#environmental lab

[awkweirdlymajestic]

Quality Assurance checks at the lab, aka playing with food coloring and pure strain nasty bacterias.

Each month we have to check to make sure our tray sealer, affectionately named Chewbacca since it makes noises like an angry wookie when lots of samples are pushed through it, works correctly. Hence the colored dye to make sure all the well seal adequately.

Then we have to check our purchased media to make sure it still reacts correctly in the presence of certain bacteria. Mmmmmm mmmmm, nothing like some good old pseusdomonas, klebsiella, and e. coli to have a good time. All in a day’s work, I suppose.

[awkweirdlymajestic]

From organic chem extractions, back to microbio testing of agricultural products. Each week we're sent fertilimer, a mixture of sludge deposits/biosolids from waste treatment plant drying beds, as well as a base, generally lye. It's mixed together like compost with the intention of selling it to farmers as a less expensive alternative to chemical based fertilizers. Before that can happen, we need to test it for nutrients, heavy metals, and fecal coliform. The life of a lab tech is sometimes less than glamorous.

[awkweirdlymajestic]

Spent my day in the Mini lab doing chloroform extractions and testing environmental samples for surfactants, aka soap residue. The blue-green color is a reaction between the chloroform binding with both the surfactant in the sample and a methylene blue color reagent.

[etlco966]

ISO 17025 Accredited Top Environmental Lab in Saudi Arabia Now

Lab tests are critical in environmental protection and ensuring that industries in different fields comply. The meaning of ISO 17025 Accredited Environmental Lab in Saudi Arabia is that the testing laboratory complies with the international requirements of quality and competence when analyzing environmental samples. The accredited laboratories have stringent measures to provide effective results that can be relied on by the business, the regulating bodies, and the communities in making crucial decisions about soil, water, waste, and air. 

This kind of accreditation helps one to be confident that the methods of analysis are sound, the equipment is properly maintained, and the personnel are trained to do the complicated tests consistently and accurately. Such quality assurance is needed in the monitoring of pollutants, the detection of contaminants, or studying the effect of the environment on projects and operations.

The organizations that opt to use accredited labs enjoy the results of their work, which are subject to scrutinies which can be used to support regulatory reporting and assist in taking actions aimed at reducing environmental risks. Regardless of whether the data is tested on the industrial emissions or on the natural resources, the ISO 17025 accreditation guarantees the accuracy, comparability, and appropriateness of the data to make high-stakes decisions related to environmental management and sustainability.

[awkweirdlymajestic]

(via https://vimeo.com/231965097?ref=tu-v-share)

Thursday was fun new test day for me at the lab. I don’t usually get a chance to run ignitability analyses as I’m usually running microbio tests and taking care of the QC projects, but Julien needed an extra hand to run the stopwatch. So of course I figured, let’s take video of this stuff as it burns. These were pieces of weapons cleaning rags that we’re testing to see if they can be brought to a landfill for disposal, or if they need to be disposed of as hazardous waste.

[gcrdpl-blog]

Noise Monitoring

Noise is the biggest enemy of the mankind. There is noise everywhere. Even the sky is also not free from noise. Among the many services provided by Gaheli Center for Research and Development Private Limited, the laboratory service provided by it through its Environmental Laboratory is most important. For every environment and occupation health related project/studies, it undertakes to monitor of noise level both during day and night time at prefixed locations. The noise monitoring is carried out in Industrial areas, Commercial areas, Residential areas and in silence zones. Generally, Sound level meters (SLM) is used to measure noise level. Noise dosimeters are also used to measure sound level. The various parameters for which data is collected are Leq, L10, L50, L90. The unit for measurement for noise level is Decibel (dB).

Ambient Air Monitoring

Our ambient air monitoring group continually analyses samples over a range of parameters. These include PM10, PM2.5, Sox, NOx, Ozone, Lead, Arsenic, CO, Benzene, Benzopyrene, Ammonia, and Nickel. The laboratory analysis is to be performed by the experienced staff within stipulated time and precision.

Microbiological Parameters

Laboratory offers a complete array of Microbiology Testing services. Our services include the analysis of fungi (mold), bacteria (Legionella, E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, etc), mycotoxins, endotoxins, allergens. Laboratory undertakes complete range of microbiological tests like-

Total Plate Count

Bacterial count

Coliform Count

E.Coli, Yeast, and Moulds

Salmonella, Shigella

Fungal Count

Faecal Strepococol

Bacillus Antracis

Clostridium spp Pseudomonas Araginosa etc.

