What is a surrogate? Why is it reported with my sample results?
Surrogates are known analytes added in known amounts to samples and method blanks to evaluate the efficiencies of sample preparation steps for some methods. They are similar chemically to the target analytes of the method, but are not found naturally in samples. For that reason, many are isotope-labeled target analytes (i.e. toluene-d8). Because surrogates are added to each sample, the surrogate recovery result (expressed as percent of recovery) is reported with each sample report.
