In anticipation of Phase II and III of the Board PFAS investigation, Babcock Laboratories, Inc. added Department of Defense (DOD) accreditation for PFAS in 2019.
Life in Plastic: Determining Microplastics in Drinking Water
One microcosm of this public health concern has been the presence of microplastics in the environment, and the potential for these tiny particles to make their way into our food and water. Microplastics fall into two main categories—those that are manufactured as additives or for use in manufacturing and those that come from the degradation or breakdown of larger plastic particles.
The Path Out of Coronavirus Lockdown? Follow the Wastewater
As the United State passes the one million mark for documented cases of Covid-19, one of the most frustrating aspects of the current pandemic is that identification and extent of community outbreaks is tied to the number of test kits available. Due to inadequate test kit supplies, available testing has been limited to individuals already experiencing symptoms. This, in turn, has limited the number of identified cases to the number of kits. It is now suspected that in the California Bay Area, the virus may have been circulating in the population more than a month before health officials began looking for it (LA Times, April 11, 2020).
Finding a quick way to locate and identify disease outbreaks before they manifest in the community has researchers at several universities focusing their attention on a surprising yet familiar matrix—wastewater. Interest in the new field of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has gained traction and offers a promising way to identify coronavirus using wastewater. “WBE holds the promise of near real-time monitoring of disease outbreaks,” according to an April 23, 2020 news release from Arizona State University.
Trending Now: WOTUS Protections Roll Back
While today’s political climate is arguably the most divisive in history, we believe those in the water industry agree on the importance of providing consumers with safe, clean drinking water. This month the Trump administration announced regulations that considerably weaken clean water protections. As the LA Times reports:
“Defying environmentalists and public health advocates, the Trump administration on Thursday announced the replacement of Obama-era water protections with a significantly weaker set of regulations that lifts limits on how much pollution can be dumped into small streams and wetlands.
Who Suffers from a Shutdown?
The Future Landscape of Science: 2018 Environmental Measurement Symposium
Next month representatives from Babcock Laboratories will head to NOLA to attend the annual NEMC/TNI Environmental Measurement Symposium.
The weeklong conference will include 180 oral and poster presentations in 27 technical sessions, five keynote speakers, a technology showcase, and a plenary session on the conference’s theme, “The Future Landscape for Science.”