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AL LABORATORY INC.

• 3100 HOTEL ROAD
• AUBURN, MAINE 04211
• www.allaboratory.com
• NELAP CERTIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY

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• Fast

• Friendly

• Reliable

• Quality

• Service

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History

• AL Laboratory Inc. was established in 1976 to
  provide laboratory services to the environmental
  community. As we enter our 31st year in business
  we owe our success to our clients and associates
  who have used our services and relied upon us for
  all their analytical needs.
• We have analyzed over 150,000 samples and have
  performed over 1.5 million tests. A business
  does not reach these numbers without producing
  reliable and credible data.

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Mission Statement

• It is our mission to provide the best quality
  assured data to our clients at a fair price for
  our service. We will use the best available
  technological instrumentation and employ only
  qualified personnel to operate these
  instruments.
• We welcome our clients to visit our
  laboratory at anytime to observe our quality
  control and quality assurance procedures as
  well as our testing methodology.

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Key Personnel

• Jonathan Dyer, B.S. , M.S. Laboratory Director
• Jon holds a BS in Chemistry and an MS in
  Engineering and has been the owner of AL Labs
  since 1985. His responsibilities include
  direction of all ongoing projects, marketing and
  sales, and final data interpretation.
• Rebecca Lebrun, B.S. Quality Assurance
  Officer/Microbiology
• Rebecca holds degrees in Environmental Science
  and Business. Her responsibilities include
  statistical analysis, quality control charts,
  quality assurance audits, overseeing
  microbiological projects, and microscopy.
• David Pettingil, B.S. Heavy Metals
  Specialist/Chemistry
• Dave has a BS in Chemistry. His specialty is
  heavy metals analysis and atomic absorption
  spectrophotometers.

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Quality Control
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What is NELAC?

• The National Environmental Laboratory
  Accreditation Conference (NELAC) is a voluntary
  association of State and Federal agencies with
  full opportunity for input from the private
  sector. NELAC's purpose is to adopt and promote
  mutually acceptable performance standards for the
  operation of environmental laboratories.

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Proficiency Testing

• Proficiency Testing (PT) is used to evaluate a
  laboratory's performance under controlled
  conditions through analysis of unknown samples
  provided by an external source.
• PTs are required to be done twice a year.
• Laboratories must pass two out of the last three
  tests for each analyte in order to remain
  accredited.

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On-Site Assessment

• Laboratories are required to be inspected every
  two years by a NELAC Accrediting Authority.
• On-Site assessment generally lasts 2 to 4 days
  depending on the size of the laboratory and the
  number of areas seeking accreditation.
• During the inspection the inspectors review
  personnel, methods, equipment, record-keeping,
  and quality control (QC).

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Daily Quality Control

• Calibration
• Detection Limits
• Laboratory Control Samples
• Duplicates
• Matrix Spikes
• Blanks
• Accuracy Charts / Graphs
• Precision Charts / Graphs

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Calibration

• Calibration Basics Calibration Basics
• Initial Calibration (ICAL)
• Must do at multiple concentration levels
• Average response factor (RSD) lt limit
• Lowest concentration near or at MDL
• Some methods require second source confirm
• Continuing Calibration (CCAL)
• Daily or within time window (12 hours)
• Must be within acceptable range (RPD)
• Should be part of lab report

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Detection Limit

• Method Detection Limit (MDL) The method
  detection limit is defined as the minimum
  concentration of a substance that can be measured
  and reported with 99 confidence that the analyte
  concentration is greater than zero and is
  determined from analysis of a sample in a given
  matrix containing the analyte.

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Standards

• Standards (S)
• ACCURACY MEASUREMENTS
• Standard (S) is a substance the properties of
  which are known with sufficient accuracy to
  permit its use to evaluate the same property in a
  sample. Usually three standards are prepared.
• The first standard is the same concentration as
  the RL (reporting limit) of the parameter to be
  analyzed.
• The second standard is in the range of the
  predicted amount.
• The third standard is usually twice the
  concentration as the second standard. Any sample
  exceeding this standard will be diluted.

