KELSO, Wash. – Columbia Analytical Services, Inc. announced today that four of its laboratories have met the requirements of the Department of Defense (DoD) Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) and each have been awarded a certificate of accreditation.

The recently accredited laboratories are located in Houston, Texas, Simi Valley, Calif., Rochester, N.Y., and Kelso, Wash. Columbia Analytical’s Houston facility is dedicated to high resolution analyses of analytes such as dioxin, furans and PCB congeners and the Simi Valley laboratory specializes in the analysis of ambient and indoor air pollution, stationary source emissions, process gas, and industrial hygiene samples. The Rochester facility, a full service laboratory, also offers air analyses and other specialized testing like that for perchlorate by LC/MS. The Kelso laboratory became DoD-ELAP accredited in November 2009 and specializes in non-routine, complex low-level analyses requiring a high degree of technical expertise.

The full scope of accreditation, including the list of analytes to which these accreditations apply, may be found on Columbia Analytical’s DoD ELAP webpage.

Columbia Analytical is an employee-owned, full-service environmental analytical laboratory testing network established in 1986 and headquartered in Kelso, Washington. Their expertise encompasses air, water, dioxin, biological, pharmaceutical, solid and hazardous waste analyses.

For more information contact Columbia Analytical at 360-577-7222 or visit their website at www.caslab.com.

KELSO, Wash. – Columbia Analytical’s Kelso laboratory has met the requirements of the Department of Defense (DoD) Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) and has been awarded a certificate of accreditation.

Kelso’s assessment was completed by the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board/ACLASS of Alexandria, Virginia. The full scope of accreditation, including the list of analytes to which this accreditation applies, may be found on Columbia Analytical’s Kelso certification webpage: http://www.caslab.com/Certifications/kelso.php.

DoD-ELAP standardizes the laboratory testing requirements, those performed in support of environmental restoration programs (i.e. cleanup), of the US Navy, US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), and the Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment (AFCEE). The program aims to promote consistency among DoD Components, promote fair and open participation, facilitate the procurement of analytical services, and shift the expense of laboratory assessments from the DoD to the private sector.

Columbia Analytical Services, Inc. is an employee-owned, full-service environmental analytical laboratory testing network established in 1986 and headquartered in Kelso, Washington. Their expertise encompasses air, water, dioxin, biological, pharmaceutical, solid and hazardous waste analyses.

For more information contact Columbia Analytical at 360-577-7222 or visit their website at www.caslab.com.

View DoD ELAP Accreditation Status of all labs

Columbia Analytical’s Kelso laboratory is the first lab in the nation to have its assessment results submitted to the Department of Defense (DoD) Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP). Laboratories which seek to perform new testing projects for DoD environmental restoration programs need the DoD ELAP accreditation by October 1, 2009, according to a memorandum released by the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense.

“Our laboratories are well-versed in DoD QSM requirements and have been providing testing services for the DoD for many years,” said Lee Wolf, Quality Assurance Director for Columbia Analytical. ”Since NELAP standards were already established as the baseline for our quality systems, implementation of the QSM and compliance with the new DoD ELAP will not pose any significant challenges to current systems.”

DoD ELAP is a long-awaited program which standardizes the laboratory testing requirements of the US Navy, US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), and the Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment (AFCEE). The program elevates the standard for laboratory operations and quality systems implementation. The foundation for the DoD ELAP is the DoD Quality Systems Manual (QSM) Version 4.1, which is based on NELAP and ISO standards for testing laboratories.

According to the memorandum, laboratories that currently have DoD component (Army, Navy, or Air Force) approvals in place will be subject to DoD ELAP requirements when those approvals expire or when scope changes are necessary. Laboratories which seek to perform testing for DoD environmental restoration programs for the first time or who hold an expired DoD approval need to be accredited in accordance with the DoD ELAP before they can provide services.

Columbia Analytical Services, Inc. is an employee-owned, full-service environmental analytical laboratory testing network established in 1986 and headquartered in Kelso, Washington. Their expertise encompasses air, water, dioxin, biological, pharmaceutical, solid and hazardous waste analyses.

For questions on the implementation and requirements of the DoD QSM contact Columbia Analytical at 360-577-7222 or visit their website at www.caslab.com.

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View the current status of Columbia Analytical’s DoD ELAP Accreditation.

