What are hold times and when and why are they important?

In order for your data to be defensible to a regulating authority or in a court of law, we must adhere to hold time requirements for analytical procedures and/or laboratory sample preparation procedures such as solvent extraction or distillation. Required holding times ensure that the sample is analyzed for the requested parameter prior to any bio-degradation, oxidation, precipitation, sorption, volatilization, and other physical and chemical processes that may occur that can affect the integrity of the sample.