PHOENIX, Ariz. — Columbia Analytical Services, Inc., announces expansion of its Phoenix, Arizona, laboratory with the addition of new gas chromatography mass spectrometers (GC/MS), autosamplers and microbiological testing capabilities.

“Adding capabilities and capacity has been a natural part of our growth since our purchase of the Phoenix property earlier this year,” said Steve Vincent, president of Columbia Analytical. “These investments reinforce our long-term commitment to serving Arizona and the Southwest region.”

As part of its growth strategy, Columbia Analytical has also launched a client access web portal where clients can obtain their lab reports and other documents online.

“Our new web system will add value to our customers by offering access to detailed project data at their convenience,” said Beth Proffitt, vice president of corporate business development and acting laboratory director. “We are excited about our growth and are looking forward to providing even better service to our clients through these changes.”

Proffitt was recently promoted to the position of vice president, corporate business development and has been in the environmental laboratory industry for more than 21 years. She will continue to provide support and operate from the Phoenix location.

“Beth is an outstanding resource to have in the Southwest region,” said Vincent. “She will be expanding her efforts on our regional and national markets. We are now hiring to fill Beth’s former lab director position as well as other new analyst positions in the Phoenix laboratory. We take pride in our experienced staff and look forward to our future growth.”

For more information on Columbia Analytical, please contact Steve Vincent at 360.577.7222 or Beth Proffitt at 602.437.0330 or visit the company’s website at www.caslab.com.

Columbia Analytical has completed the implementation of the National Council of Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) Method AQ-S108.01 for the determination of anthraquinone in pulp and paper products.

In response to California’s listing of anthraquinone with Proposition 65, many companies are proactively having their products tested for anthraquinone in advance of the ruling’s effective date. This procedure is currently being performed by Columbia Analytical as written and released by NCASI.

Columbia Analytical has been in consultation with NCASI scientists over the past year in preparation for this action by the state. This preparation enabled Columbia Analytical to be in position to offer the Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) procedure in time for pulp and paper operations to comply with the regulation.

Columbia Analytical is currently analyzing for anthraquinone in samples for multiple organizations.

For more information on anthraquinone analysis, please contact Jeff Christian at 360-501-3316 or Ed Wallace at 360-577-7222.

Columbia Analytical Tucson Laboratory is excited to announce the arrival of their new LECO TruSpec Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Sulfur (CHNS) Analyzer with Oxygen Module and Auto Samplers.

The addition of this new equipment will enable Columbia Analytical to increase capacity for CHNS analyses and analyze difficult matrices for oxygen.

“We can analyze CHNS on a single aliquot of sample, thus reducing the amount of the sample needed. Oxygen analyses can also be performed on organo-metallic samples and samples containing fluorine,” stated Lab Manager Ralph Poulsen. “The instrument is easily switched from CHNS to oxygen and stabilizes within an hour versus up to a day with other instruments.”

TruSpec analyzers operate at a higher pyrolysis temperature (1,250 vs 950C) which is critical in breaking organo-metallic and oxygen bounds and it uses IR detectors which eliminates the need for a gas separation column that is easily poisoned by low concentrations of fluorine in the sample.

“Oxygen analyses times will be greatly improved from approximately five to six minutes to less than two minutes,” said Poulsen. “This new analyzer also supports compliance to FDA Regulation 21 CFR Part 11 and AOAC, AACC, AOCS, ASBC and ASTM approved methods of analyses.”

For more information on micro-elemental testing, contact Ralph Poulsen, Columbia Analytical Services, Inc. at 520-573-1061 or visit their website at www.caslab.com.