State-of-the-art technology allows labs to detect lower amounts of dioxins and dibenzofurans providing better test results, greater efficiency and selections.
MINNEAPOLIS (July 28, 2022) — Pace® Analytical Services, a division of Pace® and the preferred provider of in-lab, mobile, and emergency onsite specialty-contaminant and regulatory testing and analysis services, and partner Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc. today announced that the EPA has approved Pace® Analytical Method PAM-16130-SSI for detecting Dioxins and Dibenzofurans through state-of-the-art Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Following approval, the method will be recommended for inclusion in the approved method list under the clean water act by the EPA. In the interim, approval to use this method in measuring dioxins and dibenzofurans in wastewater may be sought from regional authorities on a facility by- facility basis.
GC-MS/MS is the future of organic compound detection, offering improved efficiency across the board. Compared to the magnetic instruments which are the current industry standard in the U.S., GC-MS/MS systems offer the same capabilities while greatly increasing ease of operation and energy efficiency.
Dioxins are a family of highly toxic chemical compounds with potential impacts to human health including reproductive and developmental problems and cancer. Dioxins exist in nature but are primarily created through industrial manufacturing processes such as smelting and papermaking, as well as waste treatment. Dioxins are chemically stable, allowing them to accumulate in the food chain over the course of their roughly decade-long half-life. The ubiquitousness of dioxins combined with their toxicity and durability mark them out as a particularly significant family of compounds to monitor and track for environmental regulators who will benefit from the increased utility of this new method.
“This approval is an important step in the rollout of GC-MS/MS technology,” said Judy Morgan, Vice President and Chief Compliance/Training Officer, Pace®. “This news marks one of the first commercially available offerings of GC-MS/MS technology in the United States. As GC-MS/MS analysis is applied to new compounds and methods, the spread of this technology will enable industry-wide efficiency improvements.”
Pace® is a portfolio company of Los Angeles-based Aurora Capital Partners and Leonard Green & Partners.
About Pace®
Pace® makes the world a safer, healthier place. For decades, Pace® people have been committed to advancing the science of businesses, industries, consulting firms, government agencies, and more by providing local-level service backed by a national laboratory network. For customers with in-house labs, Pace® provides a range of professional services to keep their operations moving forward. Pace® people work in partnership with customers by providing the service, science, and the data they need to make critical decisions that benefit us all.