Lab Conference to focus on priority pollutants.

Laboratory analysts from around the world will congregate in Telford (GB) on 2nd and 3rd November to focus on the testing, monitoring and analysis of water, wastewater and environmental samples. Featuring a wider range of conferences, workshops, demonstrations and an international exhibition, WWEM 2016 will be even larger than previous WWEM events, which stretch back over eleven years.

The first day of the WWEM 2016 Conference will address a laboratory environmental analysis theme; entitled ‘Priority Pollutants Legislation: Issues for Industry and Potential Solutions,’ (delegate cost £50 - ca €60-). Speakers from ALcontrol, DEFRA, Atkins, United Utilities, Southern Water, Welsh Water, Arcadis and Flameless Energy Solutions will discuss regulations, compliance, analytical issues and remediation solutions.

Prof. Clive Thompson

ALcontrol’s Chief Scientist Prof. K. Clive Thompson and Technical Director Paul Gribble will chair the morning session. Clive Thompson says: “Priority substances are those that must be monitored and controlled in surface waters. At the end of last year the Water Framework Directive was updated and as a result laboratories will need to develop and demonstrate technical capability to measure the additional compounds recently added to the priority substances list with a December 2018 deadline. These substances are: dicofol, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its derivatives (PFOS), quinoxyfen, dioxins and dioxin-like compounds, aclonifen, bifenox, cybutryne, cypermethrin, dichlorvos, hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDD), heptachlor/heptachlor epoxide and terbutryn. However, the very low detection limits together with the required precision and accuracy targets represent a very significant challenge to analytical laboratories and these issues will be addressed in the Conference presentations. Also, since these regulations apply to EU waters it is highly likely that the implications of the Brexit vote will also be raised in the discussions.”

The afternoon session will be chaired by Tony Harrington, Director of Environment at Dwr Cymru Welsh Water. Practical considerations will be discussed in addition to potential solutions to some of the issues identified in the morning presentations. These will include some potential remediation techniques, an alternative to land recycling of sludge and robust analytical techniques for PFOS/PFAS analysis.

WWEM organiser David Hellyer says: “We are particularly excited this year because so many of the exhibitors will be either launching new products at WWEM 2016, or showing them in public for the first time.” Examples include a dual filter system from Labman, which they say will “revolutionise water sample preparation.” Similarly, SEAL Analytical will launch new digestion blocks with branded consumables, which it expects to “sell like hot cakes.” Blue Scientific will launch a new TXRF spectrometer and PerkinElmer will unveil a brand new ICP.

Parker Hannifin’s stand will feature a new THM analyser, Labmedics and Skalar will both launch new discrete analysers and ITS Europe will demonstrate a handheld photometer that pairs directly with a smartphone/tablet. Visitors to Aquamatic’s stand will be shown a number of exciting new technical features which are available across the whole water/wastewater sampler range.
Most of the exhibitors with new products will be giving live demonstrations and workshops, offering visitors an opportunity to ask questions, ‘get their hands dirty’ and learn a great deal more than would ever be possible with a web search.

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