When you receive chemical testing laboratories education and training you realize that chemistry is a study of geometric characteristics which offer practical applications in monitoring the environment. It also assists in forensic science applications as well as biomedical applications and provides quality control for industrial manufacturing.

Doing hands-on work in a chemical testing laboratory gives you insight to the benefits of qualitative and quantitative analysis. It also keeps you current in modern methods of analysis. To educate yourself in chemical testing you might want to consider the following options:

1. Promote yourself in the chemical testing business with a degree in chemical technology.

2. Obtain chemical testing laboratories education and training via online options.

3. Take advantage of seminars and trainings offered through chemical testing companies and other related industry offerings.

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Get the knowledge to offer chemical analysis services by getting a degree in chemical technology

When you get a degree, the classes you take give you personal experience in chemical test labs. This educates you in technique and analysis methodology.

I recommend: The American Chemical Society offers a list of schools that excel in chemical technology academic programs. It lists the colleges and universities by state and also links to the specific programs offered. Universities.com offers a listing where students can go to find a university or college in their state that offers a degree in chemical technology.

Get an online degree in order to offer chemical testing services

For many people, attending class can cut into the time required to work and maintain other elements of life. With distance learning or online programs, you can earn an actual degree from the comfort of your home, adjusting your courses around your work schedule.

I recommend: Degrees Online focuses primarily on colleges and universities that offer online courses including master's degrees in chemical engineering. It has an easy-to-use list of educational institutions with links to learn more about each one. Education Portal offers a summary for what a degree in chemical technology entails along with the types of career a graduate could expect. It lists a series of colleges and universities offering online and on-site courses.

Get hands-on experience with chemical test laboratories through training seminars

Find out the latest theories and methods by attending seminars that concentrate on chemical testing labs and techniques. The seminars also offer great networking opportunities.

I recommend: Learn how analysis equipment works and how to repair it if it's broken with seminars from O.I. Analytical. The seminars, held in Texas, cover maintenance and troubleshooting as well as general operating principles. ChemicalAnalysis.com lists conferences and seminars around the United States as well as internationally in the field of chemistry. It covers topics ranging from chemistry to biotechnology.

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Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider an internship with chemical testing companies to determine the dynamics of chemical analysis.

Chemical analysis services are vital to many industries. Having a safe, industry-appropriate product can best be attained by using the services of such labs.

Chemical testing labs are easily found nationwide, and they can provide you most any analytical testing under the sun. You can test for purity of your product, you can test your working environment or you can even test your competitor's product to analyze it compared to yours.

To find the right chemical testing business for your business:

1. Determine what your need is.

2. Determine if distance from the chemical testing facility is a factor or if it something that can be handled through courier.

3. Determine how the chemical testing services fall into your budget.

4. Utilize these factors in your decision between chemical test laboratories.

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Use a chemical testing laboratory search engine

Skip generic search engines, and go straight to chemical testing laboratory industry specific search sites.

I recommend: Register at GlobalSpec. They help you find the right chemical analysis services to test your products for environmental impact, their purity and their chemical compatibility. Sign up for free, and it only takes about 30 seconds to register. ChemIndustry.com also has a listing of over 800 chemical testing labs at your disposal as well.

Find chemical testing laboratories on the web

With hundreds of chemical testing laboratories to choose from online, find one that best suits your company's industry and needs. You shouldn't have to settle for anything less than the best due to the sheer number of chemical analysis laboratories to choose from.

I recommend: West Coast Analytical Service is a chemical testing laboratory that works in the environmental, pharmaceutical and food supplement industries. They offer pharmaceutical testing, nutraceutical testing, environmental testing, CA Proposition 65 testing, bioanalytical testing, gas analysis, pesticide residue testing, identification of polymers, tracing impurities and raw materials testing. Alliance Technologies, LLC can help you with your compliance testing for RoHS, WEEE, the CFR, MIL SPEC, FDA, DOT, and UN protocols. They can also work with you on deformulation and reverse engineering or materials characterization of your competition's product to help you understand and compete with them.

Utilize chemical test labs to improve your product and increase your profitability

Use the multitude of tests available to keep you industry compliant, to perfect your product or to keep your work environment safe.

I recommend: Pacific Testing Laboratories has over 34 testing capabilities including: Lead-Free (Pb-free) testing (very applicable in light of the recent problems with imported toys), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and contamination analysis. Microbac can help you with air quality, consulting, consumer products, cosmetics, drug screening, environmental testing, food science, fuel, manufactured and industrial products, nutraceutical and vitamins, pharmaceutical, pesticide and even paternity testing.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  With the number of chemical test labs available, you should be able to find a chemical testing lab regionally, if not locally, for the quickest results.

