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SOP No. ADM-05-02
Date Revised 11-03-10
Page 1 of 9
EPA/OPP MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY
ESC, Ft. Meade, MD
Standard Operating Procedure
for
Use and Maintenance of Laboratory Notebooks
and Project Binders
SOP Number: ADM-05-02
Date Revised: 11-03-10
Initiated By:		Date: / /
Print Name:	
Technical Review: 	Date: / /
Print Name:
Technical Staff
QA Review:		Date: / /
Print Name:	
QA Officer
Approved By:		Date: / /
Print Name:	
Branch Chief
Effective Date:	/ /
Controlled Copy No.:
Withdrawn By:
Date: / /

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SOP No. ADM-05-02
Date Revised 11-03-10
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents	Page Number
1.0	SCOPE AM) APPLICATION	3
2.0	DEFINITIONS	3
3.0	HEALTH AND SAFETY	3
4.0	CAUTIONS	3
5.0	INTERFERENCES	3
6.0	PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS	3
7.0	SPECIAL APPARATUS AND MATERIALS	3
8.0	INSTRUMENT OR METHOD CALIBRATION	3
9.0	SAMPLE HANDLING AND STORAGE	3
10.0	PROCEDURE AM) ANALYSIS	3
11.0	DATA ANALYSIS/CALCULATIONS	7
12.0	DATA MANAGEMENT/RECORDS MANAGEMENT	7
13.0	QUALITY CONTROL	7
14.0	NONCONFORMANCE AND CORRECTIVE ACTION	8
15.0	REFERENCES	8
16.0	FORMS AM) DATA SHEETS	8

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SOP No. ADM-05-02
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1.0 SCOPE AND APPLICATION:
1.1 The purpose of this SOP is to provide guidance on the use and maintenance of
laboratory notebooks and project binders for laboratory activities. For the
purpose of this SOP, "laboratory notebook" is defined as a bound collection of
serially numbered pages used to record the planning and progress of a scientific
investigation. A "project binder" is defined as a loose-leaf collection of dated
hand-written and/or computer-generated documents and forms, graphs, tables,
notes, and data.
2.0 DEFINITIONS:
2.1	ATP = Antimicrobial Testing Program
2.2	GLP = Good Laboratory Practice Standards
2.3	QAU = Quality Assurance Unit
3.0 HEALTH AND SAFETY: Not applicable.
4.0 CAUTIONS: None
5.0 INTERFERENCES:
5.1 Adequate cross-referencing between a notebook and binder or between two
analysts' notebooks or binders is important. Lack of cross-referencing could
make interpretation of the information difficult.
6.0 PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS:
6.1 Personnel are required to be knowledgeable of the procedures in this SOP.
Documentation of training and familiarization with this SOP is found in the
training file for each employee.
7.0 SPECIAL APPARATUS AND MATERIALS: None
8.0 INSTRUMENT OR METHOD CALIBRATION: Not applicable
9.0 SAMPLE HANDLING AND STORAGE: Not applicable
10.0 PROCEDURE AND ANALYSIS:

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SOP No. ADM-05-02
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10.1	The laboratory notebook and/or project binder is a permanent record of a
researcher's activities. The pages are used to preserve experimental data and
observations as well as to document the purpose, design, and conclusions of a
study.
10.1.1	The main purpose of maintaining a laboratory notebook and/or proj ect
binder is to preserve experimental plans, study design or protocol,
procedures that were followed, observations, conclusions, and
recommendations. The information that is documented must be done
in a way that another scientist can replicate the study based on the
information presented in the notebook or binder.
10.1.2	Quality control activities and practices related to equipment
maintenance and calibration are recorded on the appropriate forms and
maintained in log books as required under other laboratory Standard
Operating Procedures. It is not necessary to also record the data in
the laboratory notebook though the activities should be referred to and
cross-referenced in the laboratory notebook or binder data sheets.
10.1.3	A laboratory notebook or project binder may cover more than one
study.
10.1.4	Laboratory notebooks, project binders, their contents, and any
associated documentation are the property of the OPP Microbiology
Laboratory. They should be kept in a secure location while the project
is ongoing. As projects are completed, the materials are archived. A
log of all notebooks and binders is maintained on
G:\DATA\SHARED\APPB\ANTIMICROBIALTESTING
PROGRAMVLAB Notebooks (see Attachment 1). It is the
responsibility of each analyst to populate this notebook log once the
notebook is provided to the QAO for final review. The notebook log
is reviewed by the QAU or designee on a regular basis to ensure that it
accurately reflects the status of notebooks and binders.
10.2	Laboratory Notebook and Project Binder Format:
10.2.1 Title Page or Cover Sheet: On the title page or cover sheet, record
your name, the laboratory name (OPP Microbiology Laboratory,
Branch, Environmental Science Center, Ft. Meade, MD), the date the
notebook was started and ended, the number of the notebook in the
sequential series, and the project title, study protocol or research
protocol, for which the notebook is used. Depending on the

