Weck Laboratories will be exhibiting at the Annual California WateReuse Conference in Indian Wells, CA on November 5th-7th, 2023. Please stop by and visit us at Booth #25.

The Washington, DC-based American Council of Independent Laboratories, (ACIL) announced the laboratories receiving the nationwide 2023 ACIL Seal of Excellence (SOE) Award. To become a participant, testing laboratories must distribute satisfaction surveys to customers, commit to an ethics program and submit a signed code of ethics. Participants in 2023 demonstrated an average timeliness of 3.5 out of possible 4.0 and an overall customer satisfaction score of 3.8 out of a possible 4.0.

6PPD is used as a preservative in nearly all tires and may be present in creeks and waterways near busy roads across the world. The fatal effects of 6PPD-Quinone and other transformation products have been found to impact other species of fish as well.

We are proud to be a Small Business Sponsor and Exhibitor at the upcoming SAME Camp Pendleton Day 2023.

Weck Labs' expertise in testing for PFAS spans more than 17 years and we provide continuous development to meet new regulatory drivers. Weck Laboratories currently offers several methods for determination of PFAS including EPA methods 537.1, 533, Draft 1633 and methods compliant to the Department of Defense (DoD). Weck can currently test for 44 PFAS compounds.

We are proud to be a Small Business Sponsor and Exhibitor at the upcoming SAME Camp Pendleton Day 2022.

We are proud to be a Small Business Sponsor and Exhibitor at the upcoming SAME Federal Business Opportunities Symposium.

Weck Laboratories adds to the list of California ELAP certified methods.

Weck Laboratories offers several methods for 1,4-Dioxane to ensure that project and regulatory requirements are met.

Weck Laboratories will be attending and exhibiting at the WateReuse California Annual Conference, September 19-21, in Los Angeles.

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) notification level (NL) recommendations for four cyanotoxins.

Since 6PPD-quinone is not currently an EPA Priority Pollutant, many analytical labs are not equipped to test for 6PPD-quinone, leaving water quality experts without options to test stormwater samples. To meet this emerging need, Weck Labs developed an analytical method using state-of-the-art LC-MS/MS technology.

How Weck Laboratories has planned for business continuity during COVID-19 enabling us to provide you with uninterrupted service for essential testing requirements.

Weck Laboratories routinely performs analyses for environmental compliance, however, some emerging contaminants may not be regulated yet or may not have a published method. In these situations, Weck is able to develop and validate methods in-house.

1,2-Dibromoethane, also known as ethylene dibromide (EDB) was used primarily as an anti-knock agent in gasoline along with fumigation of grain. 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane, (dibromochloropropane) better known as DBCP was used primarily as soil fumigant for nematodes.

Bromate is a disinfection byproduct produced when ozone is used to disinfect drinking water that contains bromide and bromide-containing compounds.

Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are important elements in controlling the anaerobic digestion process. It has two important roles: decomposing organics and generating gasses, methane and carbon dioxide.

How Weck Laboratories has planned for business continuity during COVID-19 enabling us to provide you with uninterrupted service for essential testing requirements.

There is no Emergent Contaminant "hotter" right now than PFAS in the country! These are the perflouro alkyl substances that really are ubiquitous, persistent, don't decompose and they are hard to remove.

Weck Laboratories has gained CA ELAP certification to perform EPA method 537.1, the most complete certifiable drinking water method available with 18 target compounds.  

The fourth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 4) requires ~6,000 Public Water Supply systems to participate in monitoring for 30 chemical contaminants between 2018 and 2020 using newly developed analytical methods approved by EPA.

Weck Laboratories is certified for testing Lead in Ambient & Source samples. Rule 1420 aims to protect public health by reducing emissions and ambient air concentrations of lead from facilities that use or process lead-containing materials.   

Neonicotinoids are a class of neuro-active insecticides chemically similar to nicotine. The most common members of the neonicotinoid family are acetamiprid, clothianidin, imidacloprid, dinotefuran, thiacloprid and thiamethoxam.

Aquatic herbicides are chemicals specifically formulated for use in water to kill or control aquatic plants. They are applied directly to the target plant or dispersed within the water for the purpose of treating invasive weeds.