 
UPDATE: Columbia Analytical (Kelso) is now accredited for the DoD-ELAP program…

KELSO, Wash. - Columbia Analytical received the Excellence in Workforce Education business award from the Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce in Cowlitz County, Wash.

This award honors employers who have demonstrated achievement in providing high quality workforce education and training in Cowlitz County.

Award recipients were selected based upon the development and implementation of workforce programs that are innovative in nature; improve the preparation and performance of the emerging or incumbent workforce; have measurable outcomes; and demonstrate collaboration between business, government, and education.

Columbia Analytical attributes the success of its workforce education program to having many quality educational opportunities. The company requires employees to participate in 16-hours of company-paid continuing education per year, which can include in-house training, outside seminars, self-study, with up to 100% tuition reimbursement. In addition, Columbia Analytical provides 16-hours of initial Ethics training to all new employees and provides on-going quarterly ethics training to all employees.

Columbia Analytical employees in its Kelso, Wash. laboratory participated in over 4,000 hours of company-paid continuing education in 2008 for an average of 24 hours per employee.

Columbia Analytical has partnered with Lower Columbia College (LCC) in Longview, Wash. to provide on-site technical training, including technical writing and introduction to chemistry courses, for its employees. President of Columbia Analytical, Steve Vincent, currently serves as the LCC Foundation President. Approximately 15% of the Columbia Analytical’s Kelso employees are LCC graduates and over 30% of its employees have taken LCC courses.

Columbia Analytical also provides two to three LCC Fellowships per year for selected candidates. This fellowship provides a 100% paid scholarship for books, fees and tuition as well as a part-time job for selected candidates. The company nurtures science focused education for deserving scholars with the hope that they will become outstanding employees for Columbia Analytical.

For more information, please contact Alicia Shepard of Columbia Analytical Services, Inc.

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Columbia Analytical Services, Inc. recently teamed with Gravity Environmental, LLC (Snoqualmie, WA) on a lower Columbia River project that called for high volume sampling to obtain ultra trace detection limits for a number of target compounds. The sampling was done using equipment that was custom built, validated, and optimized by Gravity Environmental. The sample media was prepared for use in the field by Columbia Analytical and then analyzed for ultra-trace concentrations of Organochlorine Pesticides, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB), Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), and Dioxins/Furans.

Shawn Hinz, Scientist/Owner of Gravity Environmental discusses their sampling techniques with Jeff Christian, Lab Director of Columbia Analytical.

KELSO, Wash. — Columbia Analytical Services, Inc. is proud to announce the addition of Nicolas Bloom, one of the world’s foremost chemists in metals speciation. Bloom will serve as a project manager for selected metals research and development activities at Columbia Analytical’s Kelso, Wash., laboratory.

“The addition of Nicolas Bloom affirms our reputation as an innovative analytical laboratory in the field of metals analyses,” said Jeff Christian, laboratory director of the company’s Kelso facility.

Bloom is most noted for his expertise in the field of speciation and bioavailability of trace metals. In his 30 years of experience, he has authored hundreds of publications and provided expert advice to many international organizations. Bloom has served on numerous national scientific advisory committees under the EPA and other government and scientific organizations, some of which have resulted in congressional reports and findings.

Bloom’s expertise is in ultra-clean field sampling for the determination of trace metals in atmospheric, aqueous (including seawater), sediment, soil, and biotic medias. Tracing these metals requires advanced knowledge of cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectroscopy, hydride generation atomic absorption spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, Zeeman graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy, neutron activation anaylsis, and colormetric methods.

In his new position, Bloom will expand Columbia Analytical’s speciation capabilities for metals and organometallics. His work related to trace metals in petroleum materials will be continued at Columbia Analytical. “I am excited for the opportunity to work with such a world-class organization,” said Bloom. “I look forward to new analytical technique discoveries that will provide answers to many chemical questions here at Columbia Analytical.”

Founded in 1986, Columbia Analytical is an employee-owned, full service analytical laboratory network. Headquartered in Kelso, Washington, the company’s network is comprised of seven laboratories in Arizona, California, Florida, New York, Texas and Washington. Columbia Analytical’s expertise encompasses air, water, dioxin, biological, pharmaceutical, and solid and hazardous waste analyses.

For more information on Columbia Analytical please call 360.577.7222 or visit the company’s website at www.caslab.com.

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Nicolas Bloom shown preparing for low-level mercury analysis using EPA method 1631, which he pioneered.

