Purves Environmental has been providing laboratory audit, environmental data validation, quality control and instrument training since 1993. The environmental data validation and quality control training courses started as courses provided by the American Chemical Society with William Purves as the primary instructor. The courses are still being provided today through PACS Inc. The environmental data validation course is the only one provided privately. In addition to the training courses, Purves Environmental expanded services into laboratory and data audits as well as research. The primary services provided today are Environmental Data Validation and training, Instrument training and quality control, Facility audits for control of mercury and other heavy metals which may include source removal, cleaning, and treatment.
About The Owner
William W Purves is a BS degreed chemist who has been working as an analytical and research chemist since 1972. He has presented over 100 talks and papers regarding the environment, environmental data, and solutions. He has focused on mercury reduction, capture and containment since 2003. He was inducted into the International Activated Carbon Hall of Fame in 2018 for his work using activated to remove mercury from water and air. His primary focus currently is cost effective reduction/removal of mercury from the dental office waste stream.
Environmental Data Validation and Training
The environmental data validation service examines data that is generated for EPA (state or local) examination. The validation examines the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) or Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) required for data submission and the fit of the data to the SOP or the QAPP. Often data validation is divided up into three categories. Level I is a basic examination of the data package to assure that the package meets all of the reporting requirements of the SOP or QAPP. Level II is an extension of Level I to include examination of the Quality Controls required under the SOP or QAPP. Level III (very rarely used) is an extension of Level II but examines the calibration curves and quality assurance steps to assure the data is properly reported flagged and the narrative correctly explains any possible issues. Level IV is a complete examination of all parts of the data package including preparation data and recalculation of some aspects of the data to assure that the data has been properly reported.
Data validation for the Army Corp and any DOD facility is provided using the latest DOD validation requirements.
The environmental data validation training program is custom designed for the user’s needs. The course can be basic to train persons who are new to the data validation process. The next level is customized to the person who is already a data validator but needs assurance that the procedures used will meet level II and level III requirements. The highest level examines a Level IV package in detail and provides the training needed to provide a detailed audit with corrective actions and proper flagging requirements. The level IV examines the data as if it were going to court.
Instrument Training, Quality Control and Quality Assurance
The training program is not a basic how to push buttons program, it is a how to generate good data program. The operator or potential operator must understand how to operate the instrument. The training involves the following:
- Principles of operation of the instrument
- Proper calibration, quality controls and quality assurance requirements for valid data
- Maintenance and adjustment of instrument parameters to meet data requirements
- Interpretation of instrument data and quality controls
Training is provided for the following instruments; Gas Chromatography (GC), Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrograph (GCMS), Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrograph (ICPMS), Atomic Absorption (Flame and Furnace), Mercury Analyzers (all methods).
Facility Audits (Environmental)
A facility audit may be an industrial site, hospital, dental office or laboratory. The purpose of the audit is to detect possible sources of environmental contamination and discharge issues. The onsite audits may include portable instrumentation to analyze possible contamination issues in real time. Each site is different and the audit is customized to the facility needs. Purves Environmental has audited power plants, manufacturing facilities, chemical plants, hospitals, dental offices and chemical laboratories since 1993. In the last 5 years the number of audits is increasing as the regulatory limits are reduced. In all cases tremendous success in identification of sources and elimination or modification of those sources has helped the facilities reduce their discharge limit.
Industrial or Waste Water Treatment Plant
An industrial or waste water treatment plant site audit will look for sources of contamination that may be leaching into a discharge point causing an NPDES permit issue. The sources could be sumps, chemicals and locations where waste may accumulate and cause discharge issues. In some cases treatability can be performed to provide possible solutions to the discharge problem.
Hospitals and Medical Facilities (Mercury)
Hospitals and medical facilities have excellent programs for handling biohazards. The primary issue today in these facilities is mercury discharge into the waste water (sanitary) system. The mercury is often high in concentration and is becoming more of a concern for waste water treatment plants. This mercury discharge is often dissolved mercury that is more difficult for a waste water treatment plant to remove. Many municipal treatment systems have established discharge limits for mercury and are starting to reduce those limits causing permit violations. The success by Purves Environmental to reduce discharge of mercury into the environment is based upon our experience with mercury and their sources.
Dental Facilities (Mercury)
The dental facility has a unique discharge issue; mercury. The discharge of mercury into the environment for a dental facility is twofold. Mercury amalgam is the primary source of both solid and vapor mercury in the dental office. Mercury vapor can be controlled by assuring the amalgam is properly stored and disposed. Mercury solid from the removal or placement of amalgam is controlled in the office by the vacuum and proper operation of the system. However, the solids that are and trapped by a filter trap or amalgam separator create an environmental hazard in the waste water system. The amalgam slowly dissolves in water creating a dissolved mercury that is far more hazardous and difficult to remove than the solid amalgam. An audit of a dental office and resolution of the mercury discharge issue is critical. Pending US EPA regulations regarding separators and dental office discharges will create some issues and myths that will confuse the implementation process. Purves Environmental is the leading expert in mercury and mercury issues. We are ahead of all suppliers and service companies in the field regarding the regulation and the best practices available to reduce the dental office discharge into the environment. Our studies of separators and effective mercury reduction are above anyone in the industry.