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Laboratory Control Sample

• Laboratory Control Sample (LCS)
• ACCURACY MEASUREMENTS
• The LCS consist of aliquots of analyte-free
  matrices (water) spiked with analytes of
  interest.
• Laboratory pure water is used to prepare the LCS
  for methods for water analysis. LCSs provide
  evidence that the laboratory is performing the
  method within accepted guidelines generally in
  the absence of matrix interferences.
• They are prepared at a rate of one per batch of
  twenty or fewer samples

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Duplicates

• Sample Duplicate
• PRECISION MEASUREMENTS
• A Sample Duplicate (SD) is a sample that has been
  homogenized and split into two equal portions
  before the method sample preparation process.
• It measures sample precision associated with the
  preparation through analysis and is prepared and
  analyzed at a specified rate listed in each
  Standard Operating Procedure.

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Duplicates (cont.)

• The comparison of the values determined for a
  sample and its duplicate is expressed as Relative
  Percent Difference (RPD). The calculation is as
  follows
• RPD S-D X 100
• (SD/2)
• where S is the determined result of the
  original sample
• D is the determined result of the
  duplicate sample

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Method Blank

• A method blank is a volume of analyte-free
  matrix (e.g. deionized and/or distilled water)
  for water analyses.
• The volume of the blank must be equal to the
  sample volume processed.
• A method blank is performed with each batch of
  samples.
• Analysis of the blank verifies that method
  interferences caused by contaminants, reagents,
  glassware, and other sample processing hardware
  are known and minimized.

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Matrix Spike

• Matrix Spikes (MS)
• ACCURACY MEASUREMENTS
• Matrix Spikes (MS) are similar to Laboratory
  Control Samples except the analytes used for
  spiking are added to a second separate aliquot
  from the client samples in a batch analyses.
• Matrix spikes are used, for example, to determine
  the effect of the matrix on a method's recovery
  efficiency.

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Precision Vs. Accuracy

• Accuracy describes the nearness of a measurement
  to the standard or true value.
• Precision is the degree to which several
  measurements provide answers very close to each
  other. It is an indication of the scatter in the
  data. The lesser the scatter, higher the
  precision.
• In science we can never make a perfect
  measurement. The best we can do is to come as
  close as possible within the limitations of the
  measuring instruments.

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Precision Vs. Accuracy

• Suppose you are aiming at a target, trying to hit
  the bulls eye with each of three arrows.
• Precise and Accurate - The top left target is
  both precise and accurate. The arrows are tightly
  clustered and their average position is the
  center of the bulls eye.
• Accurate, not Precise - The top right target is
  an accurate pattern, but not precise. The arrows
  are not clustered but their average position is
  the center of the bulls eye.
• Precise, not Accurate The bottom left target is
  a precise pattern, but not accurate. The arrows
  are clustered together but did not hit the
  intended mark.
• Neither Precise nor Accurate The bottom right
  target shows a random like pattern, neither
  precise nor accurate. The arrows are not
  clustered together and not near the bulls eye.

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Precision Vs. Accuracy
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Control Charts

• Control Charts are quality control tools which
  graphically display the QC parameters over time.
• Accuracy Accuracy charts are maintained for LCS
  recovery.
• The percent recovery is plotted into a graph
  where
• the x-axis is the sample ID and
• the y-axis is the range of percent recoveries

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Control Charts (cont.)

• Precision Where precision charts are
  maintained, the relative percent difference is
  plotted on the graph where
• the median, zero, represents 0 difference
• the x-axis is the number of data points per
  chart and
• the y-axis is the range of relative percent
  differences

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Control Charts (cont.)

• Limits Both upper and lower warning limits and
  upper and lower control limits are established to
  interpret performance.
• Warning Limits express a narrow confidence
  interval and are used to warn the analyst of
  possible system inconsistencies or failures,
  before an out-of-control event occurs.
• Control Limits express the outer limits of
  accepted method variability.

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Microbiological Quality Control

• Uninoculated controls, laboratory water, and
  sterilized equipment and supplies will be tested
  as provided for in the SOP protocols.
• Confirmation/verification tests. The laboratory
  will perform confirmation ands verification tests
  as specified by the approved methods.
• Media. All test media will be checked with
  positive and negative control organisms to ensure
  the target organisms respond in an acceptable and
  predictable manner. These controls will be run
  with each new lot of media using microorganisms
  obtained from an accredited NELAC Proficiency
  Test Provider.

