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ESB Quarterly Newsletter "Unparalleled Environmental Laboratory Services" |
| Volume 1, Issue 4 | 3rd Quarter 2010 |
Perfluorinated Chemicals: They're in your carpet, your cookware, your bloodstream; have they reached your water supply?
by Alex Chrystal
PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) are man-made chemicals used primarily in the manufacturing of non-stick cookware, stain resistant carpets, carpet cleaning liquids, and microwave popcorn bags. As CECs (constituents of emergent concern), public attention has focused on Teflon® products as main contributors to the human intake and environmental problems of PFOA and PFOS. The DuPont chemical company has for many years been a chief supplier of Teflon® and Teflon® products. However, facing criticism from the USEPA and a lawsuit from a PFOA contaminated community near their Washington plant in West Virginia, they have begun to phase out the use of these perfluorinated compounds in the production of their manufactured articles. As for now, people are still inevitably vulnerable to ingesting these chemicals and to potential exposure through waterways impacted by industrial waste runoff. So the question becomes: are people consuming unsafe amounts?
It is a question that the EPA is still trying to answer. "You have to understand, 'detectable' is still part per billion or trillion levels. In today's world of technological advancements, instruments can now measure extremely small amounts but we don't know what levels are significant," explains Larry Chrystal, Laboratory Director at Babcock Laboratories. "As with many other contaminants of concern, people are exposed through... full article.
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Employee Spotlight On . . . Justin Troup
Justin Troup joined the ESB Project Management team in February of this year. Prior to coming to work at ESB, Justin gained years of experience as a Chemist and Microbiologist. He has his Bachelor's of Science degree in Chemistry from Cal Poly Pomona and is currently working on his Masters of Science degree in Biochemistry. Justin enjoys spending his time on the golf course when he's not hard at work here at the lab or at school. |
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ESB Lab Tip of the Month
 This month's lab tip focuses on our Chain of Custody form. When submitting samples to ESB, it is imperative that a chain of custody form accompanies all of the samples submitted. In addition to contact information, one should also list each sample collected, the date and time they were collected and what type of preservative was used (if any). Make sure you also indicate any special reporting requirements, such as emailing of results, on the chain of custody. ESB has a chain of custody form available for download in both PDF and Excel formats. Visit the Resources page on our website.
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Babcock Lab Resources
Our website contains a wide range of information that can help make your job easier. Below are topics that you may want to check out: |
Have a question or comment about our services? Submit your lab related question or comment and we will feature the answer in a future newsletter and/or add it to our Frequently Asked Questions page on our Website.
Question Received from Last Quarter's Newsletter:
Q: What rush turnaround times are available?
A: Rush turnaround of samples depends upon the degree of sample prep and extraction that is required by the applicable methods. In general, ESB offers rush turnaround in 24, 48 and 72 hours as well as 1 week. All rush turnaround capability is dependent upon the current laboratory workload and requires prior laboratory approval. Make sure to contact your Project Manager ahead of time if you need a quick turnaround time on your samples. |
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ESB Wants Your Feedback
ESB is committed to providing our clients with "unparalleled environmental laboratory services." Please take our brief Project Feedback Survey and let us know how we're doing. |
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ESB Green Tip
 1. Pouring lemon juice around areas ants frequent is said to repel them.
2. Clean chrome or copper with a lemon juice and baking soda paste.
3. A teaspoon of lemon juice added to your dishwashing detergent can help boost grease cutting power.
4. Put some lemon peel in your garbage disposal from time to time while it's working in order to keep it smelling fresh.
5. Store half a lemon in your fridge to help control and eliminate unpleasant smells. |
Contacts
For more information about our lab services, please contact:
Cyndi Moore x262
or Tiffany Hudson x253
or visit: www.babcocklabs.com
E.S. Babcock & Sons, Inc.
6100 Quail Valley Ct.
Riverside, California 92507
Ph: 951-653-3351
Fax: 951-653-1662
ESB provides accurate analysis of drinking water, wastewater, groundwater, stormwater, soils and hazardous materials. ESB's goal is to produce the highest quality data with award-winning customer service and competitive pricing. |
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