Member of the U.S. EPA Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board Presents at the 2009 NEMC

Dr. Richard Burrows, Director of Technical Services for TestAmerica Laboratories Inc., will be leading three technical sessions that will cover new method implementation and method flexibility at the 2009 National Environmental Monitoring Conference (NEMC). The presentations will be given on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday during the week of August 10, 2009.

Dr. Burrows is chair for Monday’s session on “Benefits and Challenges of New and Revised EPA Methods.” The session will include presentations on two new and highly sophisticated methods addressing analytical applications for Nonylphenol and Toxaphene. Additionally, presentations included in this session will cover implementation problems of various environmental methods for regulatory compliance.

Tuesday’s presentation on method flexibility from the laboratory’s perspective will present examples of successful and unsuccessful attempts to introduce method flexibility, and will examine the barriers encountered when laboratories approach method modifications.

The final session on Thursday provides an overview on the Methods Update Rule (MUR) covering revised directions for interference mitigation and preservation associated with cyanide analysis. While not all of the problems are fully resolved, significant progress has been made due to the efforts of ASTM and others. The presentation will present a proposed approach to compliance testing for cyanide, and will also provide new data regarding the effectiveness and limitations of sulfide mitigation techniques.

Dr. Burrows is actively involved with environmental methods and technique development through the U.S. EPA and American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACIL). Dr. Burrows’ method development work has involved bringing new perspectives to method detection limits (MDLs), quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC), environmental reference materials, volatile and semivolatile organic compound methods and HPLC/MS. To submit an inquiry to Dr. Burrows, please go to TestAmerica’s Ask the Expert webpage.

About TestAmerica

TestAmerica is the leading environmental testing firm in the United States, including 37 laboratories and 29 service centers. TestAmerica provides innovative technical expertise and comprehensive analytical testing services. Specialty analyses include source and ambient air, aquatic toxicity, explosives, specialty organics, dioxins, drinking water, sediments and tissues, emerging contaminants, radiochemistry and mixed waste testing.

TestAmerica affiliate companies include EMLab P&K, the leader in analytical microscopy and indoor air quality; QED Environmental Systems, Inc., the leading supplier of groundwater sampling equipment and remediation pumping systems; TestAmerica Drilling Corp., provider of innovative environmental and geotechnical drilling; and TestAmerica Air Emissions Corp. (METCO Environmental), specializing in air emissions testing. TestAmerica currently employs nearly 2,800 professionals dedicated to exceptional service and solutions for our clients’ environmental testing needs.

Contact Information

James H. Miller

Vice President

TestAmerica

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