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How do process improvements then arise?
Space is often at a premium in older laboratories. After water analysis methods are miniaturised, such small volumes of solvent and such small vessels are used that the space required in a fume cupboard becomes negligible. The extra space can be taken by an efficient soil extraction system that once again took a whole fume cupboard to itself. No queuing means no time loss. The more efficient use of work space can also promote health and safety and might negate the need for a shift system, a shift premium, unsociable working hours and any extra energy costs involved.
Biblical improvements: How do lab re-
arrangements then arise?
Allying the space savings and method miniaturisations described in previous paragraphs has led laboratories to regard their operations as manufacturing enterprises. The ideal in any modern lab is to have a ‘push’ ethos. If as many methods as possible have been miniaturised it is perfectly feasible to gear the “front end” of a laboratory into a sample-splitting area. Here, each sample aliquot (whether it be a soil or water sample within an Environmental Lab) will be weighed into a vial that is then used for the extraction, this will save several people constantly going back to the original container, on a shelf or in a fridge, to sub- sample. These aliquots are then pushed down to the extraction department who in turn send the extracts, when completed, on to the instrumental analysts who then provide the results to the reporting teams for final delivery to the customer. If everyone can see the work coming, they are more likely to be focussed on delivery. Old style compartmentalised labs do not promote flow through the system, in fact they are more likely to ensure samples (and analysts!) go missing.
Finally, when it comes to multiple beneficiaries and when done well, the largest scale improvement a lab can effect is a LIMS system. These enable the tracking of each and every sample, via its own unique identification number and/or barcode, through the entire analytical workflow from site sampling all the way to the customer’s e-mail address. Data is not the only thing housed within a LIMS, anything to do with the whole laboratory, including management
Diagram 9: Floor schematic of push lab v compartmentalised
and quality details, can be stored, giving all users multiple benefits. The biggest wins are improved quality, the chance to track key variables and real time analysis of samples within a workflow. Other major benefits are that:
• Instrumental link-to-lims allows error-free transcription of often hundreds of results in minutes rather than the laborious cut-and paste of old and other more minor kit can be connected i.e. balances for sample weighing and label printers for automated labelling.
• Report viewing is a useful option, automated reporting once again eliminates cutting and pasting and the inherent errors that can arise and advanced reporting formats (which are becoming increasingly requested) are easily incorporated into the software.
• The LIMS system becomes a database that can be interrogated for management reports or trend analysis via KPIs.
• The systems themselves are easily administered in-house in a part-time capacity by anyone with basic IT skills.
• Everything moves towards becoming electronic, reducing the paper trail.
• Real time analysis of samples in the work process is enabled so labour can be re allocated to remove bottlenecks.
• Archiving of old suites is easily enabled reducing errors in scheduling.
• A rapid search facility becomes available.
• Audit trails are accumulated in the background and swiftly retrievable, user administration status can be set at several levels to protect security and ensure training has been received before extra responsibility is taken.
• Most new systems come with associated web portals enabling the customer to remotely view or trend results.
In conclusion there is a lot to consider in implementing these processes, but a little time spent miniaturising methods and processes could provide better analysis quality and limits of detection, considerable on-going financial savings and a large amount of re-investable time. As Professor Walt Jennings once said “the only place you can afford to lose time is academia“.
Acknowledgements:
Agilent Restek Gerstel JAS
References:
[1] Alcontrol Hawarden, Exova Hillington, Derwentside Envronmental Testing Services, BLC Leather Technology Centre, Exova Saudi Arabia, Chemtest, ESG, Nicholls Colton Group.
[2] USEPA SW-846 Revisions 1 to 5 —Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, Physical/Chemical Methods, contains USEPA 8270 method - semivolatile organic pollutants in solid waste, soil, water, and air matrices using GCMS.
[3] Available from the Agilent website - GC method translation software, Windows 7 compatible - last update 20/03/2015
[4] Large Volume Injection with Solvent Venting - Application to Trace Detection of Analytes in Water - A. Hoffmann, K. MacNamara, Gerstel GmbH & Co. KG, Eberhard-Gerstel-Platz 1, D-45473 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
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