Hydrazine has numerous commercial uses. In the 1950s and 1960s its primary use was in rocket propellants. By 1980 other uses were prevalent as precursors, blowing agents, corrosion inhibitors, etc.

Weck Laboratories has expanded the suite of tests offered for contaminants in food products including produce, fish tissue, pharmaceutical formulations, nutritional supplements and raw materials.

On June 17th, 2015, EPA issued a health advisory for microcystins and cylindrospermopsin. Health advisories are non-regulatory levels of potential concern, below which there are expected to be no health impacts. The document identifies two different levels for each of those cyanotoxins, one for children under six and a separate, somewhat higher level for older children and adults. In a separate document titled Recommendations for Public Water Systems to Manage Cyanotoxins in Drinking Water, EPA also provides recommendations to utilities on monitoring, treatment, and several other issues. Among them are recommendations for public notification procedures for exceedances of advisory thresholds, including circumstances in which EPA recommends that water utilities issue "Do Not Drink / Do Not Boil" orders.

Agustin Pierri recently completed his doctorate in chemistry at the University of California at Santa Barbara where his graduate work focused on development of photoactive drugs and nanocarriers for the targeted delivery of small molecules to biological targets. Agustin has worked in the Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LCMSMS) department of Weck Laboratories since 2007 and is now leading new method development for all departments.

Weck laboratories has two LCMS and two GCMS triple quadupole mass spectrometers. We are retiring our original LCMS instrument (purchased in April 2005) and replacing it with the latest offering from Agilent Technologies, the 6495 LCMS triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, for use with applications requiring the highest sensitivity and robustness. This system is designed for both routine laboratory analysis and for the most challenging quantitation in environmental and food safety applications.

Weck laboratories has two LCMS and two GCMS triple quadupole mass spectrometers. Hexavalent Chromium by Ion Chromatography (EPA 218.6) was previously reported by Weck Laboratories at 0.3 ug/L. However, due to increased interest and the ability for the test method to measure much lower levels, the new routine reporting limit has been lowered to 0.02 ug/L. Please contact your Weck Laboratories project manager if you require a different reporting level for your compliance program.

The presence of low molecular weight hydrocarbon gases in groundwater are used to indicate the progress of natural bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated sites due to the microbial degradation of heavier hydrocarbons. Typically, these are methane, ethane, ethene, and propane. In groundwater, these light hydrocarbons are determined with a gas chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID), using a static heated headspace procedure. Water samples are heated in partially-filled headspace vials, and upon reaching equilibrium, an aliquot of the headspace is injected directly into the GC-FID. The hydrocarbon gases can be determined to low parts-per-billion (10 µg/L) levels in water samples. Hydrogen (10 ug/L) and Carbon Dioxide (200 ug/L) can also be measured

The Washington, DC-based American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACIL) announced the laboratories receiving the nationwide 2014 ACIL Seal of Excellence (SOE) Award at the ACIL Annual Meeting.  Developed in 1996 to address the industry's quality issues and recognize those laboratories with exemplary quality performance, the SOE Program also provides laboratory data users with a mechanism to evaluate testing laboratories. Participants commit to ensuring data integrity, meeting customers' quality needs and setting performance standards for the testing laboratory industry.

With continuing success in business growth, we have recently built out more space on the second floor for records retention and sample container storage. Our current effort converts the original upstairs area into office space.

EPA acknowledged the challenges of cyanide analysis and sample preservation and in May 2012 amended 40 CFR Part 136 to add additional methods. Weck Labs received CDPH NELAP approval for test method OIA-1677-09 on November 14th, 2013.

CA-ELAP updated the hold time for Cr6 in drinking water by EPA 218.6 to 14 days, which is a significant change from the previous 24 hour holding time. They have also recommended that samples be preserved in the field per EPA 218.7.

Weck Laboratories is a regular participant of the NIST Dietary Supplement Laboratory Quality Assurance Program (DSQAP). The program was established in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) in 2007 to enable members of the dietary supplements community to improve the accuracy of measurements for demonstration of compliance with various regulations including the dietary supplement current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs)...

