member spotlight
There are about 120 water
systems that use the state’s surface
water as their source water. Each
one of these is at risk for harmful
algal blooms.”
top left: Jared Allen loads a summa canister containing an
ambient air sample for TO-15 analysis of volatile organic
compounds. Photo: Ohio EPA
top right: Mark Brand and Susan Kessler prepare an ICP/MS
instrument for analysis of metals in groundwater samples.
Photo: Ohio EPA
In addition to performing its own water
testing, DES audits and certifies about 350
laboratories/year, including public water
system laboratories and commercial
laboratories that perform regulatory
drinking water testing.
Beyond water, Dzamov’s staff tests
approximately 450 consumption fish
collected around the state. The fish—
including bass, catfish and carp—are
tested for polychlorinated biphenyls,
pesticides and heavy metals, and
laboratory findings are the basis for OH
EPA and Ohio Department of Natural
Resources fish consumption advisories.
Other division testing includes routine
air pollution monitoring of fine
particulate matter up to 2.5 microns in
size, confirmatory air testing for other
laboratories and testing related to OH
EPA investigations, such as cases of
suspected vapor intrusion from former
dry cleaning facilities.
Success Story
The laboratory’s most recent success—
and challenge—was development
of a robust method for analysis of
harmful algal toxins like microcystin
cyanobacteria. “The previous method
was liquid chromatography mass
spectrometry,” said Dzamov. “Turn-around
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bottom left: Brandlyn Ott analyzes a water sample collected from a potential harmful algal bloom for microcystin, a common toxin
released by cyanobacteria. Photo: Ohio EPA
bottom right: Jamal Naiyer loads fish tissue sample extract onto a GC/ECD for Pesticide and PCB analysis. Photo: Ohio EPA
time from receiving the sample in-house
to results reporting was a couple days, due
to the time-consuming extraction process.
We developed an ELISA test we can turn
around in about four hours.” The new test,
developed in concert with the agency’s
Drinking and Ground Waters Division,
meets state regulatory requirements for
sensitivity. Challenge
Dzamov said, “The first year that
these regulatory requirements were
implemented, we tested every [harmful
algal bloom] sample in Ohio, because no
other lab could perform the [agency’s
newly developed] test.” Then, the division
developed a certification and training
program, so commercial and public water
system laboratories could implement the
ELISA test using its standard operating
procedure (SOP). “We went to about 35
labs that wanted to do this testing on
their own.” Today, the SOP is part of Ohio’s
regulatory requirements. DES is continuing work on a laboratory
network, comprising OH EPA, ODH and
ODA laboratories. “The laboratories are
on the same campus,” said Dzamov.
“ODA is 200 yards away. Instead of three
separate silos, we want to work as a
network. At some point we want to be one
laboratory. This will help us expand our
services without expanding our resources
or overhead. But, to have a laboratory
network, we have to have quality systems,
and that’s what we’re working toward
right now, which is a large task. ... We
have to devise a plan that includes all the
certifications and accreditations that each
of the laboratories has to maintain.” n
APHL.org
An ongoing challenge for the laboratory
is reducing turn-around times on high-
priority samples for every test the division
performs. “We’ve put together a team to
work on this,” said Dzamov.
Goal
Spring 2018 LAB MATTERS
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