Quality Assurance

ACL’s comprehensive Quality Assurance program complies with requirements of the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) Institute (TNI). TNI establishes the technical competency of U.S.-based entities involved in the generation of environmental measurement data. Our Qualify Assurance Manual [.pdf link] is closely monitored and regularly updated. 

Our program focus is providing customers with the highest-quality data that is scientifically-sound and legally-defensible. It addresses sample chain-of-custody, restricted-access storage, as well as appropriate refrigeration and other climate controls. It also details proper methods and steps used to assure quality, accuracy, and timeliness in making analytical determinations. This includes method blanks usage, lab control standards, matrix spike/matrix spike duplicates, surrogates, replicates and tracking sampling dates and times for proper time compliance.

Routine determinations include analysis of external reference samples (LCS) or second-source standards. Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is to source these differently from the primary standard. Additionally, we carefully establish and verify detection limits per requirements to provide meaningful non-detected analytes data. 

The manual addresses regular internal audits and quality-control actions taken to correct any NELAC criteria not being met. Regulatory agencies and certain laboratory clients also provide external audits.

We also detail personnel training in the technical aspects of the lab, data recording, quality-control, ethics, and identification and reporting of improper or illegal actions.

SOP for each analytical method is addressed. Methods used include: 

• EPA
• Standards Methods
• ASTM
• AOAC
• NIOSH and OSHA
• USP

Nearly all of our lab’s analytical instruments have computerized data reduction and calculation. We provide a secondary review for proper peak integration, compound identification, and quality control before releasing data for reporting.

Our lab director conducts a final review of the report, documentation, and the chain of custody document. If no discrepancies appear, the report is signed and delivered to the client via their preferred method of delivery.