Specialty Services Team develops new methods
Specialty Services Team develops new methods
Environmental NEWS - Fall 2008
Specialty Services Team develops new methods
Principal chemist Dr. Jia Wang performs hydrazine
analysis in soil by Thermo Quantum Access triple quad.
As concerns about the environmental fate and health effects of chemicals used in industrial processes grow, contract laboratories are challenged with the need to develop accurate tests to efficiently analyze an expanding list of substances. Lancaster Laboratories employs many experienced scientists capable of addressing the need for new analytical methods. Here are two examples of the developmental successes that they’ve experienced recently and are now using to help customers assess their environmental samples:
Hydrazine is a chemical compound with multiple manufacturing uses, including a rocket propellant. Because of this, it is sometimes a compound of interest at environmental cleanups resulting from defense contractor activities. USEPA does not have a published method for hydrazine analysis, but Lancaster Laboratories’ Specialty Services Team is using its expertise with triple quadrapole liquid chromatography/ mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) to develop test methods for hydrazine. Analysts have been successful in modifying USEPA method 8321 to extract and detect hydrazine in soil samples at the part-per-billion (ppb) level and in water samples at sub-ppb concentrations. “The advantages afforded by the greater specificity and sensitivity of the LC/MS allow us to offer this test,” says Chuck Neslund, manager of the Specialty Services Department, adding that there are a limited number of laboratories that can perform hydrazine testing.
Organic extraction chemist Deb Zimmerman conducts
hydrazine extraction in soil samples.
Perfluorin-ated alkyl compounds (PFA) are chemicals used in or by products from the manufacture of stain-resistant and stick-resistant coatings. PFA’s persist in the environment, but the exact effect to human health is not well understood and requires further research. Although this class of compounds is not currently regulated, USEPA is actively investigating PFA’s, and they have also gained the interest of some state environmental protection agencies. Lancaster Labs has developed a test method for the analysis of PFAs and has also participated in the validation of another. Both methods use the power of LC/MS/MS to provide better certainty in identifying the compounds, which can be detected in water at part-per-trillion (ppt) levels. “We based our methods on information from literature searches and some investigational methods that USEPA is working on. We’ve been successful using solid phase extraction for water samples, and we’re also working on methods for sediments,” explains Neslund.
For more information on hydrazine or PFA testing, contact Chuck Neslund at 717-656-2300, Ext. 1819.