Chemical testing laboratories are increasingly used by various industries for testing purposes. Chemical testing laboratories provide various services like food testing, air analysis, nanoscale analysis and bio-analytical testing.

While using the services of a chemical testing laboratory for your application, you will come across various technical terms that state specifications and standards for these specific types of laboratories. This guide will explain the various key terms related to chemical testing laboratories, such as ISO standards, LIMS, calibration, quality assurance and RoHS.

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ISO standards

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) offers standards for various processes and products. ISO/IEC 17025:2005 states the general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. ISO 78-2:1999 outlines the standards for chemical analysis.

I recommend: To learn more about these standards, read through the scope of ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and ISO 78-2:1999 at ISO’s Web site.

UKAS: LAB 27

LAB 27 by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is specifically for the accreditation of chemical laboratories.

I recommend: The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (PDF) provides detailed information about LAB 27.

LIMS (Laboratory information management system)

A LIMS is a way of managing various laboratory activities using a computer. LIMS can perform various functions, including sample registration and tracking, processing captured data, quality control and report generation.

I recommend: You can learn more about LIMS at UMSL (The University of Missouri-St. Louis).

Calibration

For precise and exact results from the chemical testing equipment, you will need to calibrate it periodically. Calibration assures the accuracy of test results.

I recommend: Laboratory Equipment, a magazine for laboratory equipment suppliers, offers detailed information about calibration.

Quality assurance

In a chemical testing laboratory, quality assurance highlights the need to monitor accuracy of measurements and analytical results. It also ensures that the necessary principles (as per the applications) have been followed.

I recommend: The National Association of Testing Authorities (PDF) (NATA) provides detailed information about quality assurance and its importance in chemical testing laboratories.

Mil Spec

The Mil Spec standardization is used to achieve the objectives set by the U.S. Department of Defense for various products or processes used for military applications.

I recommend: Learn more about Mil Spec at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive)

The RoHS directive restricts the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacturing of various types of electronic and electrical equipment. Generally, producers of such equipment use laboratory services to check RoHS compliance of their products.

I recommend: To learn more about the RoHS directive, browse through the RoHS Web site.

Chemical testing laboratories pricing and costs depend on such factors as the specific tests required, the sample types and the detection limits. Solid samples typically must be ground into powder, which may incur additional charges. In addition, the detection limit is generally related to the sample size, so larger samples can reduce the cost of analysis. Many testing methods are destructive, so the value of the sample should also be added to the cost of the chemical analysis. Some results of chemical testing may require additional analysis, so another factor to consider in the cost of chemical testing is the laboratory's policy on repeat testing.

A chemical testing facility may be grouped into specific categories, such as the following:

1. A chemical testing facility that analyzes fluids. These laboratories frequently test drinking water for impurities.
2. Chemical analysis laboratories that specialize in a particular type of testing. This may include specific test equipment or chemical procedures.
3. General chemical testing services. Many chemical laboratories provide a wide range of unrelated services.
   

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Research prices on chemical analysis services for fluids

Many chemical laboratories specialize in the testing of organic fluids, such as drinking water. These companies typically provide their services for a fixed price.

I recommend: Dynalene tests a variety of fluids and offers price quotes upon request. EnviroCompliance Laboratories specializes in testing drinking water and saves its customers' money by performing on-site testing.

Find pricing on chemical testing labs that perform analytical testing

Analytical chemical testing typically uses a combination of instrumentation and traditional wet chemistry. These facilities often provide fixed prices for specific services.

I recommend: Galbraith Laboratories performs analytical chemical testing and provides a specific price list. Intertek Analytical Services charges a fixed price for established tests.

Get pricing from chemical test labs that perform general testing services

Laboratories that provide general testing services may provide many different types of testing, such as pharmaceutical testing, environmental testing and materials testing. These companies typically require detailed information for a price quote.

I recommend: West Coast Analytical Service provides a variety of chemical testing services and bases its prices on the sample type, number of samples and tests to be performed. Laboratory Testing offers a range of material testing based on instrumental methods and uses a detailed form for price requests.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Chemical test laboratories also may perform trace elemental testing. This type of chemical analysis generally refers to the detection of elements in concentrations ranging from 10 parts per billion (ppb) up to 1 part per million (ppm). Elemental testing can be performed for specific elements that would be considered impurities, or any unidentified element not belonging to a specific group of named elements. This type of service is frequently requested by a manufacturers' quality assurance department.