Weck Laboratories receives United States Department of Defense Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOD-ELAP) approval. Weck Labs is also listed on the DOD Environment, Safety and Occupational Health Network and Information Exchange website listing of accredited labs...

A new Agilent 7700x ICP/MS has been installed, validated and currently running samples for EPA Methods 200.8 and 6020. The instrument is about twice as sensitive than our previous ICP/MS Agilent 7500ce model. The new instrument is equipped with an Integrated Sample Introduction System (ISIS) which increases sample throughput while reducing difficult matrices such as seawater and brines samples. The addition of this instrument increases our capacity while allowing us to further segregate methods and matrices to streamline processing of samples, resulting in enhanced turnaround time for our customers...

Arsenic speciation of both inorganic and organic forms in aqueous matrices is performed by Ion Exchange technique using HPLC/ICPMS instrumentation.  Aqueous matrices include ground water, surface water, seawater, fruit juices, etc...

As part of the NELAP accreditation, Weck Laboratories performs numerous analyses of proficiency testing (PT) samples, which is double the number that laboratories holding California ELAP certification are required to perform.   In the last 12 months, over 1,470 PT test parameters have been analyzed.  Results from the first half of 2014 demonstrate a 99.5% accuracy...

Brandon, currently a Project Manager at Weck Laboratories, has recently obtained a Certificate in Recycling and Solid Waste Management from UCLA extension; this is a twenty four unit program, which has been earned with distinction.

Brandon joined Weck Laboratories in September of 2006 and prior to becoming a Project Manager, has worked in the Organic Department of the laboratory performing sample preparation, GC and GC/MS analysis of environmental samples. In March of 2014 he has been promoted to Senior Project Manager.

Starting as a small industrial consulting laboratory in 1964, we have continually grown in staff, facilities and instrumentation. Our broad and deep experience, expanded capabilities, enhanced quality, new method development and acquisition of state-of-the art instrumentation has positioned Weck Laboratories as a premier provider of high quality and defensible analytical data. As a result of our broad capabilities, Weck Laboratories performs virtually all routinely requested analytical testing in-house at our City of Industry laboratory...

Weck Laboratories, Inc. has obtained NELAP accreditation with the State of Oregon (ORELAP) as primary accreditation due to the withdrawal of the State of California from NELAC effective January 31, 2014. Weck Laboratories, Inc. has a current NELAP certificate from California which expires on 10/31/2014; however as of 1/31/2014, California is no longer a NELAP-recognized Accreditation Body (“NELAP AB”). In the effort to maintain the highest possible level of accreditation, Weck Laboratories has been granted accreditation by ORELAP in accordance with NELAP Standards (Certificate 4047) and in addition, has requested the transfer of all the parameters previously accredited in California under NELAP to their ELAP certificate 1132...

The effectiveness of activated carbon is based upon the amount of a test chemical it can absorb per unit weight of carbon. The test chemicals used for effectiveness testing of filtering air and gases is Butane; for filtering water and liquids, is Iodine in water and for wastewater odor control, is Hydrogen Sulfide. Under the microscope, a granule of activated carbon is full of tiny holes which give the carbon a large and "active" surface area. The greater the area, the more it can absorb. A teaspoonful of a typical activated carbon has enough surface area to cover a football field (1000 m2/g)...

• Drinking Water - removal of disinfection byproducts, organic contaminants, taste & odor producing compounds
• Food & Beverage - removal of impurities, color & odor from water, syrups, additives, alcohols, glycerin, etc.
• Wastewater Treatment - for control of airborne odor and removal of waterborne organics & toxicity
• Industrial processes - purification, separation or concentration of reagents, antibiotics, vitamins, petrochemicals
• Personal Protection - from exposure to solvents, pesticides and other industrial chemicals in the workplace
• Metals Recovery - mercury removal from power plant flue gas streams; recovery of precious metals, rare earths and base metals in mining operations

Weck Labs provides the following suite of test methods to determine the remaining life of in-use carbon material for removal of hydrogen sulfide.

