Lab Matters Spring 2018 | Page 37

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 PublicHealthLabs @APHL 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 35