Finger Lakes InstituteCertified Laboratory

Jump to:

History

  • Initial certification: 10/4/21
  • Current certification period: 4/1/22 – 3/31/23

Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program Proficiency Tests successfully completed

  • December 2020, August 2021 , December 2021

Nutrients (by Lachat)

Analyte Method Certified? Limit of Detection (LOD), Range

Orthophosphate (as P)

EPA method 365.1 rev 2 (1993)

x

LOD: 1 µg P/L
Range: 3 to 400 µg P/L

Phosphorus, Total

EPA method 365.1 rev 2 (1993)

x

LOD: 1 µg P/L
Range: 5 to 400 µg P/L

Nitrate (as N)

EPA method 353.2 rev 2 (1993)

x

LOD: 4 µg N/L
Range: 20 to 2,000 µg N/L

Ammonia (as N)

EPA method 350.1 rev 2 (1993)

x

LOD: 10 µg N/L as NH3
Range: 20 to 2,000 µg N/L as NH3

Nitrogen, Total

Lachat Method 10-107-04-4-B

 

Range: 20 to 2,000 µg N/L

 

Chlorophyll by bbe FluoroProbe

Analyte

Method

Certified?

Limit of Detection (LOD),
Range

Chlorophyll-a

Finger Lakes Institute FluoroProbe SOP

 

LOD: 0.00 – 500 µg Chl-a/L (specified by manufacturer)

 

Microcystin by Abraxis

Analyte

Method

Certified?

Limit of Detection (LOD),
Range

Total Microcystins

EPA Method 546

x

LOD: 0.3 µg/L
Range: 0.3 to 500 µg Total Microcystins/L

Overview of Instrumentation

LachatLachat: Quikchem 8500 Series 2 Flow Injection Analysis System
(photo credit: hach.com)

  • High sample throughput
  • Modular manifold system for analytes
  • Automated chemistry mixing, autosampler, Omnion software for data quality management

bbe FluoroProbebbe FluoroProbe: Chlorophyll-a by Algal Class

  • Workstation mode for laboratory analysis of Chlorophyll-a
  • Breakdown of Chlorophyll-a into different phytoplankton groups
  • Turbidity and yellow substances correction

AbraxisAbraxis CAAS Automated ELISA System: Total Microcystins
(photo credit: Abraxis)

  • Fully automated 96-well microplate analysis system for the quantitation of cyanotoxins
  • Computer-controlled with automating fluid handling, plate mixing, incubation timing, optical reading, calculations and report generation

Illustrative Lab Experience

    • Nutrients:
      • Honeoye – comparative data set over last 4 years (2018-2021)
        • FLI, CSLAP, commercial certified lab comparisons
        • Contact: Terry Gronwall, Honeoye Lake
      • Lab analysis for Great Lakes Research Consortium study, Adapting emerging phosphorous removal technologies for use in Great Lakes agricultural settings
        • Contact: Ian Smith, Seneca Watershed Steward
      • Chlorophyll-a:
        • FLI screens Harmful Algal Bloom samples for Keuka Lake Association, Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association, Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council, Seneca Lake Pure Waters, 2018-2022
        • FLI Standard Operating Procedure approved as part of a New York State reviewed project and report, Owasco Lake HAB Inhibiting Technologies Assessment, 2018-2019
      • Microcystin:
        • Research projects in collaboration with Cornell U. and funded through the New York State Water Resources Institute (US Geological Survey reviews proposals)
          • Mobile toolkit for rapid in-field screening of freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms (2020-2021)
          • Comprehensive Monitoring of Harmful Algal Blooms via Molecular Tools and Remote Sensing (2021-2022)