Apr 19, 2018
BAL’s President/CEO, Michelle Briscoe, spent a full day last month advocating for the private commercial laboratory industry on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC as part of the “Independence Day” activities sponsored by the American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACIL). With meetings scheduled in the offices of three members of the Senate and four members of the House of Representatives, plus a Congressional Briefing, the day was packed full of opportunities for Ms. Briscoe to discuss important issues that align with BAL’s core values with key legislative staffers.
Mar 15, 2018
We are excited to announce that Brooks Applied Labs has increased its footprint from 18,000 sf to 23,500 sf through the acquisition of additional space in our current complex. This expansion was necessary to accommodate the 4 new ICP-MS instruments and nearly 20 new staff that we have acquired in the past 12 months! As we grow our business into new markets, this lab expansion will allow us to ensure we can continue to meet our clients’ high expectations for quality, service, and turnaround time. Our mailing address will remain the same; however, if you are visiting our offices, please contact us so we may direct you to the correct part of the BAL campus.
Mar 15, 2018
Most regulations – whether for the environmental, pharmaceutical, or consumer product sectors – are based on the total concentration of an element present in a given sample. Many regulatory bodies and standards organizations have promulgated methods to support total elemental analyses in a variety of matrices, which can lead to the impression that providing quality data for such analyses is routine and uncomplicated. However, many methods fail to consider what impact the molecular forms (also known as chemical species) of an element may have on the accuracy of the procedure, which can lead to inaccurate analytical results. With our unique focus not just on total elemental quantitation but also on advanced speciation methodology, Brooks Applied Labs (BAL) can be trusted to provide accurate data for your project.
To begin to understand how the speciation of an element can impact the accuracy of total elemental analyses, consider that nearly all methods are validated using only a small subset of the wide variety of real-world sample types that a data end user may be interested in analyzing. While it is generally the responsibility of the laboratory to ensure that the applied methods are fit-for purpose, not all samples of a given matrix type will be identical or contain the same forms of an element. Therefore, even if a method has been purportedly validated for a specific type of sample, unexpected biases can remain hidden if the specific chemistry of the sample and the element of interest are not understood and addressed when developing an analytical plan. All steps, ranging from sample collection, preservation, preparation, and analysis must be taken into consideration.
For example, in the case of selenium, numerous literature sources state that water samples will typically contain selenite and/or selenate. These selenium species may be accurately quantified by the techniques found in most promulgated methods, including sample collection into polyethylene bottles followed by preservation and digestion using mineral acids. However, more than a dozen other selenium species have been identified in both natural and anthropogenically-impacted waters, including volatile forms like dimethylselenide and reduced forms like selenocyanate. Standard analytical methods have been shown to generate biased data if samples contain volatile species, in part because standard sample containers are permeable to these forms of selenium. Similarly, low-biased results can be obtained if standard sample methods are applied to water samples containing reduced selenium species, as these forms can precipitate from solution during acidification with dilute mineral acids. Since many other elements can form volatile or reduced species – including arsenic, mercury, lead, antimony, tin, and iodine – biases due to blind application of standard methods are not limited to just selenium.
When you work with Brooks Applied Labs, you not only benefit from our state-of-the-art instrumentation and robust methods, but also from our experienced staff who can identify and anticipate these potential issues to ensure the quality of your data. Including speciation analyses alongside more traditional total elemental analyses can also provide you with greater confidence in your data, particularly when the results of these two separate analyses agree. And in cases where the two analyses may differ, our staff will work with you to interpret the results and recommend additional analyses to identify the source of the discrepancy. To learn more about how partnering with Brooks Applied Labs can help ensure the success of your project, please contact us today!
Mar 15, 2018
The better question is, “Where are we not at this month?” Russ Gerads kicks things off in New Orleans where he is presenting on “Arsenic Speciation in Rice Products” at the ACS National Meeting & Expo on Sunday, 3/18. He then hops on a plane to meet up with Jamie Fox in San Francisco for the BioProcess International West conference taking place 3/19 – 3/22. 
That same week Michelle Briscoe will be at the ACIL P2 Conference in D.C., and Annie Carter will be in San Diego accepting our Award for Outstanding Business Achievement at the Environmental Industry Summit XVI. See more about this award in our last newsletter here, and follow us on Twitter and let us know if you will be at any of these meetings so we can connect!
