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INAB Accreditation Granted for EN 14181 - QAL2 and AST Testing

INAB Accreditation Granted for EN 14181 - QAL2 and AST Testing Fitz Scientific are pleased to announce that we have been granted accreditation by INAB to ISO 17025 and the England & Wales Environment Agency MCERTs Performance Standard to meet the requirements of BS EN 14181:2014 and EN 15259:2007 and the Irish EPA’s AG1, AG2 and AG3 documents. This is primarily for the QAL2 and Annual Surveillance Testing (AST) for Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems of air emissions from specific industrial applications.

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23rd January 2023 @ 4:40 PM
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EU Recast Drinking Water Directive

EU Drinking Water Directive On 12th January 2023 Ireland will adopt the new EU Drinking Water Directive - DIRECTIVE (EU) 2020/2184. The recast Directive lays down the essential minimum quality standards of drinking water at EU level. The number of microbiological, chemical and indicator parameters to be monitored and tested regularly has increased and the maximum values for some parameters including has been lowered.

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30th January 2023 @ 9:20 AM
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Accredited Chlorate and Chlorite Testing

Accredited Chlorate and Chlorite Testing - Drinking Water Fitz Scientific are pleased to advise that we can now provide analysis of Chlorate and Chlorite drinking, surface and ground water matrices at our Drogheda laboratory. The method is accredited to ISO 17025.

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28th November 2022 @ 3:54 PM
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Christmas Opening Hours 2022

Christmas 2022 As the Christmas season gets under way we would like to inform you of our opening hours for Lab Testing Services.

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24th November 2022 @ 11:06 AM
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Accredited Glyphosate and AMPA Testing

Accredited Glyphosate and AMPA Testing - Drinking Water Following a recent validation exercise of a new analytical technique, Fitz Scientific are pleased to advise that we can now provide in house testing for Glyphosate and AMPA in drinking, surface and ground water matrices in our Drogheda laboratory. The method is accredited to ISO 17025 for drinking water.

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23rd November 2022 @ 12:21 PM
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Food Fatty Acid Profile Testing

Food Fatty Acid Profile Testing Our Food Chemistry Laboratory is now offering a more extensive analysis of the fatty acids composition in food matrices, using GC-FID instrumentation.

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20th October 2022 @ 12:16 PM
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Listeria by PCR

Listeria analysis of food matrices by PCR Our world class microbiology team have recently completed validation on a rapid real time PCR method for Listeria in food matrices in accordance with AFNOR-UNI 03/09 – 11/13.

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23rd September 2022 @ 3:05 PM
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New Accredited Air Testing Methods

FTIR Air Emissions Validations Following completion of some extra validations using our Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) Gasmet instrumentation, Fitz Scientific have further extended our range of accredited air emissions testing to now include the following:

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20th September 2022 @ 10:02 AM
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Rural Septic Tanks Putting Health At Risk

Rural Septic Tanks Putting Health At Risk In its annual report, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned that poorly maintained septic tanks are a risk to people’s health, affecting the quality of drinking water in private water supplies.

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5th August 2022 @ 11:22 AM
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HWOL Files for HazWasteOnline Classification

HWOL Files for HazWasteOnline Classification We are pleased to announce that Fitz Scientific is now certified to produce .HWOL data files and acronyms that allow the rapid upload of results to HazWasteOnline - customers can obtain these files alongside their normal lab PDF reports

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13th July 2022 @ 10:00 AM
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Accredited TPH Aliphatic & Aromatic Speciation

Accredited TPH Aliphatic & Aromatic Speciation We have recently obtained ISO 17025 accreditation for our validated Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon method using GCxGC technology for soil matrices. This further increases our testing capability of soil Waste Acceptance Criteria and Waste Classification testing as we can now test soils for Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon Criteria Working Group (TPH CWG). We speciate both Aliphatic and Aromatic fractions into C10 to C40 bandings and provides critical data which our customers can use to focus on key potential petrol, diesel, mineral oil or PAH pollutants.

