Alpha Environmental, Inc. can assist you from the very beginning of the construction or renovation of your laboratory. Let Alpha Environmental guide you in the design of your new laboratory so as to eliminate high background levels of pollutants. During the design phase, we can also provide expertise on material selection to minimize the release of toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, styrene and other agents that may be embryo toxic, mutagenic, or carcinogenic.
 
After the completion of construction, Alpha Environmental, Inc. testing will verify the conformance to design specification. Testing can include heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) functions to tracer gas studies of isolation, detailed chemical testing using gas chromatography/ mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
 
Testing can also be extended to microbiological airborne particulates, bacteria, and fungi media impurities and electromagnetic fields.
 
We also can perform chamber studies on laboratory supplies to measure the release of suspected materials from plastic ware.

HVAC Inspection

Pictured is a typical example of field monitoring and sampling. In the upper left of this photograph, a particulate air sample is being taken to determine the background loading of dust, fungal spores and pollen.

At the open access door, temperature, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and relative humidity measurements are being taken to be used in evaluating the unit's performance. In the lower left corner, a stainless steel summa canister is taking an air sample for volatile organics.

Alpha Environmental, Inc. can also conduct complete monitoring of the Freons contained in the HVAC system to insure their conformance to specification. This can prevent damage to your compressor, the heart of your air conditioning system. Testing of your activated carbon and specialized media is also available. Activated carbon can be tested for CTC# (Carbon Tetrachloride Number), Butane Working Capacity, (BWC) density and moisture content. These can indicate the remaining capacity of the carbon. Thermal desorption followed by GC/MS analysis of the carbon can indicated what organics are in your environment. Lastly, we can determine the level of remaining potassium permanganate in your system.

Formaldehyde Sampling

Formaldehyde is a well recognized toxicant for embryos and gametes. It can be released by some adhesives, particleboard, and incomplete combustion. Alpha Environmental, Inc. routinely measures this and other aldehyes at microgram /cubic meter levels. Additionally, we can tell you what the nominal levels are and how to remove the offending materials.

Organic Air Contaminants

Alpha can use either summa canisters or specialized adsorptive tubes to take air samples outside and inside the IVF laboratory In the laboratory, a sub sample is cryogenically concentrated. It is then injected onto a capillary gas chromato-graphy column to separate the mixture components and then analyzed by a mass spectrometer to identify and quantify the components. The system routinely detects one microgram/cubic meter. The average sample has 35-75 components. Many of these materials are produced in the IVF laboratory itself or from materials used in the laboratory.

Microbial Air Sampling

Sterility is a major concern in biotechnology. Alpha Environmental, Inc. can sample both total and particulate ranges for airborne mold and bacteria. Resulting cultures can also be identified at the genus and species level.

Media and Water Analysis

The purity of media in terms of trace metals and volatile organics is critical in both embryo and cell culture. Alpha Environmental, Inc. will sample and interpret results at the part per billion level.