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Data Integrity Training

• As an environmental laboratory we are ethically
  and morally obligated to the public to provide
  data that are precise, accurate, and of known and
  documented quality.
• Data Integrity Training is provided by the QA
  Officer to all new employees during their
  orientation and annually for all current
  employees. Employee knowledge of this area is
  extremely important as infractions of laboratory
  data integrity procedures could lead to
  termination and/or civil/criminal prosecution.
• Topics covered are organizational mission, ethics
  in analytical reporting, data monitoring,
  reporting data integrity issues, and
  appropriate/inappropriate record keeping
  practices.

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INORGANIC ANALYSES

• Our heavy metals analytical capabilities are
  performed by Perkin-Elmer Zeeman Graphite Furnace
  and Flame atomic absorption units. We run the
  full spectrum of just about every heavy metal
  from arsenic to zinc.
• The wet chemistry department analyzes water in
  the visible and ultra-violet range. The chemists
  also perform titrations, colorimetric studies and
  potentiometric analysis. Elements such as
  nitrogen compounds, fluorides, chlorides,
  phosphates and many other chemical compounds are
  examined in this section.

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ARSENIC

• Its hard to believe that water that looks,
  smells, and tastes fine may not be safe to
  drink.  But the truth is that one out of every
  ten private wells in Maine has water that is high
  in arsenic.  View Map of Arsenic in Maine
• Arsenic is a naturally occurring chemical found
  in soil and rocks.  As water flows through these
  rocks it can pickup the arsenic and carry it to
  your well.
• The Bureau of Health recommends that all
  household wells be tested for arsenic. The EPA
  maximum exposure guideline for arsenic
• in well water is 10 parts per billion. At
  this level
• consuming 1 liter of water per day for 5
  years
• will increase your risk of bladder cancer
• by 1 in 1,000.

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LEAD

• Lead is a toxic metal that is harmful if inhaled
  or swallowed. Lead can be found in air, soil,
  dust, food, and water.
• Lead is rarely found in source water, but enters
  tap water through corrosion of plumbing
  materials.
• Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have
  lead pipes, fixtures and
  solder. However, new
  homes are also at risk even legally
  lead-free plumbing
  may contain up to 8 percent lead.
  The most common problem
  is with brass or
  chrome-plated brass faucets and fixtures
  which can
  leach significant amounts of lead
  into the water,
  especially hot water.

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COPPER

• Copper is found only in trace amounts in Maines
  ground waters, excess levels are usually caused
  by the corrosion of copper pipes from soft,
  acidic waters.
• Copper is an essential element for plants,
  animals, and humans. When present in drinking
  water in levels over 1.3 milligrams per liter, it
  may cause a bitter taste, or green-blue stains on
  sinks.
• Copper is a gastrointestinal irritant and can be
  toxic at
  high levels. However, the levels in drinking
  water are rarely
  high enough to cause a serious
  risk. A 1.3 milligram per liter
  secondary drinking
  water standard is set to indicate a taste
  problem, not a
  health hazard.

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MANGANESE

• Manganese is a mineral that naturally occurs in
  rocks and soil and is a normal constituent of the
  human diet.
• It exists in well water in Maine as a groundwater
  mineral, but may also be present due to
  underground pollution sources.
• Manganese may become noticeable in tap water at
  concentrations greater than 0.05 milligrams per
  liter of water.
• You may suspect that manganese is in your water
  if the water is discolored (brownish-red), causes
  staining of plumbing fixtures (faucets, sinks) or
  clothing, or has an off-taste or odor.
• Exposure to high concentrations of manganese
  over the course of
  years has been associated
  with toxicity to the nervous
  system, producing
  a syndrome that resembles Parkinsonism.

