Specialty Service Team analyzes unique compounds
Specialty Service Team analyzes unique compounds
Environmental NEWS - Fall 2007
Specialty Service Team analyzes unique compounds
Analytical testing in environmental laboratories typically involves the use of government agency approved methods to detect standardized lists of pollutants. However, many compounds with the potential to harm the environment are omitted from the currently approved methods because of difficulty in separating and/or detecting the pollutants. Analysis of target compounds that are not included in the approved methods can become a research project that is outside the capabilities of many laboratories. To address the need for services that go beyond standardized testing, Lancaster Laboratories established its Specialty Services Department.
Jia Wang, principal chemist in the Specialty Service Group, analyzes
perfluorooctanoic acid in drinking water by Thermo Scientific LC/MS.
Led by manager Chuck Neslund, this group of experienced analysts is prepared to support method development and testing in a variety of niche areas of interest to clients. Initial efforts are focussed on testing in the following areas:
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and similar compounds related to non-stick and stain-resistant materials. Because of health concerns associated with this class of compounds, investigation into methods for analyzing these compounds in water samples using triple quadrupole LC/MS is a priority for the Specialty Services Group.
- Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products. The term PPCP refers to a diverse list of chemical substances derived from prescription and over-the-counter therapeutic drugs, veterinary drugs, fragrances, and cosmetics. Through a variety of routes, these substances find their way into the environment where they may pose a health hazard based on low-level exposure over a matter of years. In this case, the analytical questions include not just how to analyze the substance, but what to analyze.
- Sediment analysis. Developing methods to detect low levels of pollutants in samples from riverbeds, marine sediments and pore waters are challenges that are not always met by current techniques.
“There’s a number of emerging classes of contaminants that EPA hasn’t yet addressed in a specific way, but manufacturers are already looking at how they can monitor the effects of those specific types of compounds in the environment. Our team will be able to help them with those research-oriented projects,” explains Neslund. The new unit will draw on their experience with separation, identification and quantitation techniques with instruments such as GC/MS and LC/MS/MS to help clients with their unique analytical needs.
Past successes with helping clients solve complex analytical problems have increased the demand for this type of service. A recent example is the use of a selective ion monitoring (SIM) GC/MS technique to prove that target- compound hits generated by standard testing methods were actually false positives. Neslund presented a paper on this approach at the recent NGWA conference on Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Chemicals in Groundwater.
Call Chuck Neslund at 717-656-2300 to discuss your project needs.