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SOP No. ADM-05-02
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anticipated size of the project, an analyst may use a notebook for one
or several studies.
10.2.2	Table of Contents: It is optional to have a table of contents in the
laboratory notebook or binder. For ease of use and retrieval of unique
studies, it is advised that each analyst separate studies using binder
tabs. If a table of contents is generated, reserve several pages
following the title page for recording a running table of contents.
Record the Study Protocol or Research Protocol title and project
identification number followed by the pages used to document the
study.
10.2.3	Experimental descriptions: Separate experiments using clearly stated
descriptions and/or dates. List the experiments in the Table of
Contents.
10.2.4 Page numbering: Laboratory notebook pages are to be serially
numbered. Page numbering is optional in project binders; however,
every page should have at a minimum the date and initials of analysts
conducting the work. All study information and data generated should
be initialed and dated before the end of each day of data collection.
NOTE: Pages in laboratory notebooks and/or project binders should
not be skipped or discarded.
10.3 The following are general guidelines documenting work associated with planning,
protocols, lab work, recording study data, observations, and any additional
information required to recreate the day's work.
10.3.1 Document the daily plan of the experiment before initiating lab work.
Date and initial each daily entry. Include a short description of the
purpose of the investigation. In many cases, the plan is in the form of
a research protocol which should be affixed in the notebook. Changes
in the plan should be documented.
10.3.2 Plan how to document the experiment in the notebook or binder prior
to making any entries. Much of this can be done by using data sheets
from SOPs. Consider that room may be needed for tables,
observations, graphs, spreadsheets, and statistical analysis. Writing
should be legible, grammatically correct, and factually complete.
Analysts should avoid using the notebook for scratch work or personal
information. Think carefully before writing.

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10.3.3	The laboratory notebook and/or project binder should be available in
the lab while conducting a study or research. Don't rely on memory.
10.3.4	Control the location of and access to the laboratory notebook and/or
project binder. Secure them in a closed or locked cabinet or file
drawer when not in use.
10.3.5 All entries should be made in permanent ink and should be complete.
If others are assisting with an experiment or with recording
information, they should initial and date entries. Documentation
should indicate who did what step or portion of the experiment and
when.
10.3.6	Make notes and observations clear, concise, yet detailed, and
complete. Unusual or unique observations that could lead to further
experimentation should be entered into the notebook.
10.3.7	Provide full detail of all experimental procedures and conditions. Any
SOPs or portions of SOPs that are being used should be referenced and
any deviations should be documented. If in doubt, include the
observation or procedure.
10.3.8	Any graphs, drawings, or printouts should be carefully affixed in the
notebook using as permanent a method as possible (glue, staples).
Reference should be made to any affixed material on the bound page
and analysts should sign and date over the interface.
10.3.9	If graphing programs, spreadsheets, or statistical software is used, the
name of the program and the version number, if available, should be
documented.
10.3.10	Each section should have a clear descriptive heading.
10.3.11	The contents of the laboratory notebook and/or project binder should
be frequently peer-reviewed during the course of a study. The peer
reviewer should sign and date each portion that is reviewed.
10.3.12	Clearly define all abbreviations, code names, or product codes.
Commonly used abbreviations need only be defined the first time
used.
10.3.13 Draw a line through all errors followed by a date, initials, and a brief

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SOP No. ADM-05-02
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explanation for the correction (codes may be used for common error
types such as EE for entry error and EEO for entry error omission).
Do not erase or use white out. The original entry should be visible.
10.3.14	If large sections need to be corrected, the section should be blocked
and struck out with one diagonal line from corner to corner followed
by a date, signature, and short explanation for the strike out. The
original uncorrected section should still be visible.
10.3.15	If an experiment takes more than one page, indicate the continuation at
the bottom of the first and any subsequent pages, along with your
initials and date.
10.3.16	If a long term experiment is interrupted by other daily entries, indicate
that the experiment is continued on the appropriate page number,
along with your initials and date.
10.3.17	If a page is inadvertently skipped during the course of an investigation,
cross out the whole page, and sign and date the line.
10.3.18	Avoid writing too near the binding as this area may not photocopy
well.
10.3.19 All laboratory notebooks and project binders for a particular project
should be numbered sequentially. Cross-reference multiple notebooks,
when necessary.
11.0 DATA ANALYSIS/CALCULATIONS: None
12.0 DATA MANAGEMENT/RECORDS MANAGEMENT:
12.1 Active notebooks and binders should be kept by the analyst in a secure location.
After completion of a project, retired notebooks and project binders are subject to
review by the Quality Assurance Unit, and archived in secure file cabinets in the
file room D217. Only authorized personnel have access to the secured files.
Archived data is subject to OPP's official retention schedule contained in SOP
ADM-03, Records and Archives.
13.0 QUALITY CONTROL:
13.1 The OPP Microbiology Laboratory conforms to 40 CFRPart 160, Good
Laboratory Practice Standards. Appropriate quality control measures are

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integrated into each SOP.
13.2 For quality control purposes, the required information is documented in the
laboratory notebook or on the appropriate record form(s) (see 16.0).
14.0 NONCONFORMANCE AND CORRECTIVE ACTION:
14.1 Any instances of non-compliance with this SOP will be corrected upon discovery.
15.0 REFERENCES:
15.1	Writing the Laboratory Notebook, H.M. Kanare, American Chemical Society,
1985.
15.2	US EPA Good Laboratory Practice Standards, Title 40 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) Part 160.
16.0 FORMS AND DATA SHEETS:
16.1 Attachment 1
Example of Notebook Log

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SOP No. ADM-05-02
Date Revised 11-03-10
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Attachment 1: Example of Notebook Log
Notebook Log
OPP Microbiology Laboratory
Notebook or
Binder ID*
Project(s)
Description(s)
Research, Study
Protocol or Project
Code
Date Notebook
Started
Date Notebook
Submitted to QA
Officer (Retired)
Notebook
Archived
/Date


































































*Notebook ID = initials of analysts and a chronological # (e.g. XY-1, XY-2, XY-3, etc.)

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