Mar 15, 2018
Brooks Applied Labs is competing in “Can Madness,” an exciting food and fund drive tournament supporting Hopelink food banks. BAL will be matching donations made by our staff, in addition to donating $1 per can of food donated by our employees. Our goal is to raise $1,000 and collect 1,000 pounds of food for Hopelink by April 6th. You can help us fight hunger in the greater Seattle region by making an online donation today! Thank you in advance for your support.
Feb 14, 2018
Interest in the forms of arsenic in food and beverage products containing rice has significantly increased recently due to the amount of information available to the public regarding the carcinogenicity and ubiquitous nature of certain arsenic molecules. Application of a single method for the preparation and analysis of samples for arsenic speciation to all types of consumptive products containing rice (e.g., baby food, cereals, crackers, pasta, drinks) will result in haphazard failures to produce accurate results. The composition of the food or beverage and its interaction with the different arsenic species will ultimately dictate method viability.
Most consumers have a limited education regarding all of the different products that contain rice and rice-based products, including rice bran, rice flour, rice syrup, and rice bran oil. These products are being used as sweeteners, thickeners, leavening agents, sugar sources for brewing, and fillers. Arsenic speciation analyses of rice and rice-based products are relatively straightforward for experienced laboratories; however, when integrated as ingredients in more complex foods (fats, complex carbohydrates, oils, food additives), the chemistry of the product as a whole must be taken into consideration. An excellent example is the level of protonation of arsenite, or As(III), when present in consumptive products with a high fat content. Since the fat is relatively insoluble and the protonated As(III) is stable in that substrate, it can reduce the efficacy of traditional extraction approaches for arsenic speciation analyses.
Brooks Applied Labs has developed an array of different preparatory and analytical methods to account for the vast variety of consumptive products we perform testing on. Our project managers and applied scientists have an excellent understanding of the limitations and benefits for each method we offer. If you want to manage your risk with results you can rely upon, please contact us to discuss your project. BAL is your partner for making vital product safety and supply chain decisions.
Feb 14, 2018
BAL is honored to receive an award from Environmental Business International for outstanding business achievement in 2017. As detailed in the award description, BAL has experienced dramatic growth in revenue and earnings over the past 3 years through diversification into new market sectors. BAL’s Vice President of Operations, Annie Carter, will be in San Diego at the Environmental Industry Summit’s Awards Ceremony on March 21st to accept this award on behalf of the company. Thank you to all our wonderful clients and employees who have made our growth and success possible!
Feb 14, 2018
Last month BAL’s Senior Project Manager, Amanda Royal, presented to the 4th grade classes of Lake Forest Park Elementary School on the topic of groundwater supply and movement through their city. Over 90 students learned about aquifers, hydraulic time of travel, critical aquifer recharge areas, and how to protect and conserve this important water resource. The event was a huge success, providing future generations with scientific concepts to help them understand and protect their environment. BAL is proud to support our staff in these types of endeavors that further our vision and core values.
Jan 18, 2018
Pharmacokinetic Clinical Studies: Improving People’s Lives
The biological significance of metals from both pharmaceutical drug discovery and production aspects has increased significantly over the past two decades. Integration of trace metals in complex pharmaceuticals, both small and large molecule, can play a key role in their viability as well as their stability. Furthermore, active sites on organic molecules will dictate their adsorptive properties (“stickiness” to the outside of the molecule) for trace metals, which can also impact clinical efficacy. Brooks Applied Labs has a long history of supporting both the prevention and cure for cancers and other human ailments through research, consulting, and analytical services.
Pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and international scientific consortiums have relied upon Brooks Applied Labs to deliver high quality, defensible analytical results for drug discovery, delivery, production, stability, and efficacy. Our proprietary methods target total elemental composition of materials, as well as their molecular forms, using advanced analytical equipment (such as ICP-MS/MS) coupled to chromatographic systems. A short list of web links has been provided below, representing just a few of our collaborative efforts.
One of the highlights of our efforts has been working with a consortium of concerned scientists to address the arsenicosis issue that affects the inhabitants in Bangladesh. It has been well documented that the drinking water sources for rural areas in Bangladesh contain very high concentrations of arsenic. Certain molecular forms of selenium were identified to chemically interact with arsenic in the human body to produce a selenium-arsenic adduct that is more readily excreted in the urine; thus, reducing the carcinogenic effects. BAL continues to support research efforts to alleviate the impacts of arsenicosis throughout the world.
