How to Submit a Method to NEMI

Method Submittal

We welcome all published/verified methods and protocols for inclusion in NEMI. We are always looking for new methods to be added to NEMI. These may include, for example:

• methods for laboratory & in-situ analyses and monitoring
• for field sampling/collection
• in a variety of media/matrices (e.g. air, water, soil, sediment, tissues, etc.)

Government agencies, private companies, and public organizations (including commercial and volunteer monitoring sectors) may submit methods.

Forms have been developed to facilitate online submission of method information. Depending on the type of method you wish to add to NEMI, select one of the two links below:

1) For all non-statistical methods, click on the following link that will take you to a site where you can create a user and begin entering method information: https://www.nemi.gov/method-submission/

2) To enter a statistical method, go to https://www.nemi.gov/sams/method_entry/

Criteria for Submission of Method Information to NEMI   

Method information may be submitted by any public or private organization for consideration of inclusion in the NEMI database. Guidelines for acceptance include (1) documentation of method information in a manner such that it can be practiced by other scientists trained in a defined applicable field. This typically includes:

• Documentation of applicable meta data such as percent recovery (or other forms of bias), precision, detection levels, concentration ranges, rates of false positive and false negative identifications, etc.
• Factors that influence method performance such as interferences, required or recommended quality control and quality assurance procedures, sample preparation procedures such as concentration, dilution, digestions, sterilization procedures, culturing procedures, etc.
• Method publication date and source reference information, applicable validation or verification procedures, lists of analytes or organisms, instrumentation requirements, etc.

and (2) public availability of the published full method by a governmental or private sector publisher. This includes methods that are associated with proprietary analytical instruments or equipment, copyrighted methods that are sold, and methods that support the determinative step (e.g., methods for sample collection, sample preparation, or in-situ analysis). Publication may be with a governmental or private sector publisher, and includes both printed and electronic formats. Methods that are published as research articles in journals or books are acceptable if procedures and performance are well documented, and there is evidence that the method has been successfully applied to a large number of environmental samples.

Submitted methods are reviewed for technical quality and applicability prior to being included in the database. A NEMI Review Committee has final authority for determining if a submitted method meets the criteria for addition to the NEMI database.