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26th May 2022 @ 11:04 AM
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Topsoil Testing Services

Topsoil Testing Services Fitz Scientific now offer an extensive range of topsoil testing services in accordance with environmental and quality standards such as British Standard BS 3882:2015 – Specification for top soil and requirements for use.

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10th August 2022 @ 4:20 PM
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Food Innovation Vouchers

Enterprise Ireland - Food Innovation Vouchers Enterprise Ireland operate a Food Innovation Voucher scheme for small and medium-sized limited company registered in Ireland. Innovation Vouchers worth €5,000 are available to assist a company to explore a business opportunity, problem or solution with a registered knowledge provider. These knowledge providers are located in strategic locations throughout Ireland. For more information visit the scheme website. The vouchers can be used to assist a company in exploring a new business opportunity, solving a problem or providing a solution.

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13th April 2022 @ 12:20 PM
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Tesco Retail Supplementary Audit

Retail Supplementary Audit Approval Fitz Scientific recently completed the Retailer Supplementary Audit for some of our food microbiology methods. This assessment was completed by Campden BRI and is an additional approval required by large food retailers, such as Tesco and Marks & Spencer. This is a further verification that our food microbiology methods are fit for purpose, specifically for food manufacturers in the fast convenience and multiple retail sectors.

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12th April 2022 @ 11:04 AM
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Drogheda 10k Sponsorship

Drogheda 10k Sponsorship Fitz Scientific are delighted to be sponsoring the 2022 Drogheda 10K, which will be taking place on Sunday 1st May 2022. This is an event close to our hearts and a great day out for Drogheda. Funds raised go to support the Drogheda and District Athletics Club, developing athletics for adults and kids in Drogheda. Walk or run – give it a go!

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4th April 2022 @ 10:23 AM
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FTIR Air Emissions Validations

FTIR Air Emissions Validations This week we’re completing some extra validations using our Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) Gasmet instrumentation. FTIR is a very adaptable and useful gas analysing technique, which has the potential to measure many hundreds of different gas species. On completion of these additional validations, we’ll have the capability to analyse the following gases using this technique:

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31st March 2022 @ 2:10 PM
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Accredited Food Nutritional Testing

Food Nutritional Testing - New Accreditation Fitz Scientific are pleased to announce that the following Nutritional Group 1 food chemistry tests have been added to our INAB ISO 17025 scope of accreditation:

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14th July 2022 @ 10:21 AM
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Determination of Sugar Alcohols in Foods by Ion Chromatograph

Determination of Sugar Alcohols in Foods by Ion Chromatograph Sugar alcohols are the best replacement for sugars in the food industry. The growing concern of type-II diabetes has been shifting the usage of sugar alcohols in alternate to sugars in the bakery and confectionary industry due to their low calorific value compared to sugars. There are only a few sugar alcohols approved for use by the food industry, these include Lactitol, Xylitol, Maltitol, Erythritol, and Arabitol. The sum of sugar alcohols is to be considered polyols. Quantification of sugar alcohols is required for accurate energy as well as carbohydrate calculations in nutritional labeling of the foods. European guidelines Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 specifies the necessity of determining the polyols in food products and the associated labeling requirements.

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26th January 2022 @ 10:51 AM
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Christmas Opening Hours 2021

Christmas 2021 As the Christmas season gets under way we would like to inform you of our opening hours for Lab Testing Services.

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3rd December 2021 @ 12:23 PM
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Sample Preparation Systems

Sample Preparation Systems Fitz Scientific have invested in best in class sample preparation systems for a range of sample matrices. Using jaw crusher and cutting mill technologies, we can prepare sample matrices such as concrete, construction and demolition waste, glass, wood, stones, hard plastics and toys – almost everything except metals. We can sample prep metals using acidic digestion, for elemental analysis.

