During which process must a technician strictly follow defined procedures to avoid contamination?

The process during which a technician must strictly follow defined procedures to avoid contamination is sample collection. Sample collection is a critical step in water quality management because the integrity of the samples directly impacts the accuracy of laboratory analyses. During this process, any external contaminants introduced can alter water quality indicators, leading to erroneous results that could misinform treatment actions or regulatory compliance.

Maintaining a contamination-free environment is essential; this includes using sterile containers, avoiding contact with non-sterile surfaces, and ensuring that the collection tools and methods adhere to standard operating protocols. The procedures are designed to minimize the risk of introducing bacteria, chemicals, or other substances that could compromise the sample.

Other processes, while they also require careful handling, do not pose the same level of risk for contamination in the context of sample integrity. For instance, filtration and chlorination are meant to treat water and may have specific guidelines but do not involve collecting samples that need to be preserved without contamination. Similarly, while storage of samples is important to prevent degradation of sample quality, the initial collection phase is where the highest degree of meticulousness is necessary to establish a valid basis for subsequent analyses.