After what felt like a never ending winter, we are finally celebrating spring in northern Nevada! Every April, WETLAB takes time to celebrate Earth Day and the environment, which is an important part of our mission and culture. Over a year and a half ago, we launched our Environmental Club as an additional way to make an impact and prioritize taking care of our environment throughout the year.  Our club is a fully employee driven and created club, so that we could try and find ways we can make the world a better and greener place, starting right here at WETLAB and in our own lives. 

With the creation of this club, we intended to:

1. Learn ways to reduce our environmental footprint both at the office, and in our personal lives.
2. Connect people from different departments that share similar interests.
3. Plan events where we can encourage ourselves and co-workers to spend more time in nature.
4. And most importantly, have fun!

One of our most impactful initiatives has been promoting recycling, both at the office and in our personal lives. We have been able to reduce waste by converting garbage to recycling and worked to educate ourselves and co-workers about the guidelines, so as not to contaminate our recycling. Part of this initiative was developing a program that worked for our company. We ultimately added recycling stations and worked with Waste Management to provide a single stream recycling dumpster,  which they pick up from our office,  making it easier for us to recycle. 

As we worked to identify other ways to make an impact, we made the decision to retrofit the entire building with LED lights, eliminating our older energy inefficient lights altogether. This was a big project for us, with big rewards, as it helps us reduce energy consumption, our environmental impact, and our energy bill. 

We have worked together to make great progress on a plant wall, located in our lobby, picking up plants to use, installing a drip system for watering and creating a log to maintain regular care for the plants. Our wall is not only a wonderful and green addition to our work space, but living walls can help reduce pollution by purifying the air and releasing oxygen. They can also reduce noise levels by reflecting, refracting and absorbing acoustic energy. Did you know that living walls are known to boost office productivity? 

Our Environmental Club has not only helped to make a larger impact on our environment, but has also improved relationships and connections among our team by encouraging fun, nature filled activities together. We attended a camping trip at Grasshopper Flat Campground in Lake Davis and enjoyed some hiking, led by Nick and Robert W. We had fun making desk gardens in November, which we dedicated to our friend Cassie in honor of her love of art and artistic ability. 

As we reflect on another Earth Day and the intentions of our company and the Environmental Club, we look forward to continuing to find ways to make a difference. Some of the projects we are most excited about are: 

• Composting 
• Reducing our single-use plastic use
• Increasing our energy efficiency by participating in the ‘My Green Lab Freezer’ challenge, a global competition for laboratories, designed to promote best practices in cold storage management. It harnesses the spirit of competition within and between laboratories to achieve greater energy efficiency, sample integrity, sample access, risk prevention, and cost savings.

We welcome ideas, collaborations and participation in our club activities and believe that together, we can make a difference!

Have you ever wondered what happens to your sample once you drop it off at WETLAB? When the samples arrive in the lab, the real fun starts.

The sample preparation process is method specific and involves several different processes and people. During the first step, all samples undergo the same log-in and review procedure, and sample prep is where the tests begin to diverge depending on which analyses are required. Some samples, including many soil tests, require the compositing of different samples into one representative batch. Once properly split, the samples are released to the lab.

Before the samples reach the lab, laboratory scientists clean and prep the necessary equipment, and lab technicians prepare batches of samples based on the tests logged in during step one. Some tests are ready to perform immediately, and those move on to step three. For others, extractions are needed. Some of these extractions take more than one day, like humidity cells, which continue for a few months up to several years. Ensuring proper preparations are performed allows the rest of the analysis to run smoothly.

The next step for a sample at WETLAB is distillation and/or digestion. Lab technicians start with organizing samples by hold times and due dates, ensuring timely and accurate analysis. Then, we look through historical data and perform pre-prep readings (i.e.- electrical conductivity) to determine if any dilutions are needed. All samples are then organized, the sample preparation log is meticulously filled out, and reagents and standard solutions are gathered. The distillation or digestion block is heated, and once the block reaches the correct temperature, the samples are added. This process is carefully monitored, making sure that no samples boil over, and that the bubbles don’t stop during distillation. Once the method required for the distillation and/or digestion process is complete, the samples are removed from the hot block and placed in a post distillation/digestion container. Up next, samples move to analysis.