Stack Emissions

Laboratory provides analytical services for stack emission monitoring including Particulate Matter, NOx, CO, CO2, O2, SO2, and HF. The Stack Emission Testing Services offered by us are known for the flexibility and effective results. The stack emission arises with the excessive production of plastic printing inks, paints, and adhesives. The stack emission is tested with the help of requisite tools and equipment and this testing further provide assistance to various manufacturing units to deal with environmental, safety and health issues.

Ground Water Monitoring

The deterioration in water quality is a major cause of several deadly diseases. Our laboratory services are available for ground water testing which is conducted as per protocols specified by BIS, APHA, and CPCB. The various parameters for which the ground water is analyzed were Color, Turbidity, pH, Total Dissolved Solids, Total Hardness, Calcium, Magnesium, Alkalinity, Chloride, Fluoride, Iron, Electric Conductivity, Nitrate, Silica, Sodium, Potassium, Bicarbonate, Sulphate, Phenolic Compound, Cyanide, Aluminum, Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Lead, Mercury, Zinc.

Surface Water Monitoring

It is vitally important that surface water is sampled and preserved correctly in order to ensure analysis results accurately. Gaheli Environmental laboratory is supported by specialized staff who can provide you with reliable results for parameters such as pH, Dissolved Oxygen, BOD, Free Ammonia, Sodium Adsorption Ratio, Boron, Conductivity, Temperature, Turbidity, Magnesium, Hardness, Total Alkalinity, Chloride, Sulphate, Nitrate, Fluoride, Sodium, Potassium, TKN, Total Phosphorous, COD, Phenolic Compounds, Lead, Iron, Cadmium, Zinc, Arsenic, Mercury, Chromium, Nickel, TDS.

Waste Water Monitoring

Gaheli Environmental Laboratory follows waste water testing for analysis and evaluation as per standards proposed by a competent authority. These waste water testing standards allow concerned local government authorities, water distribution facilities, and Industries to test the quality of water and ensure safe consumption. We specialize in industrial wastewater monitoring,, wastewater analysis, and wastewater process consulting. We provide into wide variety of services such as

Raw effluents

Treated effluent

Sewage

Domestic effluent

Cooling tower water

Instruments

Gaheli Environmental Laboratory uses lab protocols, quality assurance, and quality control techniques derived from standard methods. Our Laboratory uses a range of modern, state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation to produce accurate and reproducible data. Our laboratory is well equipped having all needed instruments for carrying out analysis of different physical and chemical parameters. We are equipped with Spectrophotometer, BOD analyzer, Gas Chromatography, ISE and multiparameter, Ion chromatography, Salinity analyzer.

Soil Testing

The soil is a complex heterogeneous natural substance formed over a period of time. It contents minerals (45%), Air (25%), water (25%) and organic matter (5%). There are various types of soil viz alluvial soils, red soils, black soils, laterite soils, arid soils, forests soils etc. Soil testing and soil investigation are very significant as it supports plants and vegetation. It is also important for all construction activities like buildings, dams, bridges, tunnels etc. There are various kinds of soil tests, which can be divided into two types viz Classification Tests and Test to determine Engineering properties. The Gaheli Environmental Laboratory has a vast and rich experience in soil tests and soil investigation studies. It has been carrying out following tests which are special in nature:

pH

Texture

Electrical Conductivity

Water holding capacity

Organic carbon

Organic Matter

Available Nitrogen

Bulk density

Sodium, Potassium

Available chloride

Phosphorus, Magnesium

Physical tests- Bearing capacity, Shear Strength, Standard penetration tests etc.

Soil reclamation, Salinity studies, and remedial measures

Soil fertility & micro nutrients suitability for the different type of crops.

[awkweirdlymajestic]

Endyne's Plattsburgh NY facility celebrated International Women's Day in style today.

[brookecrum]

Abilene water lab accreditation could be at risk

If the Abilene Environmental Laboratory does not get new work benches, it could lose its accreditation, according to the national institute that evaluates laboratories.

The variegated blues of the rusted and peeling cabinets and countertops in the city of Abilene's Environmental Laboratory contrasted starkly against the gleaming white machines and sterilized glass beakers and test tubes used to evaluate the city's water supply.

The royal blue countertops where technicians test water and soil samples for possible contaminants that could harm people's health bore powder blue stains, some in the shape of rings left behind by a beaker or Erlenmeyer flask. Others were shapeless bright spots, like puffy cumulus clouds in an otherwise clear sky. Some countertops had faded to powder blue.