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.

KELSO, Wash. – Congressman Brian Baird, representing Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, recently toured the expansion of Columbia Analytical’s Kelso, Washington, laboratory facilities. The expansion doubled the size of the company’s Kelso operations.

As chairman of the Science and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Science Education, Rep. Baird was particularly interested in the innovative instrumentation used in the laboratory, such as the gas chromatograph triple quadrapole mass spectrometer (GC/MS/MS). With help from the Cowlitz Economic Development Council (CEDC), Columbia Analytical qualified for a deferral on Washington state sales tax, making it easier to attain the high-tech equipment.

“Because of his interest in science and technology, Rep. Baird enjoyed seeing how our laboratory has grown and how state government is helping spur economic growth in this area,” said Jeff Christian, Kelso Laboratory Director.

After touring the laboratory, Congressman Baird spent the afternoon with Columbia Analytical employees, answering questions about various current events taking place in the state and in the country. Founded in 1986, Columbia Analytical is an employee-owned national laboratory network, with operations in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, New York, Texas, and Washington. The company employs more than 200 people at its Kelso, Washington, headquarters.

For more information on Columbia Analytical, call 800-695-7222 or visit the website at www.caslab.com.

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Contact:
Dee O’Neill
360-577-7222

www.caslab.com

Press Images and Links:

Jeff Christian, Kelso Laboratory Director, discusses the GC/MS/MS instrument with Congressman Baird, Paul Brachvogel, Kelso City Manager, and Todd McDaniel, Kelso City Council.

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Columbia Analytical Services, Inc. (CAS) announces progress on our major expansion program.

CAS is undergoing major changes as a result of its $15,000,000 growth initiatives. The Kelso, WA laboratory is close to completing the expansion of its facility with the addition of more than 20,000 square feet of laboratory space in support of its expanding pharmaceutical and specialty environmental work. The new addition scheduled for completion in February, 2007 doubles the existing laboratory space.

Our Simi Valley laboratory completed its relocation into its new 20,000 square feet laboratory in December of 2006. This move was in response to its expanding business in air toxics and to support the addition of some routine soil and water testing capability.

With the completion of this growth initiative which began in 2005 with the purchase of the Transwest Geochem, Inc., and Desert Analytics laboratories in Phoenix and Tucson as well as the expansion of HR/MS capacity at its Houston laboratory, CAS has been able to realign its California operations by folding its Redding laboratory services into our newly expanded Kelso, Simi Valley, and Phoenix laboratories.

Founded in 1986 and a leader in the commercial laboratory industry, the CAS laboratory network is employee owned, with over 400 people, and operations in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, New York, Texas, and Washington. CAS provides high-quality, cost-effective and innovative chemical and biological analyses for potentially hazardous substances in air, water, sediments, tissues, solids, wastes and other matrices.

In support of MACT standards, CAS has been working with the National Council of Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) to bring NCASI Method 99.02 (Impinger/Canister Source Sample Method for Selected Compounds at Wood Products Facilities) on line. The procedure calls for a number of changes that will require careful communication between the source testers and laboratory personnel. Since the method is intended to be prescriptive, no modifications are allowed. Thus, CAS is bringing the laboratory portion of the procedure on line without modification.

Our laboratory in Simi Valley will be performing the canister portion of the procedure (i.e. gas analysis). The analysis is performed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The target compound list will generally consist of Methanol, Acetaldehyde, Acrolein, Phenol, and Propionaldehyde. In addition, Benzene will be required for many applications. The laboratory will also have the capability to analyze for the full suite of compounds included in Method 99.02.

Our Kelso laboratory is doing the aqueous impinger work, which includes Methanol, Acetaldehyde, Acrolein, Phenol, and Propionaldehyde by gas chromatography/flame ionization detection (GC/FID) fitted with a chilled autosampler. Formaldehyde is analyzed using a colorimetric procedure.

Simi Valley will prepare a spiked canister and ship it to the field with the other canisters. Kelso will prepare the field spike solutions for the impingers, as well as the internal standard spike solution. Note that two spike concentrations will be recommended in order to comply with the procedure because of the risk of not correctly predicting the appropriate concentrations of the source. Since the method allows for an alternative approach of preparing a high level and low level matrix spike, this probably will be the preferred practice for the impinger samples to avoid out of compliance matrix spike results. A single spike will be done for the gas sampling.