Analysis times vary by test and start with batch prepping the samples and preparing the instrument. All reagents and standards are logged here and will later be used to monitor for QA/QC and determine accuracy. When the batches and instrumentation are prepped, the samples are run through analysis. During this time, all quality control samples are monitored to ensure that the instrumentation is functioning properly and there are no problems with analysis. If any issues or unexpected results appear, analysts will troubleshoot all instruments and samples. Samples that do not meet acceptance criteria are then re-run. Potential problems can arise when samples have complicated matrices, which can disrupt equipment performance due to sample introduction errors, memory effects, etc.

At this point in our sample’s life cycle, the sample has been received, prepped, distilled/ digested, and analyzed. The next step is entering all the collected data so that it can be transmitted to clients. During this step, all the raw data is reviewed for inaccuracies and to ensure that all quality control samples have been included. All data that can’t be uploaded digitally is hand-entered by lab technicians, which is then checked for input errors such as incorrect dates or mis-typed numbers. After data entry, our sample will reach its terminal stage- reporting.

Once the sample has been received, prepped, distilled/ digested, analyzed, and entered, the final, and terminal step, is reporting. At this point, samples will have been validated, which means that QA/QC parameters have been checked to ensure they are within acceptable ranges. These parameters include checking total versus dissolved solids, Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for drinking water, cation versus anion balances, and several others. If any of these validation measures are outside of acceptable or expected limits, QA staff will determine if the sample needs to be re-analyzed. If the sample passes the validation check, the data is ready to be reported.

Our project management staff ensures that clients are provided with a complete and accurate report of all results and are available to review the report with our clients. If the sample is being analyzed for compliance, such as drinking water for a public water system, the results are also provided to the regulating agency. After reporting is finished, our sample’s submission cycle is complete!

Please contact the WETLAB Project Management Group at 775-355-0202 for specific questions regarding these processes or to schedule a laboratory tour.

The team at WETLAB is excited to announce that we will be judging the Nevada Rural Water Association’s Best Tasting Water Contest.

This is an exciting event to see who gets to claim the Best Tasting Water award for the upcoming year. The winner of the Best Tasting Water will have bragging rights for all of 2023, a press release will be sent to local newspapers to help with your PR efforts. The winning entry also gets placed in the National Contest at the Rural Water Rally in early 2023.

As part of the panel of judges, we will compare Taste, Smell, and Clarity to determine the winner.

The winner will be announced at the Conference Awards Banquet on Thursday, March 16th.

Learn more about the Nevada Rural Water Association here: www.nvrwa.org

From wastewater to soil, sample transportation is one of the most important stages of the sample process.

While transporting samples may seem like a simple task, a variety of factors make the process challenging and complex. Ultimately, sample transportation has a direct impact on sample viability. This is why every laboratory should have clear guidelines in ensuring sample transportation processes are successful.

When it comes to thermal preservation, 2003 NELAC 5.5.8.3.1 and EPA Methods states that all samples that require thermal preservation shall be considered acceptable if the arrival temperature is either within 2 degrees Celsius of the required temperature or method-specified range OR between 0-6 degrees Celsius when the specified storage temperature is 4 degrees Celsius.

Temperature guidelines are always consistent for all sample matrices. At the laboratory, sample temperatures are monitored for adherence to NELAC and method requirements. They are collected and recorded for each sample set received at the laboratory.

Additionally, samples should be received within temperature ranges unless they’re received the same day as collected and received on ice. In the case that this rule is not met, samples may not be valid for compliance and could be rejected without adherence to thermal preservation requirements.

In our experience, here at WETLAB, one issue we’ve encountered in the winter are samples freezing, which forces us to reject samples due to their frozen state. The difficult part of sample transportation is that ice is still required, but when it’s cold outside, ice, sub-zero temps and coolers usually result in frozen samples.