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30th November 2021 @ 11:02 AM
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Contaminated Soil & Waste Analysis

Contaminated Soil & Waste Analysis Fitz Scientific offer a full range of contaminated soil and waste analysis. We offer Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon testing from C8 to C40, with speciated aliphatic and aromatic fractions. We can also provide gasoline, diesel and mineral oil subsets. Our organics testing also include full suites for PAH’s and PCBs.

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11th May 2022 @ 12:35 PM
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Fitz Scientific at CATEX 2021

We're exhibiting at CATEX 2021 in Dublins RDS from 2nd-4th November. We want you to join us and say hello as we get to meet hundreds of foodservice and foodservice and hospitality professionals and from across Ireland. Chat to us about the services we offer including:

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20th October 2021 @ 3:18 PM
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Asbestos Testing Services

Asbestos Testing Services Fitz Scientific now provide identification of asbestos in bulk and soil samples, in accordance with HSG248 Asbestos – The Analyst’s Guide. Our technicians are qualified to P401 – British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS). Asbestos in soil samples is a current testing requirement of some WAC testing.

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18th October 2021 @ 4:12 PM
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Food Nutritional Testing

Food Nutritional Testing - New Method Validation Update 14/07/2022 - We now provide ISO 17025 accredited testing for the below parameters. We have also completed in house validation of Full Nutritional Group 2 tests including Fat profile, Sugar Profile, Dietary Fibre and Sodium. 

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14th July 2022 @ 10:20 AM
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Pesticide Accreditation - Extension to Scope

Pesticide Accreditation - Extension to Scope Following a recent validation exercise of a new analytical technique, Fitz Scientific are pleased to advise that we can now provide low level detection of Dichlobenil, Cypermethrin, Endrin aldehyde, op DDT & trans Permethrin in drinking water, surface water and ground water matrices as an in-house test. The methods are accredited to ISO 17025:2017.

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19th August 2021 @ 2:23 PM
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Salmonella by PCR

Salmonella analysis of food matrices by PCR  Our world class microbiology team can provide real time detection of Salmonella in food matrices, based on PCR technology. This method is included in our INAB scope of accreditation for raw beef, pork and chicken and environmental swab matrices. We can now offer faster turnaround times, providing our customers with the data they need, so they in turn, can dispatch fresh food produce to their customers. The test also meets the requirements of the Retail Supplementary Audit (RSA) compliance for Tesco suppliers. 

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14th February 2023 @ 3:16 PM
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Contaminated Soil - TPH Aliphatic & Aromatic Speciation

Speciated TPH for contaminated soil, water and WAC analysis Following a recent validation exercise of a new analytical technique, Fitz Scientific are pleased to advise that we have developed new in-house GCxGC methods for Aliphatic and Aromatic TPH speciation in soil and water samples. This will allow us to speciate both Aliphatic and Aromatic fractions into C10 to C40 bandings. This is critical data which our customers can use to focus on key potential petrol, diesel, mineral oil or PAH pollutants.

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25th November 2021 @ 3:36 PM
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INAB Accreditation Announcement

INAB Accreditation for Fitz Scientific We are pleased to announce that our scope of accreditation to ISO 17025, previously with UKAS, has now been transferred in full to INAB. This will provide us with greater flexibility in developing new accredited monitoring and testing services.

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13th July 2021 @ 4:33 PM
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Accredited Metaldehyde Analysis

Accredited Metaldehyde Testing - Water Following a recent validation exercise of a new analytical technique, Fitz Scientific are pleased to advise that we can now provide low level detection of Metaldehyde in drinking water, surface water and ground water matrices as an in-house test. The methods are accredited to ISO 17025. This change is being implemented following investment from us in new analytical techniques to offer much lower limits of detection.

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13th July 2021 @ 3:53 PM
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Accredited PAH Testing - Drinking Water

Accredited PAH Testing - Drinking Water Following a recent validation exercise of a new analytical technique, Fitz Scientific are pleased to advise that we can now provide low level detection of PAHs in drinking water matrices in-house in our Drogheda laboratory. These methods are now accredited to ISO 17025 for drinking water.

