DPM calibrations comply with NIOSH and NATA requirements

Nelly (ICP-OES analyst) undertakes metal analysis on standard PQL water samples.

Volume 1, Issue 1

Nine Months On

Welcome to the first edition of MPL news.

On January 29th 2010, Sydney based Envirolab Services officially took the reins of MPL laboratories and immediately set to work. Nine months on and it has been an exciting time for MPL, we have seen many changes, some major, some not so major. Under the watchful eye of Managing Director Tania Notaras, the laboratory has had a new lease of life bestowed upon it. We might look the same, and we are branded the same, but we definitely don’t operate the same!

The laboratory has undergone a significant facelift which has included the addition of new organics and asbestos laboratories upstairs in the previously unused mezzanine level.

MPL has expanded into a separate building, also in Hayden Court which now houses the new acid sulphate soil and acid mine drainage testing laboratory. We are NATA accredited for SPOCAS and Chromium Suite testing and now have the available space and equipment to handle high volumes of soil on a standard turnaround time.

MPL Laboratories have recently upgraded the organics analytical capacity and capabilities with the addition of new Agilent GC’s and GCMS’. Much hard work has been committed to method verification over recent months resulting in expanded capabilities for analysis done in-house.

But for now it is down to work, building relationships, delivering the promises and delighting clients.

M.A.D. Moments - Diesel Particulates

MPL Laboratories continues to provide high quality solutions across an extensive range of services. As of February 2008 MPL was the first laboratory in Australia to hold NATA accreditation for the analysis of diesel particulates, as elemental carbon, by thermal optical analyser in accordance with NIOSH 5040.
DPM is a known occupational hazard to workers operating diesel-powered equipment.
DPM refers to the fine carbon particles or “soot” in diesel exhaust that can penetrate deep into the lungs and pose serious health risks.

In recent years statutory authorities have begun to recommend or require occupational workplace and environmental exposure limits and control strategies. In WA the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection - Resources Safety Unit added DPM to the CONTAM atmospheric contaminants list and has included sampling in underground mine CONTAM quotas since late 2005-06.
An exposure standard of 0.1 mg/m3 measured as elemental carbon (based on a publication in 2004 from the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH)) is now generally accepted, using the NIOSH 5040 analytical method.
If DPM has been included in your CONTAM quota or you have or want to commence a monitoring program, MPL can help you satisfy your testing requirements.

Technical Jargon - Metals Analysis Techniques

There are two types of metals analysis offered by most Environmental Laboratories - Dissolved Metals and Total Recoverable Metals. In theory Dissolved Metals should be less than Total, however if the correct sampling technique is not employed then problems may arise. The correct preservation technique is vital, particularly for mining waters or other waters that are very high in elements like Iron and Aluminium.

Dissolved (Soluble) Metals - This is generally done for Ground Water and involves filtering the water sample through a 0.45μm filter.

Correct Technique - Client filters water through a 0.45μm filter on site into a Nitric Acid (HN03) preserved bottle. The client marks on the bottle that they have field filtered. The lab then runs this sample directly on receipt for Dissolved metals.

Alternate technique - If you have filters but don’t have a preserved bottle then filter directly into the unpreserved bottle. You must mark on bottle and COC that you have done this. Staff at lab can then directly preserve this bottle, and let sit overnight. This is a valid technique.

Total Recoverable (Acid Recoverable) Metals – This is generally done for Surface Waters, Drinking Waters, Trade Wastes and Industrial Waters.

Correct Technique – Client samples water directly into a Nitric Acid (HN03) preserved bottle. The client marks on the bottle this is for Total Metals. On receipt at the lab, staff will digest this preserved sample prior to analysis.

Alternate technique – If you do not have an acid preserved bottle then sample directly into an unpreserved bottle. Staff at the lab can then directly preserve this bottle, and let sit over-night. This is a valid technique.

The Team Player

MPL’s focus on developing Western Australia’s best commercial acid sulphate soils (ASS) and acid mine drainage (AMD) laboratory has kicked off by welcoming on board Stacey Hawkins. His role is heading up and driving the technical development within the MPL /Envirolab group.

Born near Bath in England, Stacey has a BSc (Hons) degree in Geology from the City of London Polytechnic and a BTEC HND in Geological Technology from the South London College. He emigrated in 1994 to Australia and worked in various Perth, Papua New Guinea and Kalgoorlie mineral laboratories until 2006. Since then he has headed up ASS and AMD laboratories and has extensive experience in dealing with mining and environmental consultants.

Stacey has been a key contributor to numerous research programs under the control of the UWA and DEC in the development of ASS methodology. He provided technical feed-back to the development of the AS 4969-2008 testing methods on behalf of the ALS laboratory group. Stacey has also been a presenter and ASS/AMD conference including DEC acid sulphate soils technical workshops.

He has extensive and practical knowledge of ASS risk mapping and local Western Australian problem areas including the Gnangara mound where he has overseen the testing of many thousands of ASS samples. His geology background gives him a unique skill base to call on in understanding the geological peculiarities experienced in the acid soils of Western Australia.

Stacey has already hit the ground running and is currently working towards developing our acid mine drainage capabilities to include all testing covered by both the AMIRA guidelines and GARD guidelines. These tests will be available under NATA in early 2011. This complements MPL’s current acid sulphate soil capability that includes all tests set out in the AS 4969 (2009) Analysis of acid sulfate soil - Dried samples - Methods of test, and the QASSIT guidelines. Our current NATA accreditation includes SPOCAS and Chromium suite testing and all inclusive analytes.

Stacey can be contacted on (08)9317 2505 or at shawkins@mpl.com.au.