Weck Laboratories proudly announces an upgraded website enhanced for browsing and speed.  The following list highlights the new features...

The Los Angeles Reqional Water Quality Control Board has recently specified the monitoring of constituents of emerging concern (CECs) in work plans for several water reclamation facilities. Among these CECs are hormones, alkylphenols, pharmaceuticals, polybrominated diphenylethers, personal care products and newer use pesticides...

The Washington, DC-based American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACIL) announced the 20 laboratories receiving the nationwide 2013 ACIL Seal of Excellence (SOE) Award at the ACIL Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, AZ.  Developed in 1996 to address the industry's quality issues and recognize those laboratories with exemplary quality performance, the SOE Program also provides laboratory data users with a mechanism to evaluate testing laboratories. Participants commit to ensuring data integrity, meeting customers' quality needs and setting performance standards for the testing laboratory industry...

Weck Laboratories has received NELAP certification for a new Cyanide method in wastewater matrices from the California Department of Public Health. The new method, offers lower detection limits, and fewer interferences than in the routine EPA 335.4 method currently employed. On April 17, 2012 the USEPA Administrator signed a Method Update Rule (MUR) approving new methods for analysis of NPDES wastewater samples...

Weck Laboratory was recently awarded a research contract for analysis of Nicotine and metabolites in biological fluids. The three target analytes: Nicotine, Cotinine and t-3'-Hydroxycotinine are analyzed by direct injection liquid chromatography and electro-spray positive ionization mode tandem mass spectrometry. The laboratory has demontrated direct injection reporting limits for each compound at 1 microgram per liter (ug/L) and method detection limits less than 0.3 ug/L. Environmental water samples can be analyzed with reporting limits approximately 500 times lower limits [2 nanograms per liter (ng/L)] with concentration by solid phase extraction (SPE) technique. Cotinine has been routinely analyzed since the beginning of 2009 with a suite of 38 hormones, pharmaceuticals and personal care products at the low parts per trillion levels (ng/L).

Indicator parameters for monitoring the progress of natural attenuation of hydrocarbon contaminated sites includes the analysis for low molecular weight hydrocarbon gases released by microbial action as heavier hydrocarbons are broken down. These are typically Methane, Ethane, Ethene & Propane. These light hydrocarbons are monitored in groundwater samples by a static heated headspace procedure. Water samples are heated in vials partially filled with the water sample. Upon reaching equilibrium, the headspace vapor over the water is subsampled and injected into a gas chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector. Upon separation of the components and combustion, the concentrations are determined from the proportional response of the charged combustion fragments to an electrical current in the detector. The light hydrocarbons can be measured to low ppb levels in water samples.

Cleaning validation for production equipment at pharmaceutical facilities is an evaluation that is conducted to prevent cross-contamination from previously processed products and detergent used for equipment cleaning, as well as foreign material from the environment that could be present in in the production equipment...

Weck Laboratories will be exhibiting at the following conferences:

WateReuse California	California-Nevada Section AWWA
2013 WateReuse California Annual Conference	2013 Spring Conference
Monterey, CA	Las Vegas, NV
March 17-19, 2013	March 25-28, 2013

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) approves Weck Laboratories for Dioxin analysis of drinking water samples!  Weck Laboratories can now test for the 2,3,7,8-TetraChloroDibenzoDioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD) isomer for drinking water compliance monitoring.  The determination is accompplished by EPA test method 1613B with a reporting limit of 5 picograms per liter (pg/L)...

Weck Laboratories has provided analytical support for the Environmental Protection Agency's UCMR program for UCMR1 & UCMR2 and will do so again for UCMR3. The laboratory has developed the methods for compliance with the Rule. All List 1 & List 2 methods are currently availabe for analysis in-house at Weck Laboratories! ...

Eduardo Morales of Weck Laboratories presented a poster on August 6th thru 10th, at the NEMC Washington D.C. conference on the research topic: Stability Assessment of Organophosphorous Pesticides During GCMS Analysis in the Presence of Analyte Protectants and Frequently Used Organic Solvents...