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23rd November 2022 @ 11:01 AM
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Food Chemistry - Fatty Acid Methyl Esters

Food Chemistry - Fatty Acid Methyl Esters Our food chemistry team Aaron and Blessing, this week are working on the validation of new methods for fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) in a range of food matrices.

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23rd March 2021 @ 3:48 PM
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Pesticide exceedances in Irish Drinking Water

Irish Water has reported a slight increase in pesticide exceedances in drinking water in 2020.

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19th March 2021 @ 11:35 AM
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EPA Private Drinking Water Quality Report

Ireland's Private Drinking Water Quality Is Putting Health at Risk In its annual report, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned that the quality of drinking water in private water supplies in Ireland is not good enough.

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11th February 2021 @ 3:04 PM
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Christmas Opening Hours 2020

Christmas 2020 As the Christmas season gets under way we would like to inform you of our opening hours for Lab Testing Services.

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11th December 2020 @ 12:17 PM
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Elemental Testing Services

Elemental Analysis In recent years Fitz Scientific have developed a broad range of elemental testing services. These include the following:

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24th November 2020 @ 4:59 PM
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Pesticide Testing in Water

As part of a number of exciting investments and improvements we have recently made we are delighted to now offer accredited analysis of water samples for pesticides and herbicides.

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25th September 2020 @ 9:12 AM
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Update to Total Nitrogen Analytical Method

Following recent validation work on improved methods, we are now applying a change to the standard method we offer for Total Nitrogen analysis in water samples.

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24th February 2022 @ 10:09 AM
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Legionella testing - Re-opening after the COVID-19 pandemic

Legionella Control and Monitoring after COVID-19 closure As part of the Return to Work Safely Protocol issued by the Department of Health, guidance is given on the precautions to be taken regarding control of Legionella in the workplace.

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28th May 2020 @ 12:28 PM
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Laboratory Operating Schedule - COVID-19 Update

Laboratory Operating Schedule With respect to the current COVID-19 situation, we will in as far as possible, ensuring employee and public safety, continue to provide monitoring and testing services to customers.

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6th April 2020 @ 10:21 AM
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HSE Environmental Health - Water Test

Potable Water Testing If you operate a food business that uses water either directly in the production of food products or indirectly in cleaning or processing it is your responsibility to ensure the water meets the basic quality standards set out in EU Legislation and implemented in Ireland under the European Union Drinking Water Regulations, 2014 (S.I. No. 122 of 2014).

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6th April 2020 @ 4:48 PM
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National Manufacturing Expo 2020

We're exhibiting at the National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition in Citywest, Dublin on 29th and 30th January 2020. We want you to join us and say hello as we get to meet hundreds of manufacturing professionals and industry leaders from across Ireland. Chat to us about the services we offer including:

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17th May 2021 @ 8:51 AM
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Limit of Quantification - Drinking Water Changes

Limit of Quantification Update Following the introduction of SI 464 of 2017 European Union (Drinking Water) (Amendment) Regulations 2017, the drinking water regulatory requirements are transferring from the use of precision, bias and limit of detection (LoD) to prescribe the quality of analytical results to using the uncertainty of measurement (UoM) and limit of quantification (LoQ). These changes must be put in place by all accredited laboratories from 1st Jan 2020.

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6th January 2020 @ 4:36 PM
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Northern Ireland Soil Testing

Northern Ireland Soil Testing Farms in Northern Ireland will now require soil testing before using chemical or manure fertilisers rich in Phosphorus. From 1st January 2020 all grassland farms spreading fertiliser will need to complete soil analysis to determine pH, Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K) and Lime requirement.

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27th January 2022 @ 10:34 AM
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Metaldehyde water test now available from Fitz Scientific

Metaldehyde water test now available from Fitz Scientific We have recently completed the successful development of a new method for analysis of Metaldehyde in water matrices. The method, developed by our senior analysts, is capable of identifying Metaldehyde in water matrices with a testing range from 25ng/L to 250ng/L, using liquid chromatography technologies.

