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CUET-PG Environmental Monitoring & Instrumental Analysis: practice questions

CUET-PG — Environmental Sciences · India · National Testing Agency

Original practice questions written to the published syllabus · not past papers
10worked here, free
24written to this exam in this subject
12syllabus units

What this subject covers

How environmental samples are taken and analysed and how good the numbers are: sampling plans, gravimetric and volumetric methods, spectroscopy, chromatography, quality assurance and monitoring networks.

In the exams: UGC NET Environmental Sciences Unit 2; ICAR AIEEA-PG Physical Science Unit II (instrumental analysis); ICAR AICE Aquatic Environmental Management Unit 3

Where the 24 questions fall

How our questions for CUET-PG spread across the units of Environmental Monitoring & Instrumental Analysis. Difficulty: 23 easy, 1 medium, 0 hard.

Sampling and preservation of water, soil, air and biota3
Bioindicators and biomonitoring3
Monitoring objectives and network design2
Gravimetric and volumetric analysis2
UV-visible spectrophotometry and colorimetry2
Atomic absorption and ICP techniques2
Gas and liquid chromatography; mass spectrometry2
Electrochemical methods and sensors2
Stable and radioactive isotopes in environmental analysis2
Detection limits, accuracy, precision and calibration2
Quality assurance, quality control and laboratory accreditation1
Continuous and low-cost sensor monitoring1

10 practice questions, worked

Choose an answer, then open the working. Each explanation says why the right answer is right and why the others are not.

1 · Sampling and preservation of water, soil, air and biota · easy

How should water samples for dissolved metal analysis usually be preserved?

  1. Treated with sulphuric acid and heated to 100 °C
  2. Frozen with sodium thiosulphate
  3. Left at room temperature in glass bottles
  4. Filtration and nitric acid to pH below 2
Answer and working

D. Filtration and nitric acid to pH below 2

Nitric acid keeps metals in solution and prevents adsorption; thiosulphate is for chlorinated microbiological samples.

Further reading: See the manual sources: Standard Methods; Harris; Skoog et al.; CPCB monitoring guidelines; ISO/IEC 17025

2 · Sampling and preservation of water, soil, air and biota · medium

Why are volatile organic compound water samples collected in vials with no headspace?

  1. To add oxygen that preserves the VOCs
  2. To allow microbes to degrade the VOCs quickly
  3. To make room for adding acid later
  4. To stop VOCs escaping into the vial air
Answer and working

D. To stop VOCs escaping into the vial air

Headspace would let volatile analytes partition out of the water.

Further reading: See the manual sources: Standard Methods; Harris; Skoog et al.; CPCB monitoring guidelines; ISO/IEC 17025

3 · Gravimetric and volumetric analysis · easy

At what temperature is the residue dried for total dissolved solids?

  1. 180 °C
  2. 550 °C
  3. 103–105 °C
  4. 20 °C
Answer and working

A. 180 °C

TDS residue is dried at 180 °C; TSS at 103–105 °C; volatile solids are ignited at 550 °C.

Further reading: See the manual sources: Standard Methods; Harris; Skoog et al.; CPCB monitoring guidelines; ISO/IEC 17025

4 · Gas and liquid chromatography; mass spectrometry · easy

Which GC detector is extremely sensitive to halogenated compounds such as organochlorine pesticides?

  1. Electron capture detector
  2. Thermal conductivity detector
  3. Flame ionisation detector
  4. Refractive index detector
Answer and working

A. Electron capture detector

ECD responds strongly to electronegative halogens; FID is general for organics; TCD is universal but insensitive.

Further reading: See the manual sources: Standard Methods; Harris; Skoog et al.; CPCB monitoring guidelines; ISO/IEC 17025

5 · Electrochemical methods and sensors · easy

Electrical conductivity of water increases mainly with

  1. the colour of the water
  2. the number of bacteria
  3. the amount of dissolved oxygen
  4. the concentration of dissolved ions
Answer and working

D. the concentration of dissolved ions

Ions carry current; conductivity indicates dissolved salts.

Further reading: See the manual sources: Standard Methods; Harris; Skoog et al.; CPCB monitoring guidelines; ISO/IEC 17025

6 · Stable and radioactive isotopes in environmental analysis · easy

Which international standard is used for hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios in water?

  1. Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water (VSMOW)
  2. Atmospheric nitrogen
  3. Canyon Diablo Troilite
  4. Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite (VPDB)
Answer and working

A. Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water (VSMOW)

VSMOW for H and O; VPDB for carbon; air N2 for nitrogen; CDT for sulphur.

Further reading: See the manual sources: Standard Methods; Harris; Skoog et al.; CPCB monitoring guidelines; ISO/IEC 17025

7 · Detection limits, accuracy, precision and calibration · easy

Replicate measurements have a mean of 10 mg/L and a standard deviation of 0.5 mg/L. What is the relative standard deviation?

  1. 5 per cent
  2. 20 per cent
  3. 0.05 per cent
  4. 50 per cent
Answer and working

A. 5 per cent

RSD = 0.5/10 × 100 = 5%.

Further reading: See the manual sources: Standard Methods; Harris; Skoog et al.; CPCB monitoring guidelines; ISO/IEC 17025

8 · Quality assurance, quality control and laboratory accreditation · easy

Which QC sample detects contamination introduced during field handling and transport?

  1. Calibration standard
  2. Field blank
  3. Certified reference material
  4. Matrix spike
Answer and working

B. Field blank

Field blanks are analyte-free water taken through field procedures; spikes test recovery; CRMs test accuracy.

Further reading: See the manual sources: Standard Methods; Harris; Skoog et al.; CPCB monitoring guidelines; ISO/IEC 17025

9 · Continuous and low-cost sensor monitoring · easy

Beta attenuation monitors are used to measure

  1. radon in homes
  2. particulate matter mass concentration
  3. noise levels
  4. dissolved oxygen
Answer and working

B. particulate matter mass concentration

BAMs measure the attenuation of beta radiation by particles collected on filter tape.

Further reading: See the manual sources: Standard Methods; Harris; Skoog et al.; CPCB monitoring guidelines; ISO/IEC 17025

10 · Bioindicators and biomonitoring · easy

Which organisms are classic bioindicators of sulphur dioxide air pollution?

  1. Honeybees
  2. Lichens
  3. Coral polyps
  4. Earthworms
Answer and working

B. Lichens

Many lichens are sensitive to SO2; lichen diversity maps air quality.

Further reading: See the manual sources: Standard Methods; Harris; Skoog et al.; CPCB monitoring guidelines; ISO/IEC 17025

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Read the subject

Environmental Monitoring & Instrumental AnalysisThe full study manual, free CUET-PGFormat, sections and how it has changed

More CUET-PG practice

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Environmental Monitoring & Instrumental Analysis for other exams

UGC NET · IndiaICAR AICE-JRF/SRF · IndiaCentral and State Pollution Control Board recruitment · IndiaCUET-UG · India

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