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IRON

• Iron is not hazardous to health, but it is
  considered a secondary or aesthetic contaminant.
  Essential for good health, iron helps transport
  oxygen in the blood.
• Concentrations of iron as low as 0.3 mg/l will
  leave reddish brown stains on fixtures, tableware
  and laundry that are very hard to remove.
• Iron is mainly present in water in two forms
  either the
  soluble ferrous iron or the insoluble
  ferric iron. Water
  containing ferrous iron is
  clear and colorless because
  the iron is
  completely dissolved. When exposed
  to
  air in the pressure tank or atmosphere,
  the water
  turns cloudy and a reddish
  brown substance begins
  to form. This
  sediment is the oxidized or ferric
  form
  of iron that will not dissolve in water.
  

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SODIUM

• Sodium contamination is most often caused by road
  salt runoff, road salt storage or salt water
  intrusion.
• Water softeners also increase the amount of
  sodium in water. A water softener replaces
  calcium and magnesium with sodium. If you use a
  softener, it may be the cause of high sodium.
• Excess sodium from salt in the diet increases the
  risk of high
  blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
  For most healthy
  people, a sodium level of 100 milligrams
  per liter of water will not
  substantially increase risk.
  Individuals on a low sodium diet due to
  high blood
  pressure or other health problems, are restricted
  to water
  within the 20 milligrams per liter standard.
  They should
  consult their physician about drinking
  water which exceeds that
  level.

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pH ALKALINITY

• The pH of pure water is 7.  In general, water
  with a pH lower than 7 is considered acidic, and
  with a pH greater than 7, basic. The normal range
  for pH in water system is 6.5 to 8.5.
• Alkalinity is a measure of the capacity of the
  water to resist a change in pH that would tend to
  make the water more acidic. The measurement of
  alkalinity and pH is needed to determine the
  corrosiveness of the water.
• In general, water with a low pH (lt 6.5) could be
  acidic, soft, and corrosive. This can cause
  premature damage to metal piping, and have
  associated aesthetic problems such as a metallic
  or sour taste, staining of laundry, and the
  characteristic "blue-green" staining of sinks and
  drains.
• Water with a pH gt 8.5 could indicate that the
  water is hard. Hard water does not pose a health
  risk, but can cause aesthetic problems. These
  problems include an alkali taste to the water
  (making that morning coffee taste bitter!),
  formation of a deposit on dishes, utensils, and
  laundry basins, difficulty in getting soaps and
  detergents to lather, and formation of insoluble
  precipitates on clothing
• pH Scale

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NITRATE NITRITE

• Nitrate and nitrite are naturally occurring
  substances found in soil, plants, water and other
  sources.
• The primary drinking water standard is 10
  milligrams per liter for nitrate - (N) and 1.0
  milligram per liter for nitrite - (N).
• Nitrate or nitrite concentrations cause
  methemoglobinemia in infants, a disease which
  affects blood so that it no longer carries oxygen
  through the body. Also known as "blue-baby
  syndrome", this disease can be fatal. Infants
  should not drink water which is over the
  standard, and it should not be used for mixing
  infant formulas.
• DO not boil the water to make it safe for
  temporary use - - this will only increase the
  nitrate concentrations. Use bottled water for
  infants.

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CHLORIDE

• Consuming drinking water containing chloride is
  not harmful to health.
• High amounts of chloride can give a salty taste
  to water and can corrode pipes, pumps and
  plumbing fixtures. Therefore, the secondary
  drinking water standard of 250 milligrams per
  liter is set to indicate water quality problems
  and not health effects.
• If high chloride amounts are detected, the water
  source should also be checked for sodium. Amounts
  of high sodium often occur in water with high
  chloride amounts.
• High amounts of chloride are associated with
  contamination from salt water intrusion, septic
  tanks, road salting and road salt storage piles.

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HARDNESS

• Hardness is caused by minerals, primarily calcium
  and magnesium, which are picked up by water
  passing through underground mineral deposits.
• Hard water is not considered contaminated, but it
  does retard the cleaning action of soap and forms
  a scale on cooking utensils, hot water pipes and
  heaters. This build-up may eventually reduce pipe
  capacity and water pressure.
• Hardness is measured in milligrams pre liter or
  Grains per Gallon. Water with under 75 milligrams
  per liter of calcium carbonate is soft water
  with over 200 milligrams per liter is hard.
• There is no standard for hardness. Hard water is
  not harmful to
  health. Calcium and magnesium
  are essential body elements. In
  fact, studies
  suggest that hard water is better for
  cardiovascular
  health than soft water,
  though the reasons for this
  are not yet known.

