Easy Sampling Guide

This document will provide you with information on the proper containers for sampling and their holding times for analysis. To download, click here (Acrobat Reader or Acrobat required).

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MCP Data Enhancement Progress Report

Read about Con-Test's progress with Massachusetts Contingency Plan Data Enhancement requirements. To download, click here to read (Acrobat Reader or Acrobat required).

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Download a Fill-in Chain-of-Custody Form (new 12/23/02)

You may now download a Fill-in Chain-of-Custody Form (Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader Required). This will allow you to fill in your Chain-of-Custody Form electronically in Adobe. To download, right-click here (1.35 MB) to save to your hard drive (fastest download) or click here to open (slower).

If you wish to download our regular Chain-of-Custody (1.06 MB) (non-fillable),
right click or open here.


For instructions on how to fill out the Con-Test Chain-of-Custody, click here
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View Status of Projects On-line

Con-Test is pleased to announce it's newest Client Service feature - Viewing Status of Projects On-Line. Clients with access to our website server will be able to review the status of their projects sent to our laboratory twenty-four hours a day. Clients, at their convenience, can check their project samples to determine if the report has been completed.

Those clients registered to our site and requiring electronic versions of their reports will be able to download their report directly from our site once the report has been completed (prior authorization required).

This service is free of charge to all of Con-Test's valued clients.

Please contact us for registration or a demonstration of this service. To learn more, click here for more information (Acrobat Reader or Adobe required).

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Committment to our Clients

TO: OUR CUSTOMERS

FROM: TOM VERATTI SR, GENERAL MANAGER/OWNER

OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU TO PROVIDE EXCELLENCE

This is an update on CON-TEST Labs progress on our "Program Of Excellence" - a plan to provide customers with excellence in service, quality, turnaround and pricing. We are currently undergoing positive changes in structure, equipment and capabilities. We are a family owned business that cares about you and will continue to take positive actions based on your feedback.

The Client Service Department has undergone change. Cathie Morsch, our previous Client Services Manager, left to go into teaching. Our new structure is as follows:

· Lisa Veratti is the new Client Service Manager. Lisa is responsible for the overall management of the Client Service/Administration areas.

· Theresa Ferrentino is the Client Services Supervisor with responsibility for couriers, order entry, client communications, subcontracting and report generation.

· Pam Nowakowski is the Administrative Supervisor responsible for billing, collections, purchasing, website development and computer programming. Pam can be contacted with any billing issues you may have.

· Alan Pienkowski has been added as a Technical Client Service Representative. He was an Organics Analyst for another laboratory. He will help the department answer technical client questions. Alan will QC the chain of custody/log in area to prevent errors and create a more efficient log-in process.

You can contact the appropriate person for any assistance you may need. We also have Tod Kopyscinski, our Production Manager, for regulation and technical issues and Ed Denson the QA/ QC Manager, for quality and technical questions.

What do these changes mean to you? Our hours have been extended. Alan works from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Some of our couriers will get on the road earlier. Lisa Veratti works from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Our billing will improve with a dedicated full time professional versus the part time assignments of the past. We will be able to prevent problems with our Technical Rep's QC in the client service function. We will better advance the electronic report deliverables and customer communications.

The production department is implementing a major equipment upgrade plan. We will have newer, faster instruments with lower detection limits. In most cases, we are keeping the older units to be able to handle more rushes. This will be completed by September. We have also added additional second shift staff. We will be able to improve turnaround and accept more rushes. This year three new supervisors were added and they have a pivotal role in turnaround, quality and efficiency gains.

We are adding a full time person to the QC department to increase the focus on internal audits and SOP updating.

If you have any questions or input concerning this document, please call me at the lab. Thank you for your business and your support.

-Tom Veratti, Sr. - Owner

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New Regulation - Change in Lead Wipe Sampling Materials

The AIHA's Environmental Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program has a new policy regarding materials used for lead wipe sampling. This policy is aimed at improving the quality of dust wipe sampling data. The policy states that all wipe materials used must meet ASTM E1792 standards. A listing of wipe media that have been found to meet the performance requirements of ASTM E1792 can be found on the AIHA website. Con-Test has selected Ghost Wipes as our wipe material of choice. Please be aware that any of the three brands listed may be used for wipe sampling. To comply with this standard, the wipe brand must be written on the chain of custody. Be advised that if no brand is written down and the wipe cannot be identified as an approved wipe, a note will be inserted in the report stating that the ASTM standard was not met.

Con-Test can provide supply wipes with transport tubes at a cost of $7.00/pack of ten plus shipping fees if they apply. Please Contact Us if you wish to order these wipes from us or if you have any questions in regards to the new regulation. Wipes can also be ordered directly as indicated on the link above.

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New Service - Gasoline Oxygenates

Gasoline Oxygenates are additives to reformulated gasoline. These additives are used to improve the combustion efficiency of gasoline engines. The most common compound used is MTBE-methyl tert butyl ether. MTBE has become the leading contaminate found in groundwater. In addition to MTBE, several other compounds have been found: TAME-tertiary amyl methyl ether, ETBE-ethyl tert butyl ether and DIPE-DI isopropyl ether. TBA-tert butyl alcohol is also an oxygenate which could be an impurity in MTBE or a byproduct of MTBE and ETBE degradation.

