Judith Boyle holds a BSc. (Hons.) in chemistry and a MSc. in petroleum geo-chemistry.She has worked in The State Laboratory since 2008 and has been working on the analysis of Dioxins in feed for the past 12 months. The State Laboratory is the national reference laboratory for dioxins and dioxin related compounds and are part of the EURL. Judith availed of the Training and Mobility Funding programme to investigate new instrumentation for the clean-up and extraction of Dioxins from animal feed samples. In the report below, she tells us about her experience.
The aim and objective of the visit to Nofalab in the Netherlands was to evaluate a new instrument for the extraction of Dioxins from feed materials and to see if this new instrument could make the extraction process more efficient and environmental friendly as well as improving reducibility and aiding better recovery of the congeners.
This instrument called the Miura was designed to reduce the volume of harsh organic chemicals currently used in the extraction of dioxins and the other chemical waste associated with the method. The new instrument also reduces the time required for the extraction therefore making it a much more efficient and effective method.
Dioxins are highly toxic pollutants that occur in the environment due to various industrial processes. In humans, dioxins have been linked to reproductive and developmental problems, damage to the immune system, cancer as well as causing interference with hormones. Due to their toxic nature it is important to keep dioxins out of the food chain by analysing animal feed, milk, egg and liver samples and keeping these materials within the legalisation guidelines set out by the European Union.
Nofalab is a demonstration laboratory for the Miura system but is also a commercial dioxin laboratory. Here I was able to evaluate and get first hand experience on the Miura system. When I arrived at laboratory I was given a tour of the whole facility. I was able to observe the whole process of the samples which required dioxin analysis, from when they were received into the laboratory to the end point of reporting the results to the customer. This enabled me to see the differences or similarities in the approach that we take in the State laboratory to the approach in Nofalab. By using the instrument myself I was able to assess the easy of use of the technique and the solvent consumption first hand. This experience is invaluable when evaluating and deciding on new instrumentation. I found the new Miura system very easy to use. The reduced solvent consumption compared to the method we currently use was a huge advantage. The chemicals that are needed to extract the dioxins from the matrix are harmful, costly, organic chemicals that are not good for the person performing the analysis or the environment. The new system reduces this by over 80%. While in the laboratory I learned about the system and its pro’s and con’s. This transfer of knowledge was invaluable to me and I was able to realise all the anticipated benefits of the visit.
In conclusion, my visit to the Netherlands was extremely successful. I gained knowledge on the instrument and the methods they use in Nofalab which I can bring back to The State Laboratory. I also developed good relationships with the other analysts and dioxin experts in the laboratory and have been able to contact them with questions since my return. It was an amazing opportunity and I would like to thank safefood for the funding opportunity as well as Wim Tragg and Chris van Wakeren from DSP systems and Jeroen Markesteijn from Nofalab for their expertise and hospitality.
Comments