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MICROBIOLOGY

• We are a NELAP (National Environmental
  Laboratory Accreditation Program) approved
  microbiology laboratory. Tests are performed on
  water, air, compost, dirt, and just about
  anything that will grow bacteria.
• Services include shelf-life studies, cooling
  tower water analyses, monitoring well iron
  bacteria studies, sulfur-reducing bacteria
  analysis for liquid gas pipelines, and bacteria
  identification in bottled and recreational water.
• Other capabilities include fungal ID, algae ID,
  and foreign matter ID.

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TOTAL COLIFORM GROUP

• The group Coliform bacteria is a diverse group
  of bacteria, which are present in human and
  animal feces. They are also often present in
  decaying organic matter, topsoil and in surface
  waters.
• While these bacteria are generally not harmful
  themselves, their presence in a water supply is
  used as an indicator of contamination. When
  coliforms are present as a result of septic
  contamination, their numbers are usually high and
  E. coli is usually present as well.
• Waters that are positive for coliform bacteria
  and
• especially for E. coli should not be
  consumed until the
• problem is resolved. This should start with
  disinfection
• of the well followed by a retest to confirm
  that the
• disinfection was effective.

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RADIOLOGICAL ANALYSES

• Our radiological department consists of three
  Packard Liquid Scintillation analyzers and two
  RAD 7 portable units for air radon and water
  radon studies.

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RADON

• Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. Radon
  comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of
  uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the
  air you breath.
• Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of
  deaths each year. You can't see, smell or taste
  radon. But it may be a problem in your home.
• Maine has radon concentrations that are generally
  higher than much of the country. Approximately
  one out of every three Maine homes has air radon
  concentrations above the state limit.
• If you have radon over two (2) picocuries per
  liter of air or 4,000 pCi/L of water you should
  reduce it.
• Please remember if your home is for sale, you
• cannot legally test for radon yourself. You
  must hire
• a state registered radon tester.

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STATE OF MAINE RADON MAP
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WATER TREATMENTRADON REMOVAL

• Air Water Quality, Inc.
• P.O. Box 536 160 US Route 1
• Freeport, Maine 04032
• 207-865-9200
• [phone]
• Visit Air Water Quality's Website!

Aqua-Max of Maine 914 Sabattus
StreetLewiston, Maine 04240
(866)-218-2836 207-782-1005 Visit Aqua-Max of
Maines Website
Maine Professional Inspections 18 Ledge Hill
Drive Chelsea, Maine 04330 207-623-2551 Visit
Maine Professional Inspections Website!

• Northeast Radon, Inc.
• 9 Northwood Road
• Yarmouth, Maine 04096
• 207-846-0709

Radon Removal Systems 153 Forest Street West
brook, ME 04092 207-878-8795 1-800-640-8889
Visit Radon Removal Systems Website!
Water Treatment Equipment, Inc. 915 U.S.
Route One Yarmouth, Maine 04096
(800)-328-7328 207-846-5061 Visit Water
Treatment Equipments Website!
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RECENT CLIENTS
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RECENT CLIENTS
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USEFUL LINKS

• Maine Drinking Water Program
• NELAC
• Department of Health Human Services
• Radon Home Sales
• US Environmental Protection Agency

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COME VISIT US!

• A L Laboratory Inc3100 Hotel Road
  Auburn, Maine 04211
• At exit 75, turn RIGHT onto Ramp towards US-202 /
  Me-4 / Me-100 / Auburn ( 0.4 miles)
• Bear RIGHT (South-West) onto US-202 SR-100 (0.3
  miles)
• Turn RIGHT (West) onto Kittyhawk Ave (0.8 miles)
• Turn LEFT (South)at 4-way stop sign onto Hotel Rd
  (0.8 miles)
• Arrive 3100 Hotel Rd, Auburn, ME 04210-3207