Weck Laboratories will be exhibiting at the following conferences:

California Stormwater Quality Association 8th Annual CASQA Conference San Diego, CA November 5-7, 2012

Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) 33rd Annual Meeting Long Beach, CA November 11-15, 2012

Weck Laboratories has provided analytical support for the Environmental Protection Agency's UCMR program for UCMR1 & UCMR2 and will do so again for UCMR3. The laboratory has developed the methods for compliance with the Rule. All List 1 methods are currently availabe for analysis in-house at Weck Laboratories! Utilities now have the opportunity to do preliminary monitoring to determine vulnerability to UCMR3 contaminants...

The Washington, DC-based American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACIL) announced the 21 laboratories receiving the nationwide 2011 ACIL Seal of Excellence (SOE) Award at the ACIL Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA. Developed in 1996 to address the industry's quality issues and recognize those laboratories with exemplary quality performance, the SOE Program also provides laboratory data users with a mechanism to evaluate testing laboratories...

Weck Laboratories, Inc. now offers the identification of positive results from testing for the Coliform group of bacteria. We employ the API 20 E® standardized identification system from bioMérieux. The system is applicable for Enterobacteriaceae and other non-fastidious, gram negative rods and uses miniaturized biochemical tests and a database. The test strip consists of microtubes containing dehydrated substrates. These tubes are inoculated with a bacterial suspension that reconstitutes the media. During incubation, metabolism produces color changes that are either spontaneous or revealed by the addition of reagents. The reactions are recorded and compared to an Analytical Profile Index table...

Assessment of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination in environmental media has traditionally focused on Aroclors, which are commercial mixtures of PCB compounds. However, congener-specific analysis, of individual PCB compounds, is more applicable where degradation and/or weathering may have occurred. Since congeners with higher molecular weights tend to bioaccumulate and biomagnify to a greater degree, quantitation of individual congeners is more accurate than estimating the Aroclors when evaluating potential adverse effects to ecological systems...

The agency recently issued guidance recommending how public water systems might enhance monitoring and sampling programs specifically for hexavalent chromium. The recommendations are in response to emerging scientific evidence that chromium-6 could pose health concerns if consumed over long periods of time. The enhanced monitoring guidance provides recommendations on where the systems should collect samples and how often they should be collected, along with analytical methods for laboratory testing...

The agency plans to move forward with the development of a regulation for perchlorate to protect Americans from any potential health impacts, while also continuing to take steps to ensure the quality of the water they drink. The decision to undertake a first-ever national standard for perchlorate reverses a decision made by the previous administration. EPA will begin to evaluate the feasibility and affordability of treatment technologies to remove perchlorate and will examine the costs and benefits of potential standards...

Weck Laboratories is now certified to perform Radon testing in water samples. Our radiochemical testing services include Gross Alpha, Gross Beta, Uranium & Radon. See CDPH certification section 106.610

EPA’s contracting office has evaluated Weck Laboratories relative to the agency’s contract for testing services for the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule Number 2, List 1. The report indicates that Weck demonstrated high quality in reported analytical data, delivered rapid turnaround time, provided responsive communications, was attentive to detail, provided effective contract management and was commitment to resolving issues. View CPARS document.

The American Council of Independent Laboratories presented Weck Laboratories with a Special Recognition for Customer Satisfaction, placing in the Top Fifth of program participants.

The Seal of Excellence program participants are committed to ensuring the integrity of laboratory data, meeting customers' quality needs and setting the standards of performance for the testing laboratory industry. The program ranks participating laboratories' previous 12 months of proficiency-testing study rounds, examines customer-satisfaction ratings and feedback, and requires laboratory management to commit to a data-integrity program. The Seal of Excellence program was developed in 1996 to address the industry's need to improve its focus on quality issues and recognize laboratories with exceptional quality performance.

Weck Laboratories joins the Environmental Response Laboratory Network. The ERLN is EPA's national network of laboratories that can be accessed as needed to support large scale environmental responses. With the threat of a chemical, biological, and radiological attack to the United States becoming more complex, the need for accurate, timely environmental testing capabilities becomes even more crucial to manage a response effectively.

