VC-SOP-0205 - Specimen Intake & Quarantine

1. Purpose

To define the controlled procedure for receiving botanical specimens — from field recovery, client transfer, or external supply — and holding them in graded isolation until pathogen, pest, toxin, and identity screening confirms a final containment grade and clearance into the collection.

2. Scope

Applies to all incoming living specimens, cuttings, seed lots, and root stock arriving at the Sector-7 receiving dock and quarantine wing (Q-01 through Q-08). Field recovery upstream is governed by VC-SOP-0501; the custody record by VC-SOP-0610; GCL-4 placement by VC-SOP-0204. Excludes inert sample material routed directly to the laboratory.

3. Definitions

4. Responsibilities

5. Equipment & Pre-Checks

• Dedicated quarantine cells with independent atmosphere and negative pressure
• Receiving-dock PPE per VC-SOP-0301 (minimum Level-C until grade confirmed)
• Screening lab: microscopy, VOC analyzer, portable fluorescence scanner
• Sealed transfer container and decontaminated transport cart
• Chain-of-custody manifest from VC-SOP-0610

6. Quarantine Hold Periods

7. Procedure

7.1 Dock Receipt & Document Verification

1. Receiving Technician confirms the chain-of-custody manifest is complete and the tamper-seal is intact. Any break in custody or seal → reject and notify the Intake Officer.
2. Photograph the sealed package; record the declared species, origin, and declared hazard onto the intake record.
3. Move the still-sealed specimen to the receiving inspection bay under negative pressure.

7.2 Provisional Grading

1. Intake Officer assigns a provisional grade as the higher of the declared hazard and a precautionary observed estimate.
2. For any specimen suspected GCL-3 or above, the Containment Officer is consulted before unsealing.
3. Assign and lock a quarantine cell of the matching class; CHLORA starts the hold countdown.

7.3 Unseal & Initial Inspection

1. Unseal only inside the assigned quarantine cell, in grade-appropriate PPE, with a second person present for GCL-3+.
2. Perform Day-1 screening panel: visual pathology, pest inspection under magnification, VOC profile, fluorescence scan, identity confirmation against the declared species.
3. Record all findings; photograph any lesion, pest, or anomaly. A positive pathogen or pest result extends the hold and may raise the grade.

7.4 Quarantine Hold & Surveillance

1. Run the screening cadence for the assigned grade (Section 6). No collection contact during the hold.
2. Each screening must be clean (no new pathology, no pest emergence, stable VOC) to advance the countdown.
3. A new positive resets the cadence clock and triggers Phytopathologist review of grade.

7.5 Clearance or Rejection

1. At hold completion with a clean screening history, the Phytopathologist recommends a final grade; the Intake Officer signs clearance.
2. Cleared specimens transfer to cultivation (VC-SOP-0101) or containment placement under custody per VC-SOP-0610.
3. Specimens failing screening or identity verification are rejected: sealed and returned, or neutralized per VC-SOP-0318.

7.6 Quality Checkpoints

• Custody manifest complete and seal intact before unsealing
• Provisional grade defaulted up, never down
• Clean screening at every scheduled interval before countdown advances
• Final grade signed by Intake Officer with Phytopathologist recommendation on file
• Quarantine cell decontaminated and logged after release

8. Records

• Intake record with photos, declared data, and provisional grade (retained 10 years)
• Screening panel results for every interval
• Chain-of-custody manifest (cross-filed to VC-SOP-0610)
• Clearance or rejection determination with signatures
• Quarantine cell access and decontamination log (CHLORA)

9. References

• VC-SOP-0101 — Specimen Cultivation Cycle Management
• VC-SOP-0301 — PPE Selection Matrix
• VC-SOP-0318 — Toxic Waste Neutralization & Disposal
• VC-SOP-0204 — GCL-4 Containment & Handling
• VC-SOP-0610 — Specimen Transfer & Chain-of-Custody
• Monitoring Systems · Operational Metrics

10. Revision History