TestAmerica Co-Authors with Gilson, Inc. on Automating the Fractionation of Extractable Petroleum Hydrocarbons at the 2010 SETAC North America Conference

Gilson, Inc.’s Dr. Michael Halvorson, Senior Product Specialist of Applications will present the new automated fractionation technology for extractable petroleum hydrocarbons (EPH) at the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) North America 31st Annual Meeting. The poster presentation, co-authored by TestAmerica’s Patrick Sullivan, Lead Analyst of Organics will be given during the week of November 4-7, 2010 in Portland, Oregon.

Regulatory agencies have developed various methods to determine the collective concentrations of extractable aliphatic and aromatic petroleum hydrocarbons in contaminated soil and water matrices. These data results have been used to support toxicological reports mandated by state governments in assessing human health hazards to petroleum hydrocarbon exposure.

The joint study was used to evaluate the automated approach for the fractionation of EPH into aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, using the Gilson GX-274 ASPEC System. The presentation will reveal the high recovery rates of the aromatic and aliphatics hydrocarbons attained with automating the fractionation process, providing improvements in precision and increased sample throughput compared to manual techniques used by a majority of laboratories today.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP) was first to develop the EPH method in the early 1990s, also known as the MADEP EPH. Since then, other states have adopted or developed similar methods. The method utilizes a solvent extraction process followed by a silica gel fractionation to produce the aliphatic and aromatic extracts. Traditionally, these two extracts are concentrated and analyzed by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC/FID). The silica gel cleanup and fractionation procedures require extensive attention to detail to achieve satisfactory results. Using the MADEP EPH as a conventional method, TestAmerica has used the automation for nearly 5 years and was the first environmental laboratory to partner with Gilson, Inc. to make the automated technology commercially available.


About TestAmerica

TestAmerica is the leading environmental testing firm in the United States, including 36 laboratories and 33 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.

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