Weck Laboratories acquires Agilent Technologies new 7000B Triple Quadrupole Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS/MS), delivering high confidence in ultra-trace level results, while shortening analysis times for target compounds in complex samples. The 7000B provides femtogram-level sensitivity for analyses such as pesticides, PAHs, PCBs, pyrethroids, THC, and steroids in food, environmental, pharmaceutical, and forensic matrices. Advanced GC and MS/MS technologies translate into everyday high performance. MS/MS techniques are most often cited for consistent, ultra-low detection limits with very complex sample matrices...

Recent improvements in the GCMS-NCI-SIM analysis for Pyrethroid pesticides method at Weck Laboratories now includes Esfenvalerate being added to the target compound list. The enhancements also result in lowered reporting limits for most compounds from 10 ng/L to 2 ng/L...

Weck Laboratories acquires Pickering Lab's GPC ULTRA. The ULTRA automates Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) sample concentration for the clean-up of complex animal tissues, food products, and environmental samples. The high recoveries and concentrated samples are easily analyzed by GC, GC-MS, HPLC or LC-MS. GPC is a well-known technology for the removal of fats, proteins, and other large bio-molecules from samples in order to prevent interfer¬ence in the analysis of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides, PCBs, antibiotics, mycotoxins, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and other semi-volatile compounds. Ideally suited for high-throughput laboratories requiring reliability and reproducibility, the GPC ULTRA is optimized for unattended operation, low maintenance, and consistent recoveries.

Weck Laboratories has completed the upgrade process to Element DataSystem version 6.0. This major new release offers features that increase laboratory productivity and expand access to critical analytical information. Features Include sample bottle kitting, automated bench sheet calculations, enhanced case narratives, and extended reporting capabilities. New features.

Promium, LLC announces that two of the top five most productive environmental labs in the country use their Element DataSystem LIMS software. According toThe Steve Maxwell / ELWR 2009 Lab Survey and Analysis published in the May 2009 Environmental Laboratory Washington Report, Weck Laboratories is among the top five most productive labs based on revenue per employee. The report attributes the operational success in large part to "...automated lab data management systems as the critical cornerstone for improved productivity."

Determination of Trace Elements in Water by On-Line Chelation Preconcentration and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry. Weck Laboratories has expanded the target metals list from 14 to 20 elements! Three sampl e pre-treatment options within the method employ co-precipitation, reduction or ion exchange pre-concentration. These steps remove the dissolved solids matrix while concentrating the target analytes. This sample preparation significantly reduces interferences and enhances the detection limits. The column preconcentration technique is applicable to most of the elements and employs an iminodiacetate functionalized chelating resin column in an on-line pH buffered system. It is the most efficient option as sample handling is minimal...

We are scheduled to launch a new version of our website during the first quarter of 2010. It will include many new features to enhance your access to analytical data and information at www.wecklabs.com .The new features will include...

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing facility effluents are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency's standards for wastewater discharges as specified under Pharmaceutical Effluent Guidlines in 40CFR439. Conventional and non-conventional pollutants are listed under four industrial process categories: Fermentation, Extraction, Chemical Synthesis & Mixing, Compounding or Formulation...

Last July we added 500 square feet to our Radiochemistry Department, and now we are undertaking the addition of 360 sg. ft. to our Microbiology Lab and 480 st. ft. to our Sample Preparation area! We'll update our Laboratory Virtual Tour to include photos of the new additions once complete!

Weck Laboratories has completed the process for approval to perform environmental analysis for Acrylamide by liquid chromatography (LC) separation and both ultaviolet (UV) and tandem mass spectrometry (MSMS). The LCMSMS detection limit is 0.1 ug/L.

While recycling is a term generally applied to aluminum cans, glass bottles, and newspapers, water can be recycled as well. Water recycling is reusing treated wastewater for beneficial purposes such as agricultural and landscape irrigation, industrial processes, toilet flushing, and replenishing a ground water basin (referred to as ground water recharge). More from EPA Region 9 on Water Recycling and Reuse: The Environmental Benefits...

