Andrew Taylor
Recent Posts
An Alternative To n-Hexane For Doing Oil and Grease Extractions
December 17, 2020 at 1:45 PM / by Andrew Taylor
5 Sources of Phthalate and Adipate Contamination You Probably Didn’t Know About
December 16, 2020 at 2:16 PM / by Andrew Taylor
“Why do I keep seeing background contamination from phthalate and adipate when I do extractions for semi-volatiles?” This is one of the most common questions I’ve been asked when I’m traveling in the field. It’s an issue I’ve come across in my own lab on occasion and if you can’t find the source of your contamination, it can turn routine application work into a troubleshooting nightmare. Given how often I’ve seen these compounds cause contamination issues, I thought I’d review some of the most common sources for these.
Organochlorine Pesticides: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
December 14, 2020 at 2:55 PM / by Andrew Taylor
“Pesticides” is one of those terms that invokes a wide range of emotions in people. Some people smile when they think of the insecticides that keep their award-winning flower garden looking beautiful all season.
Improvements in Processing Drinking Water Samples Part 2
December 10, 2020 at 2:39 PM / by Andrew Taylor
In the first part of this 2-part blog series, I highlighted the improvements made by the EPA regarding the preparation and preservation of samples. In this post, I will focus more on the changes the EPA has made to Method 525 which affect the analysis of the prepared samples.
Improvements in Processing Drinking Water Samples by Method 525
December 10, 2020 at 2:38 PM / by Andrew Taylor
Since its release in 1995, EPA method 525.2 has been one of the most widely used methods for quantifying semi-volatile compounds in drinking water. Chances are, if you work for or own a drinking water lab, you probably analyze for compounds in this method – at the very least, you’re probably at least familiar with the method.
Why are Phenols so Challenging to Extract from Water?
December 10, 2020 at 2:36 PM / by Andrew Taylor
Phenolic compounds can be some of the most challenging compounds to extract from the compound lists in EPA Method 8270 and EPA Method 625.1. The recovery of these compounds suffer tremendously compared to some of the other target analytes on the list. So what exactly are phenols and why are they challenging to extract and quantitate?
Reducing the Headache of Challenging Emulsions
December 4, 2020 at 1:55 PM / by Andrew Taylor
Have you ever opened a jar of olives and noticed the shimmering liquid floating on the surface? Believe it or not, that liquid is actually residual oil that is given off by the olives themselves.
Which Media Type is Right for my Environmental Application?
December 2, 2020 at 5:13 PM / by Andrew Taylor
In the world of solid phase extraction (SPE), the list of media that is available seems to be ever-growing. From polymeric stationary phases, to silica-based media, and even molecularly imprinted polymers specifically designed for target analytes. The possibilities seem endless.
What you need to know before adding 1,4 Dioxane to your lab services
December 2, 2020 at 5:09 PM / by Andrew Taylor
In a never-ending list of chemical pollutants, a compound that is gaining a lot of attention is 1,4-dioxane. In fact, New Jersey just became the first state to set regulations on the quantity of 1,4-dioxane that can be present in drinking water.
Extraction of Polyphenols in Tea with Lemon
November 30, 2020 at 2:31 PM / by Andrew Taylor