Quality control and conformance to regulatory requirements are of utmost importance in establishing defensibility and maximizing confidence in all results released by BAL. Furthermore, BAL takes it one step further with conformance to scientific principles which can contradict promulgated methods and publications. We are on the forefront of technology for analytical chemistry and applied metalloid research, as we take it upon ourselves to better scientific principles and educate those in need through webinars, presentation at scientific conferences, and workshops.
Our preventative efforts to combat cancer and other ailments have been in the form of testing the environment around all of us on a relatively holistic basis. BAL’s partnership with the food, environmental, power generation, petroleum processing, mining, and other markets have mitigated exposure to trace metals and metalloid compounds internationally. By understanding not just how much of an element is present in a material, but also the molecular form, the risk assessment and remediation efforts are more focused and efficient. Our proprietary methods provide the technological advancements that make our air, water, soil, food, and products safer for the current and coming generations.
Whether your goal is to reduce or eliminate the risk of health concerns associated with metals and metalloid compounds before exposure to humans, or to treat ailments after manifestation, Brooks Applied Labs is excited to partner with you. Partnering with BAL goes beyond selecting a laboratory, as we are most often perceived as a valuable teammate called upon to solve the most challenging problems. Contact us to find out how we can help you with your next clinical or pharmacokinetic study.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02377635
https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2014AM/webprogram/Paper250076.html
https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2008AM/finalprogram/abstract_149365.htm
http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2017/mt/c7mt00201g#!divAbstract
https://pqdtopen.proquest.com/doc/894949380.html?FMT=ABS
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705316/
Jan 18, 2018
A chemist from Brooks Applied Labs recently traveled with a group to Cuba for two weeks, and she shared her experiences during this fascinating adventure with us. It was an exciting opportunity to connect with Cubans to learn what life is like there for many people, with a focus on the lives and roles of women in Cuba. Brooks Applied Labs values our diverse staff with rich backgrounds and experiences. We believe that having employees who can bring varied perspectives together allows for an incredible, inclusive culture that fosters limitless learning opportunities.
To experience a slice of Cuban childhood and education firsthand, the group was able to visit a large primary school for grades 1-8. She found the breadth of studies available to be impressive. “It was a huge school. They had a zoo with animals like a monkey, a crocodile… there was an agricultural farm.” She explained how the zoo was a part of the curriculum, with classes teaching biology and how to care for the animals. The school put on a dance performance for the visiting Americans to demonstrate their arts program, which teaches dance, singing, musical instruments, visual arts, and more. “Seeing how confidently they were [dancing] was really amazing. Our group was crying at the end of the experience.”
A visit to a maternity clinic provided insight on the healthcare available to women in Cuba. According to UN World Population Prospects, the infant mortality rate in Cuba has dropped drastically in the past half-century, with rates now lower than the United States. Many of the women were from rural areas and were staying at the clinic because of its focus on chronic illnesses such as diabetes. Women in every region have access to these specialized maternity clinics.
The group visited small towns and rural areas, and met with the about 50 women in leadership positions at an agricultural co-op. “They were very happy to meet us and welcomed us with food and coffee that they had produced. They wanted to get to know us, too.” They explained that one purpose of the co-op is for farmers to be able to share machinery. Instead of each of the many farmers buying his or her own tractor, they are able to share a few within the co-op. The co-op also helps with loan assistance, pools resources, and provides many other services for the community.
The women they met hold many different positions from finance management to agricultural engineering, and the women there held a majority of the leadership positions of the co-op. This was important to see, she explained, because “without a co-op, these leadership roles don’t exist, so it helped cultivate positions for women and gave them the opportunity to step into a leadership role. In turn, you now have a co-op that mainly women are running.”
Stepping a bit further from the city and small towns, she was able to enjoy the natural beauty that Cuba has to offer as well, summiting the highest peak in Cuba, Pico Turquino. It may have been challenging – it was a 26-km hike over three days – but she explained how much she enjoyed it. “It was really cool… we got to be in nature and see the biological diversity in the tropics. It’s very dense. There are a lot of birds, a lot of bird watching” Her favorite? The beautifully colorful national bird of Cuba, “called the Tokororo (pictured), because that’s the noise it makes!”
Now back in Seattle, she is excited to share her observations and experiences with the community at home. We are glad to have her back with us at Brooks Applied Labs and are very grateful for the chance for all of us to learn more about Cuba!