Geosmin and 2-Methylisoborneol (2-MIB) are two of the most commonly occurring chemicals attributed to the unpleasant taste and odor characteristics of drinking water. In addition to water, they also contribute to a distinct earthy taste in wine and certain fish species. These compounds are primarily formed intracellularly in bluegreen algae (cyanobacteria) and actinobacteria, and are released upon cell destruction...

This method compares the performance of granular or pelletized activated carbons used in odor control applications, such as sewage treatment plants, pump stations, etc. The method determines the relative breakthrough performance of activated carbon for removing hydrogen sulfide from a humidified gas stream. This test method is intended to evaluate the performance of virgin, newly impregnated or in-service, granular or pelletized activated carbon for the removal of hydrogen sulfide from an air stream, under laboratory test conditions. A humidified air stream containing 1 % (by volume) hydrogen sulfide is passed through a carbon bed until 50 ppm breakthrough of H2S is observed. The H2S adsorption capacity of the carbon per unit volume at 99.5 % removal efficiency (g H2S/cm3 carbon) is then calculated.

As a degradation product of alkanolamine and alkylalkanolamine solutions, , also known as bicine, is commonly found in gas treating amine solutions. The proposed pathways for the formation of bicine in amine solutions are all from alkanolamines and alkylalkanolamines such as DEA and MDEA. For example, some possible pathways are by either reacting DEA with glyoxal or through direct oxidation of DEA, MDEA, or TEA by O2 or SO2. Studies have shown...

Melamine and cyanuric acid are nitrogen rich compounds which have been used as adulterants in a means to artificially inflate the protein content in imported food products. When found individually, melamine and cyanuric acid are not toxic; however, when combined in the bloodstream, they accumulate in the kidneys and form very large insoluble crystals (melamine cyanurate), which in turn can lead to renal failure and ultimately, death...

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are ubiquitous carcinogenic chemicals which have many uses, including the synthesis of fluoropolymers such as Teflon®, industrial surfactants, lubricants, waxes and adhesives, among other products-with an estimated worldwide production of 5-6.5 million kg/year. The discovery of several PFCs in coastal waters both near industrial centers, and in remote environments, as well the detection of PFCs in human blood serum and in the tissues of aquatic animals has sparked concern as to the global fate of this common contaminant...

Determination of Trace Elements in Water by On-Line Chelation Preconcentration and Inductively Coupled Plasma- Mass Spectrometry. Weck Laboratories has developed all three sample pre- treatment options within the method which employ co- precipitation, reduction or ion exchange pre- concentration. These steps remove the saline matrix which significantly reduces interferences and enhances the detection limits...

Acrylamide is primarily used as a coagulant to aid in the filtration of drinking water & wastewater during treatment. Other uses of include improvement of production from oil wells; in making organic chemicals and dyes; in the sizing of paper and textiles; in ore processing; in the construction of dam foundations and tunnels. It is measured at Weck Labs by direct-injection Liquid Chromatography- Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LCMSMS) with a reporting limit of 1 ug/L.

The initial Caliper Life Sciences' AutoTrace® SPE Workstation performed so well that we added two more units! The workstation is a powerful, high throughput workstation dedicated specifically for automating Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) for sample clean up. The AutoTrace automates the cartridge conditioning, sample loading and elution steps for large volume aqueous solution extractions (up to 2000ml's) traditionally used in environmental sample analysis...

Microcystins are hepatoxic, carcinogenic compounds produced by certain types of cyanobacteria commonly found in surface water algae blooms. The World Health Organization has established a maximum contaminant level of 1 ug/L and these have been analyzed by SPE concentration and HPLC in the past. By taking advantage of the high sensitivity of the instrument, Weck employs a direct injection LCMSMS method that bypasses the concentration step. More info

Weck Laboratories has added a 2nd new LCMSMS system. The Applied Biosystems 4000 QTrap is a high performance ion trap and a high sensitivity triple quadrupole mass spectrometer in one system. It's primary use is for new methods development and for pharmaceuticals, personal care products & endocrine disruptors analysis. Our PPCP/EDC target compound list is now expanded with lower detection limits. Our first LCMSMS, a Varian 1200L system, runs routine samples for EPA 535 UCMR2 and EPA 331.0 perchlorate.

