1. What’s New at the NWQL 2011 National Data Conference Pittsburgh, PA June 8, 2011 Gary Cottrell

2. Staffing John Zogorski – Chief NWQL Duane Wydoski – Chief of Analytical Services Donna Damrau – Chief of Metals/Carbon Unit Multiple retirements anticipated over next 12 months – The need for each replacement to be carefully evaluated – Staff reduced by ~5 from FY10

3. FY12 Prices NWQL prices expected to be reduced by an average of 6% Contract analyses with Test America increase 3% (Aug 1, 2011), but some declined in FY11 RadChem contract prices change (up and down) with each contract option

4. Top Ten Comparison – FY2012 Pricing Model LC/LSDesc.FY12FY11%diff 2033Pesticides $545.75$594.69 -8 2372ICP-MS $8.65 $7.83 +10 641ICP $8.58 $8.07 +6 2020VOC$484.14$503.13 -4 3116KONE $8.13 $9.28 -12 1433WasteWater$542.66$568.92 -5 1983TP/TKN $20.62 $22.87 -10 1571IC (Cl, SO4) $12.99 $15.47 -16 2060Pesticides$661.74$703.86 -6 4434Hormones$540.50$614.91 -12

5. Performance on PT Studies StudyAnalytes# Reported# UnacceptableAcceptable NY (NELAC)Inorg/Org 126 3*98% Env. CanadaTotal P 20 0100% BQS SpringInorganic 66 0100% Note: 2 of the 3 unacceptable NY results were acceptable according to NWQL report levels, which are much lower than NY's. Unacceptable were Chromium, total; Zinc, Total; and Acenaphthylene

6. Support Services Section Field Duties – Properly Labeled Containers – Legible ASRs – Well packed shipping containers – Safety – Weight – Bio Hazards – USDA Regulated Soils: Updated info in Tech Memo 11.01 Laboratory Duties – Prompt login of samples – Daily LabLogin reports – Problem sample calls – Sample Status Page – Preservation Checks – Scanned ASR’s on website

7. Cooler with samples randomly placed/tossed. Login personnel must group each sample set. Increases the chance for error. Some bottles are actually ice containers but were labeled similar to a regular sample

8. Grouping samples reduces the chance for errors. Check the Daily LabLogin Report for errors – We can’t proceed until errors are corrected – Email lablogin@usgs.gov with problemslablogin@usgs.gov New Tech Memo 11.01, Shipping Samples to the NWQL. – Replaces Tech Memo 02.04 Fed Ex has a new airbill, the blocks for Priority and First Overnight have changed. Do not use First Overnight or Standard Overnight. Use Priority Overnight (w/ Sat Delivery)

9. Development of New Methods Next 6 months: – Nitrate in water by DA with Nitrate Reductase – Hormones in water by GC/MS/MS – OC’s in sediment, tissue and water by NCI/GC/MS – Pharmaceuticals in water, positive ion, by DAI/LC/MS/MS FY12: – VOCs in water by P&T GC/MS – Pesticides in water by DAI LC/MS/MS – Industrial, Commercial & Other Organics in water by GC/MS – Pharmaceuticals in water, negative ion, by DAI/LC/MS/MS – Pesticides in water by GC/MS

10. Nitrate Reductase for Kone Nutrients SOP Approved Eliminates toxic Cd waste Method Approved

11. Hormones in Water Schedule 2434 – Filtered Water Analyte RLUnit 11-Ketotestosterone 2ng/L 16-Epiestriol-2,4-d2 pct 17-alpha-Estradiol 0.8ng/L 17-alpha-Ethynylestradiol-2,4,16,16-d4 pct 17-beta-Estradiol 0.8ng/L 17-beta-Estradiol-13,14,15,16,17,18-13C6 pct 17-alpha-Ethynylestradiol 0.8ng/L Norethindrone 0.8ng/L 4-Androstene-3,17-dione 0.8ng/L cis-Androsterone 0.8ng/L Bisphenol-A-d16 pct Cholesterol 200ng/L Cholesterol-d7 pct 3-beta-Coprostanol 200ng/L Dihydrotestosterone 4ng/L Bisphenol A 200ng/L Epitestosterone 4ng/L Equilenin 2ng/L Equilin 4ng/L Estriol 2ng/L Estrone 0.8ng/L Estrone-13,14,15,16,17,18-13C6 pct Medroxyprogesterone-d3 pct Mestranol 0.8ng/L Mestranol-2,4,16,16-d4 pct Nandrolone-16,16,17-d3 pct Progesterone 8ng/L trans-Diethylstilbestrol 0.8ng/L Testosterone 0.8ng/L trans-Diethyl-1,1,1',1'-d4-stilbesterol- 3,3',5,5'-d4 pct Schedule 4434 – Unfiltered Water SOP Approved Progesterone Cholesterol

12. Organohalogens in Water, Sediment and Tissue Revises Schedule 8099 SOP Approval by Start of FY12 Offered custom at Start of FY12 Dacthal Fipronil

13. Pharmaceuticals in Water Version 2.0 Replaces Schedule 2080 SOP Approval by Start of FY12 Offered custom at Start of FY12 Cotinine Warfarin Caffeine

14. Industrial, Commercial and other Organics in Water Revises Schedules 1433 and 4433 SOP Approval by Start of FY12 Offered custom at Start of FY12 Caffeine Expands these Schedules to 100 Analytes Cholesterol Pyrene Anthracene

15. OWQ Approval and Publication of New Methods NWQL and OWQ are committed to timely approval and publication of T+Ms 13 new methods are planned for FYs 12-15, each requires OWQ approval and publication WSCs will be kept advised on when new methods will be available via emails, Rapi-Notes and web postings

16. Contract Lab Availability

17. Questions for You Any interest in fracking chemicals? Would publicly available QC charts be useful? Any new projects on the horizon? Growing interest in particular methods? What can we do to help you sell projects?

18. Contact Information labhelp@usgs.gov lablogin@usgs.gov class@usgs.gov 1-866-ASK-NWQL 1-866-275-6975 Gary Cottrell (303) 236-3490