Qualifiers

Qualifier Fields in DT_RESULT Table

1.The LAB_QUALIFIERS field is designed to contain qualifiers assigned by the laboratory. It is best practice, in order to maintain accurate records, to keep these values as assigned by the laboratory and to use the other two qualifier fields to document additions and changes to the final qualification of each result.

2.The VALIDATOR_QUALIFIERS field is designed to contain the qualification assigned to a result by the data validator reviewing the data. Validator Qualifiers may be entered as additions to and/or replacements for the Lab Qualifiers, depending on the process specified by the data owner.

3.The INTERPRETED_QUALIFIERS* field is designed to contain the "final" or "official" qualification of the result after review of the data validation process. Depending on the specified process, this may be a combination of the Lab and Validator Qualifiers.
*When the DQM event is completed, the DT_RESULT_DQM.APPLY_QUALIFIER column is saved to the VALIDATOR_QUALIFIER and/or INTERPRETED_QUALIFIER columns according to the options selected in the Complete Event Form.

4.The DQM_QUALIFIERS field is designed to contain the Apply Q column when a DQM Event is completed. See Processing Data with a DQM Event for more information.

5.DETECT_FLAG is a yes/no field indicating whether an analyte has been detected in the sample. This is typically determined by the laboratory, but can be changed during data validation when appropriate.

6.REPORTABLE_RESULT is a yes/no field indicating whether the result should be included in reports to stakeholders. It is possible to include results marked with a "No" in the REPORTABLE_RESULT field in EQuIS reports, but they are typically excluded by default. Typically, if a result is rejected during the data validation and review, the REPORTABLE_RESULT value is set to "No".

Qualifier Fields in DT_RESULT_DQM Table

The QUALIFIERS field is designed to contain the DQM Q column from the In Process Events Form when a DQM Event is saved.

The APPLY_QUALIFIERS is designed to contain the Apply Q column from the In Process Events Form when a DQM Event is saved. When the DQM event is completed, the APPLY_QUALIFIER column is saved to the VALIDATOR_QUALIFIER and/or INTERPRETED_QUALIFIER columns in DT_RESULT according to the options selected in the Complete Event Form.

Combined Qualifiers and Multiple Qualifiers

A Combined Qualifier is a multi-character (two or more) qualifier where one of the characters does not have a definition on its own or where the combination hs a meaning different than the combination of the two individual qualifiers. A Multiple Qualifier is a multi-character qualifier where all of the characters have an individual definition and the combination does not have its own meaning.

Typical Example of Combined Qualifier with different meaning from USEPA-QA/G8, "Guidance on Environmental Data Verification and Data Validation".

U	The analyte was analyzed for, but was not detected above the reported sample quantitation limit.
J	The analyte was positively identified; the associated numerical value is the approximate concentration of the analyte in the sample.
UJ	The analyte was not detected above the reported sample quantitation limit. However, the reported quantitation limit is approximate and may or may not represent the actual limit of quantitation necessary to accurately and precisely measure the analyte in the sample.

Generic examples (Qualifiers in the example below are examples only, used to explain the concept.

Combined Qualifier	If "J" has a specific definition by itself, but "F" does not, then the qualifier "JF" would be considered a combined qualifier. So, "JF" is only a valid qualifier if the combination is listed in RT_QUALIFIER with its own definition.
Multiple Qualifiers	If both "X" and "W" have specific definitions and "XW" does not have a specific definition, then the qualifier "XW" is not a combined qualifier. When listed together, their definition equals the combination of the two definitions.

LAB_QUALIFIERS, VALIDATOR_QUALIFIERS, and INTERPRETED_QUALIFIERS in DT_RESULT can contain multiple qualifiers with or without comma separators.

Comma Separated Qualifier	"JF,B" or "JF,B,R"
Multiple Qualifier String	"JFB" or "JFBR"

There is no foreign key between RT_QUALIFIER.QUALIFIER and DT_RESULT.INTERPRETED_QUALIFIER. Instead, the following database objects are used to verify that the entered value is valid.

Trigger Logic in Database

The EQuIS Database Schema contains two objects that handle the checking of qualifiers.

Objects

Definitions

EQUIS.VERIFY_QUALIFIER

A database function that recursively checks a qualifier string to determine whether or not the string is a valid value based on Qualifiers defined in the RT_QUALIFIER table.

Note: Individual qualifiers must be active (i.e. STATUS_FLAG = "A") to be considered valid.

Combined and multiple qualifiers with STATUS_FLAG <> "A" remain valid when all existing component qualifiers are active/valid.

TRG_VERIFY_QUALIFIER

Trigger on the DT_RESULT table that uses the VERIFY_QUALIFIER function to verify that the INTERPRETED_QUALIFIERS being INSERTED or UPDATED are valid.

Qualifier Logic Enforced in Format

Valid values can be enforced in the format in two ways:

1.Create a lookup to RT_QUALIFIER for the qualifier columns in the *.xsd format file (to be encrypted as *.xse).

2.Call the VerifyQualifiers method in the *.vb format file. This method mimics the objects in the database.

Lookup to RT_QUALIFIER -

Pros and Cons

Pros

•Enforces specific order of Qualifiers such as "UJ"

•Will not allow qualifiers in wrong order such as "JU"

Cons

•Limited to four character qualifiers

•All possible, valid two to four character combinations have to be listed in RT_QUALIFIER

VerifyQualifier Method -	Pros and Cons
Pros	•Enforces true combined qualifiers •Validates up to 20 character INTERPRETED_QUALIFIERS •Can validate comma separated qualifiers •Not limited to four character qualifiers
Cons	•Cannot enforce order of individual qualifiers

VerifyQualifier Method -

Pros and Cons

Pros

•Enforces true combined qualifiers

•Validates up to 20 character INTERPRETED_QUALIFIERS

•Can validate comma separated qualifiers

•Not limited to four character qualifiers

Cons

•Cannot enforce order of individual qualifiers

Adding VerifyQualifier Method to Format

To use this method, include the following code in your format's *.vb file. The example below shows how to (1) Insert a procedure that calls the method, and (2) Configure the "EFW2LabRES" section in EFWEDD to have its LAB_QUALIFIERS field verified by the method.

(1)

Private Sub VerifyQualifiers(ByVal e As system.Data.DataColumnChangeEventArgs)

resultChecker.VerifyQualifiers(e)

Me.RemoveError(e.Row, e.Column, EddErrors.ValidValue)

End Sub

(2)

Private Sub Check_EFW2LabRES(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Data.DataColumnChangeEventArgs)

Select Case e.Column.ColumnName.ToLower

...

Case "lab_qualifiers"

VerifyQualifiers(e)

End Select

End Sub

Conditional Check on Qualifiers and VALIDATED_YN can be added to Custom Formats

Example

Lab Qualifier	Interpreted Qualifier	Validator Qualifier	VALIDATED_YN	Error Message	Comment
U	U		N	No Error
U	U		Y	Error Message	If validator agrees with LAB_QUALIFIER, they must populate the VALIDATOR_QUALIFIER with the LAB_QUALIFIER
	R	R	Y	No Error
UMJ	UJ	UJ	Y	No Error
			Y	No Error	Validator removes or over-rides the lab qualifier with a null qualifier
U			N	Error Message	INTERPRETED_QUALIFIER must be populated
		UJ	Y or N	Error Message	INTERPRETED_QUALIFIER must be populated
UJJ		UJ	Y or N	Error Message	INTERPRETED_QUALIFIER must be populated
			Y or N	No Error

VALIDATED_YN will default to "N"

Note: Qualifiers used are examples only.