Weck Laboratories has received the ACIL Seal of Excellence & Special Recognition for being in the "Top Five" labs in Proficiency Testing scores for 2008 The Award is presented to laboratories scoring greater than 90% on the combined average of all the PT studies for the previous twelve months and ranked better than 3 on overall customer satisfaction and timeliness as measured by the Seal of Excellence Survey. Weck scored 98.6% relative to the the average of 96.7% for all survey participants.

Our staff here at Weck Laboratories has been busy with new method development, facility expansion and process automation. This newsletter focuses on five new procedures: (3) GCMS-SIM; (2) ICMSMS/LCMSMS. Our expansion includes approximately 500 square feet of additional radiochemistry space including a new sample preparation hood.

pCBSA is a by-product from the manufacturing of the banned pesticide DDT. It is measured at Weck Labs by Ion Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (IC/MS/MS) with a reporting limit of 1 ug/L.

Weck is currently capable of determining the concentration of 25 of the 209 possible congeners of PCB at 10 ng/L (ppt) levels. The congeners range from 2,4'- Dichlorobiphenyl to Decachlorobiphenyl. The target compounds are removed from water samples by automated Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) and are analyzed by electron impact ionization GCMS in the Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) mode.

Environmental monitoring of pyrethroid pesticide residue is becoming an increasing concern in stormwater, agricultural run-off, and sediments as some organophosphorus pesticides are replaced with pyrethroids. Very low levels, down to 10 ng/L can be detected by Weck Laboratories' GCMS-SIM procedure using negative chemical ionization...

Weck Laboratories can analyze organophosphorus pesticides via Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) mode Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) at 25 times lower detection limits than EPA method 8141A. This later method employs GC/NPD at detection limits of 250 nanograms per liter, whereas the GCMS-SIM method reaches down to 10 ng/L. Target compounds and limits.

Weck Laboratories has been performing the above two liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectral methods since 2006 and has analyzed over 1300 samples! Recently the California Department of Public Health added two new methods to their certification process. Weck has been approved for EPA 331.0 LCMSMS and EPA 332.0 ICMSMS techniques for low-level perchlorate to 0.1 ug/L in water. Note that these two methods require a sterile sampling procedure using sterile syringe, 0.2 micron filter and bottle. Please contact a laboratory project manager for details.

Weck Laboratories proudly announces the launch of its new updated website at www.wecklabs.com! Please come by on the web and see our expanded online services, meet the staff who provide you with analytical and customer services, view the enhanced web data access features via our online demo, take a virtual tour of our new laboratory facility and find information on specific analyses and more. Let us know what you like about it and what else you would like to see via our feedback form on the contact drop-down menu.

A perfect complement to high-speed analytical tech- niques, the AutoTrace SPE is a powerful, high- throughput workstation dedicated specifically for automating Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) for sample clean up. The AutoTrace automates the cartridge conditioning, sample loading and elution steps for large volume aqueous solution extractions (up to 2000ml's) traditionally used in environmental sample analysis. The unit can process up to six samples in parallel, automatically conditioning, washing, and eluting SPE cartridges with a choice of up to five reagents...

Our method development chemists have finalized analytical procedures for surveying water sources for the presence of trace levels of Endocrine Disruptor Compounds (EDCs) and Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs). These include reproductive hormones, flame retardants, alkyl phenols, opiates, analgesics, stimulants, anti-convulsants, statins & plasticizing agents. The various methods employ solid phase extraction and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) and Liquid Chromatography /tandem Mass Spectrometry (LCMSMS). Detection limits range from the low parts per billion (ug/L) to the low parts per trillion (ng/L). For more information on these emergent chemicals, please contact Leo Raab.

General Sample preservation temperature requirement has changed from 4 (+/- 2) degrees C to less than or equal to (=<) 6 degrees C. Hexavalent Chromium - The Rule includes the extension of the holding time when analyzed by the Ion Chromatography method EPA 218.6 from 24 hours to 28 days. The sample must be pre- served at the time of sampling with the ammonium sulfate buffer solution specified in the method...