Several recent comparative studies of analytical results and procedures cast serious doubt on the validity of many of the pollution data now being reported. These comparative studies indicate that both sampling techniques and analytic procedures are at fault. For analysis of trace metals in seawater and of oil spills, methods of obtaining valid or representative samples from the field and design of "foolproof" procedures for carrying out the subsequent chemical analysis have been developed, as have remote or automated monitoring devices for natural systems.

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