Organic Chemistry
Universal Laboratories provides organic chemistry support to its customers using a variety of available methodology. Soil, sludge, groundwater and miscible liquid waste as well as non-water miscible waste are analyzed using methods contained in EPA SW-846. Drinking water uses the EPA 500 series method references while wastewater from municipal and industrial sources uses the EPA 600 method references. These methods vary not only in applicability but can also in differ in such areas as the number of analytes, quality control parameters, preservation and holding times.
The backbone of Universal Laboratories organic chemistry department are the principles of gas chromatography and the use and applicability of the gas chromatograph with various detectors. The application of detector type to achieve the greatest sensitivity or to remove interferences is a part of this technology. The use of dual column instruments to insure compound identification as described in the methodology and the use of the mass selective detector (MSD) to confirm compounds and perform library searches for the purpose of providing tentative identification of compounds (TIC's) are also important technologically.
Organic compounds with in the realm of the environmental laboratory are divided into two groups based on their boiling points. These two groups are defined as volatile or purgable compounds that boil below 175 degrees and semi-volatile or extractable compounds that boil above 175 degrees. The use of volatile organic compounds to extract semi-volatiles stresses the importance of blank analysis and the quality assurance program within the organic section.