So, what should you do to ensure that your sample is stored and transported correctly?

We recommend that clients transport temperature sensitive samples on ice, in a cooler and place the cooler in a temperature controlled area (i.e. – the interior of vehicles).  These rules should be used whenever the outside temperatures are below 40 degrees F and above 80 degrees F.

If a sample is not preserved properly, the natural biological and chemical consistency of the matrix can change the chemistry and compromise the sample. For example, pH can change in minutes, volatile compounds may be lost, bacteria can decompose constituents, and chemical reactions may change the analytes of interest into a different species (for example NO2 can oxidize to NO3).

Transportation of samples isn’t always recognized as integral to sample integrity, but in fact it is one of the most important steps. The transfer of samples is an important time where preservation begins, and the utmost care should be taken to prevent contamination and degradation.

Some other tips you should consider when transporting samples include sealing the samples in a plastic bag or bucket with an airtight lid. You should also separate wastewater samples from drinking water by placing them in different coolers or individual zip lock bags.

Finally, make sure to provide a completed Chain of Custody (COC) document when relinquishing samples to the laboratory. The COC is a legally defensible document with information specific to the sampling plan, sample information, and transfer of custody to the laboratory.  WETLAB’s digital COC can be found online at https://www.wetlaboratory.com/forms/

If you have any questions regarding sample storage and transportation, please feel free to reach out to us today, https://www.wetlaboratory.com/contact/.

We are so excited for what’s in store this year. We are off to a great start with some exciting announcements and changes.

 

• We were honored to celebrate the holidays this year by making some impactful donations to 6 wonderful local charities. Based on client voting, during the month of December we donated over $15,000 to Three Square, The Reach Foundation, Veterans Guest House, F.I.S.H, Food Bank of Northern Nevada, and Girls on the Run. In addition, we are incredibly honored to have given a portion of our donation to the Nevada Humane Society in honor of Cassie Cummings, a dear friend of ours who passed away last year. Thank you to everyone that voted and participated in supporting our wonderful community. 

 

 

 

 

• We have some exciting information on new metals equipment. We have 2 units, iCAP RQ iMR Quadrupole ICP-MS Spectrometer w/ 1 QCell MFC, coming our way. This innovative single quadrupole (SQ) ICP-MS will benefit our clients by increasing our capacity, thus improving our turnaround time. Learn more about it here: iCAP™ RQ ICP-MS (thermofisher.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

• We’d like to congratulate our team members Austin Baca and Robert Johnson, for completing their training in hazardous waste management. Our employees are always learning and bettering themselves. We are committed to facilitating our staff in expanding their knowledge and education to better serve our clients.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally…

• Be on the lookout for our new logo, coming soon!

 

 

 

Learn more about some regulatory changes below!

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requires that once every five years EPA issues a list of unregulated contaminants to be monitored by public water systems (PWSs).

The fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) was published on December 27, 2021. UCMR 5 requires sample collection for 30 chemical contaminants between 2023 and 2025 using analytical methods developed by EPA and consensus organizations (). This action provides EPA and other interested parties with scientifically valid data on the national occurrence of these contaminants in drinking water. Consistent with EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap, UCMR 5 will provide new data that is critically needed to improve EPA’s understanding of the frequency that 29 PFAS (and lithium) are found in the nation’s drinking water systems and at what levels. This data will ensure science-based decision-making and help prioritize protection of disadvantaged communities.

If you have any questions, or want to learn more about this change, please contact Nick at NickR@wetlaboratory.com.

 

Additionally, California is proposing lower limit for manganese in drinking water.

The State Water Board’s Division of Drinking Water (DDW) is proposing a notification level of 20 parts per billion (ppb) or micrograms per liter (mg/l) and a response level of 200 mg/l for manganese. These levels are based on adverse neurotoxicological effects seen in laboratory animals exposed to manganese. DDW derived a health protective concentration (HPC) using several resources; the HPC is based on one specific candidate study.