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25th October 2019 @ 11:39 AM
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County Council Well Water Grants

Private Drinking Water Well Grant Increase The Department of Housing, Planning & Local Government have announced an increase to the grant available to homeowners for refurbishment works or installation of a domestic well in rural areas. The maximum grant available for refurbishment has been increased to €3,000 and where a new well is required the maximum amount is €5,000. Refurbishment works include installation of disinfection systems like UV treatment and filters to make sure your water is safe to drink.

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27th January 2022 @ 10:33 AM
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Will Brexit Affect Your Laboratory Services

Will Brexit affect your laboratory service? As the United Kingdom prepares to leave the European Union on 30th March 2019 you may be wondering how this will impact your industry. If you currently avail of contract laboratory services in the UK the effects of a no deal Brexit will have a major impact on the ability of these UK based laboratories to provide a reliable analytical testing service to you. Under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Act 1992, an IPC Licence is required if carrying out specified industrial activities. This licence stipulates the routine monitoring required for emissions to air and water along with other control requirements.

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18th February 2022 @ 4:55 PM
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Watermain Disinfection and Testing

Watermain Disinfection and Testing The current Irish Water Code of Practice for Water Infrastructure (2017) specifies the requirements for builders, developers and construction companies with regard to new watermain connections.

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10th January 2019 @ 4:46 PM
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Drinking Water Quality

Drinking Water Quality Irish Water plans to write to over 140,000 homes and businesses over the course of the coming weeks to advise of issues that exist with their drinking water. A booklet outlining the issues will be delivered to customers in 16 counties.

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11th October 2018 @ 4:34 PM
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Staleen Water Main - Update

Staleen Water Main Update Irish Water have announced that repair work to the burst watermain at Staleen has been completed. The pipeline servicing the Staleen Water Treatment Plant in Donore, Co. Meath burst on Wednesday 30th May causing restrictions to the water supply in Drogheda and East Meath.

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17th May 2021 @ 8:52 AM
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Testing your well water after flooding

Private Well Water Testing Following recent heavy rain and snowfall it is very common for surface water to contaminate your well water. If you have noticed any changes to your tap water, it is recommended to test your water to ensure it is safe to drink. Harmfull bacteria including E Coli, Coliforms and Clostridia are present everywhere in the environment but are only dangerous when they enter your drinking water supply. If your well is properly constructed and sealed there is less risk of contamination however an annual water test is advisable.

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20th March 2018 @ 5:53 PM
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Boil Water Notice for Wicklow & South Dublin

Updated Friday 2nd February

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2nd February 2018 @ 2:37 PM
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Updated Drinking Water Regulations

Updated Drinking Water Regulations The European Union (Drinking Water) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 122 of 2014) have been updated with some changes to the tests required to ensure water is safe to drink. Amendment SI 464:2017 to the drinking water standard now titles the regulation as "The European Union (Drinking Water) (Amendment) Regulations 2017". 

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1st November 2018 @ 12:15 PM
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Limit of detection changes

Reporting and Rounding of Final Results To report a final result correctly the level of accuracy being reported has to be defensible so a laboratory has to identify to what level they are confident in the final result e.g. if we report 10.056grm how confident are we that the 5 hundredths of the gram or 6 thousandths of the gram are accurate enough?

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27th January 2022 @ 3:11 PM
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Bacillus and Pseudomonas added to scope

Fitz Scientific have further increased our scope of accreditation to ensure accurate and reliable results on food testing. Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas spp are now among the accredited range of microbial tests we conduct on food and swabs.

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18th February 2022 @ 4:55 PM
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Lower limits of detection with new ICP MS

Following the recent installation of a new ICP MS instrument, Fitz Scientific are delighted to offer lower limits of detection on the analysis of many metals. The installation of the Agilent 7900 is in addition to the current operational ICP MS & ICP OES instruments and allows for increased capacity on lab testing.

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16th January 2018 @ 3:17 PM