June 2019

 

Deadline for Lead Testing is July 1, 2019

NH schools and licensed childcare facilities have until July 1st to complete their first round of testing for lead in drinking water, at all locations where water is available for consumption by children. Has your school, or your child’s school, completed their testing?


Lead poisoning in children is very concerning, and water contamination is not the only source. Homes, schools and buildings built before 1978 are very likely to contain lead paint and lead dust. In addition to water testing, ARA highly recommends testing for lead in paint chips and indoor air.

 

If you have questions about testing water, paint or dust in your school, home, or place of business, contact ARA for more information.

 

The Lowdown on Login

With thousands of samples coming into our lab on a weekly basis, do you ever wonder how we keep track of it all? Our crackerjack login staff and their attention to detail make all the difference in getting your projects started on the right foot! Here are some things you may not know about the login process:

 

Bottle Orders &  Bottle Prep:

  • Every container is prepared by hand.
  • We must verify that proper bottles are sent for the requested parameters. (i.e., preserved or unpreserved container? Glass or plastic?) 
  • We combine tests whenever possible, to reduce bottle ware & time in the field.
  • Logistics & timelines are reviewed & verified, so customers have what they need, when they need it.

 

Sample Receiving

  • Samples are received at ARA by customer drop off, package carrier, or ARA’s courier service.
  • Sample pick up must be managed to consider:

-Logistical schedule of the courier route

-Holding times of samples

  • Certain samples (such as bacteria) cannot be accepted on Fridays or near holidays, due to short holding times.
  • The Chain of Custody (CoC) form must be complete & accurate.
  • Tests with short holding times must be prioritized in login, & the analyst notified ASAP.
  • Each project is assigned a unique job ID#. That # is assigned to each sample (-01, -02, -03, etc).
  • Every container must be labeled with this number, on the cap and bottle.
  • All preserved samples must be checked to ensure proper preservation (pH), with a few exceptions:

* VOA vials and Oil & Grease (which are only checked at analysis)

  • Any discrepancies between the bottles & the CoC form, or any issues at login, must be communicated with the customer ASAP.
  • Any parameters being subcontracted are noted at sample receiving & sent to the sub lab ASAP.
  • Every sample and analysis detail is logged into our Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).

 

And that is just a small, ahem, sample, of the work that goes on behind the scenes at ARA to ensure integrity & accuracy in our  testing & reporting! If you ever have any questions, feel free to give us a call!

 

Deciphering Your PFAS Report

As concerns and news articles about PFAS increase, more and more organizations and individuals are requesting these complex lab tests. Since the information surrounding PFAS compounds seems to change frequently, we've been fielding a lot of questions when folks get their lab reports back. Here are some helpful tips when reading your PFAS report:

 

Making Sense of Your PFAS Report:

  • Your lab test results are listed in the column labeled with the field sample ID.
  • A number with a U after it (for example, 0.18 U) means that compound was not detected (or, Undetected) at that level.
  • A number with a J after it (for example, 1.8 J) means that compound was detected at a very low level, in between the Reportable Detection Limit (RDL) and Method Detection Limit (MDL). Because it is detected at such a low concentration, the reported result is an estimate.
  • The compounds listed under “Surrogate Recovery” are compounds added to your sample as part of the lab’s Quality Control procedures. These are not your test results.
  • All of the compounds listed in the PFAS report fall under the category of perfluorinated alkyl substances. Because research is so new, only a handful of the compounds currently have Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), and varies by state. 

 

 


We’re more than “Just a Lab!”

We’re more than “Just IAQ!”

Need help with any of these services? 

Call us for a quick quote! 

Bid Documentation & Submittal Services

IAQ Services for the Healthcare Industry

Legionella Management Services

Mold Investigations

Expert Witness Testimony

 


 

How many new employees did ARA welcome this quarter? The first person to respond with the correct answer via email will win a free copy of this great mold handbook for homeowners: 

“MOLD: Myth or Monster?”

by Guy Sylvester.

Email Your Reply Here

 

 

 


 

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The Resource Rambler Newsletter is brought to you by your friends at Absolute Resource Associates, 124 Heritage Ave. Unit #16 Portsmouth, NH 03801   603-436-2001

©2019

 

 

 

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