The current manganese notification and response levels are 0.5 parts per million (ppm) or milligrams per liter (mg/l) and 5.0 mg/l, respectively.

An informational item on the proposed manganese notification and response levels is planned for the State Water Board’s March 21, 2023 meeting.

The proposed notification and response levels and links to the studies are available at the Division’s website at .

If you have further questions, please contact Andy at andys@wetlaboratory.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are excited to congratulate our long-time team member Cory Baker, who has recently been promoted to Quality Assurance Manager.

In 2013, Cory joined WETLAB as a Quality Assurance Specialist where she was responsible for reviewing and validating data. She gained extensive experience in providing customers with timely, quality data, as well as looking for ways to meet this objective efficiently.  Cory quickly progressed in the Quality Assurance department and assisted with internal audits, corrective actions, SOP review and laboratory personnel training file review.  In 2021, Cory was promoted to Quality Assurance Assistant Manager, where she supervised and trained WETLAB Quality Assurance Specialists, approved data for reporting, and final report issuance.  Additionally, Cory attended Truckee Meadows Community College (Associate of Science – 2009) and completed her Bachelor of Science (2011) in marine and environmental sciences at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.

In her new role Cory will be responsible for the overall direction of the Quality Assurance Department, oversight of WETLAB Quality systems and personnel.  If you have any questions for Cory, please reach out to her at coryb@wetlaboratory.com.

We look forward to seeing her continue to grow as a member of the WETLAB team!

According to Oxford Languages, you can define the word evolution as the gradual development of something. At WETLAB we have many things that continuously call on our Core Value of Innovation. Our innovative spirit allows us to create better efficiencies of our services, offer more services to our clients and/or reduce our impact on the environment. Most of the current evolutions are occurring within our trace metals and organics laboratories. Earlier in 2022, we brought back Volatile Organics (VOCs) via EPA 524.2 and will be requesting VOC analysis in non-potable water and soils/solids via EPA 624 and 8260. Method development began in October of 2022 for Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) by EPA 552.3 and is anticipated to begin offering in-house analysis in Q1 of 2023.

Trace metals has expanded its digestions capabilities to increase throughput by the addition of a hot blocks and a ductless fume hood in the mercury lab. This dedicated fume allows for the greater efficiency of mercury analysis and the ductless systems reduces our overall acid emissions.

We are proud of current improvements and are excited to share more of our initiatives in the future. For more information or a tour of our facility, please contact WETLAB Client Services at 775-355-0202.

WETLAB’s purpose is to provide critical information to solve environmental problems. Each day we provide our clients with information that they use to reduce negative impacts on the environment, and we are proud to play a small role in such an important duty.

Earlier in 2022, a group of WETLAB employees came together to create an environmental club. The purpose of the club is to discuss and propose ideas of how WETLAB can reduce its impact on the environment, educate and create awareness for our staff about our actions and the environment, promote eco-friendly behaviors and create some social opportunities within the organization that have been missing since 2020.

In its short life, the environmental club has made a tremendous impact within the organization. The environmental club has implemented a single-stream recycling program that has reduced the amount of garbage that WETLAB sends to landfill by 50%. Proposed updating all light fixtures and lighting to LED from fluorescent lights. This was completed in late summer of 2022, which has led to smaller carbon footprint, 70% reduction in energy consumption and less created by our lights on temperature sensitive equipment. In June of 2022, the environmental club installed a vertical garden. According to multiple studies, living plants offer a variety of benefits including air purification, ambient temperature reduction, noise reduction, and boosting productivity.

We are proud of the steps we have taken this year and invite you to visit and see some of the changes yourself.

We are honored to be a nominee in the NNBW Best in Business 2022 in the Best in Technology, Up & Coming Business Person, and Most Philanthropic categories! Thank you to our community for your support and acknowledgment. Voting is now open! https://www.nnbw.com/bestinbusiness2022/