The State of New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services has adopted legislation that will require all the oxygenates to be reported in all analytical results for VOC's submitted after January 1, 2001. Other states, including Massachusetts, have discussed interest in this regulation.

Con-Test Analytical Laboratory has the capabilities to analyze for these oxygenates. In the past, MTBE has been the only oxygenate routinely reported. Upon request, these additional compounds can be added to our current EPA method 8260. The following is the list of our reported method detection limit (MDL):

Compound	MDL (ug/l)
TAME	0.5
ETBE	0.5
DIPE	0.5
TBA	20.0

Please Contact Us for more information.

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Request Containers and Sample Pick-up Online

You can now order your Sample Containers and Request Sample Pick-Up's online. This feature is available to clients with 48-Hour advance notice.

Please visit Contact Us to use this feature today!!!!

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MiniCans: The Small Summa Canister  
 
The MiniCan system is very similar to the advanced air sampling technology of the larger Summa canister. The advantages of the smaller Summa system is that it is compact, lightweight, extremely portable and easy to use. Both the larger Summa canister and the "MiniCans" allow for whole air analysis. They also allow a greater recovery of more reactive compounds since there are less active sites with the inert fused silica lining within the cans. While sampling media like the charcoal absorption tubes absorb and concentrate compounds from the air sample and thus record a lower detection limit, the Summa system allows for lower detection in the parts-per-billion. This allows for greater recovery and a larger list of compounds. These MiniCans collect airborne organics and indoor air contaminants. Their holding time is much more generous than that of the 48-hour holding time of the Tedlar bags. Not only do they have a longer holding time for your convenience and easy shipping standards, but they also contain enough sample that they can provide enough sample for more than one analysis or re-run.

Sampling done with the MiniCan is extremely simplified since the vacuum technology takes the sample without the assistance of a cumbersome pump, battery or other apparatus. The Summa canister and MiniCan work under a vacuum, so taking a sample is as easy as the turn of a knob. A convenient pressure gauge allows the sampler to watch the amount of sample taken and contained within the canister. The Summa technology has no sample preparation with solvents, preservatives or extraction. Sample analysis is performed on the GC/MS instrument, which results in more accurate results and a greater applicability for the identification of unknowns. For Quality Control measures, a surrogate spike is automatically injected to assure that there was the correct sample volume recovered during analysis. In addition, the Summa canisters and MiniCans can take a sample over a time-integrated period with the use of a air flow controller (which is cleaned and calibrated by the CON-TEST lab). This gives you a more representative air sample of the area or space you are sampling (based on the project requirements). A sample can be taken anywhere from 10 seconds up to 1 week! 

One of the most important features of both the MiniCans and Summa cans is that they are extremely inert sampling media and they are the closest environmental laboratories have gotten to actually taking the analyzer into the field! Complete quality control and purity of sample is also maintained.

To summarize the benefits of the MiniCan system: 

• Portable, durable, and lightweight for easy use
• GC/MS system analysis identifies a longer compound list and a greater number of unknowns
• A whole air sample is taken for greater accuracy and certainty within the sample
• Allows sampling over various regulated time periods for a more representative sample and greater certainty in results
• No power source or pump is needed since the canisters are under vacuum
• Canisters can produce multiple analyses for more than one test, reruns and unknown identification
• Perfect for personal exposure (Health & Safety) in VOC monitoring in the workplace as well as other Industrial Hygiene work

Individual soil samples should be obtained from underlying native soil at each end of the tank and at the level of the tank bottom from each of the sidewalls. If groundwater is present in the excavation, the sidewall samples should instead be obtained at the level of the water and a water sample must be collected. Samples should also be collected beneath dispensers and beneath product lines in the vicinity of fittings and no more than twenty foot intervals along the piping. Prior to abandoning a UST in place, samples should be obtained in the vicinity of the fill pipe, at two or more locations immediately beneath the tank, and beneath piping as previously specified.

The method uses gas chromatography (GC) coupled with a flame ionization detector (FID) for the analysis of ETPH. This equipment includes is a data system that measures peak areas. Soil and water samples are extracted first with methylene chloride and are then analyzed by the GC. Fuel identification can be achieved by comparing the chromatogram of the sample to that of the known product.

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Boston Office Information

Con-Test's Boston office, established in 1998, is keeping with our company philosophy of client services as the number one priority. 

Tom Veratti, Jr., Con-Test's Sales and Marketing Manager, serves the greater Boston area and Northeast states to ensure quality and prompt service for our clients from our Boston office.  Tom is available for back up of sample pick up and bottle deliveries as well as training and sampling services.  Tom is part owner of the company that was founded on values of quality and ethics.  He has been involved with Con-Test for more than ten years, adding to his understanding of environmental needs and the importance of client communication. 

If you would like to meet with Tom, so that we can better serve you, do not  hesitate to contact him at the Boston office: 617-889-2444.