Category Archives: testing

How Pickering Supports the Fight Against COVID-19: Product Testing Solutions

By Maria Ofitserova

For several years now, Pickering Laboratories has continued to expand our line of Product Testing Solutions to include new synthetic body fluids or environmental solutions. We offer a variety of formulations of artificial perspiration, sebum and saliva for testing fabrics, plastics, dental alloys, medical devices, wearables and other electronics and many different consumer products.

Image of Covid-19The challenges that Covid-19 pandemic presents for the pharmaceutical and health care industry are staggering, and they impact manufacturers of medical devices and personal protective equipment as well. This brings into focus the need for artificial bodily fluids that can be used for both ongoing testing and tackling the new developments introduced by the Coronavirus crisis.

Currently, Pickering Laboratories offers Artificial Lung Fluid called Gamble’s solution, which is used to simulate different interstitial conditions in the lung. Several artificial lung fluid formulations are described in literature and we would be happy to discuss customers’ particular testing needs and help you choose the correct solution for your specific application. As established manufacturers of medical devices are now joined by companies newly entering the health care space, we are proud to do our part in ensuring that medical equipment, such as ventilators, get properly tested.

Extensive shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) are creating another layer of emergency during this time. The shortage has forced many companies to consider implementing new sterilization techniques for personal protective equipment originally designed for a single use only.

Masks are especially challenging to sterilized since they get saturated with sweat and oil during use. They are also normally disposable items, not intended to undergo cleaning procedures. Pickering’s artificial perspiration and sebum can simulate the real-world conditions most PPE are exposed to and can be used to help develop ways to safely extend their use.

Pickering’s staff is dedicated to working hard to support our customers, new and returning. We are recommitting to our promise of providing quality reagents and solutions quickly to support essential businesses and supporting manufacturers.

We are accommodating custom formulation requests with accelerated response times. Our Technical Support Chemists are ready to answer any questions you may have. Our Research Chemists are working side-by-side with our production team to rapidly meet demand on new custom projects.

Please reach out if you would like additional information: support@pickeringlabs.com

Larger Formats Abound!

By Rebecca Smith

Seen here posing with our new Artificial Perspiration carboys![/caption]Pickering Laboratories has again increased our Product Testing Solutions offerings to provide even more options and savings to our customers!  As our products continue to gain in popularity, we are increasingly getting requests for larger volume bottles and bulk purchases.

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David Mazawa, Technical Support Chemist for Pickering Labs. Seen here posing with our new Artificial Perspiration carboys!
David Mazawa, Technical Support Chemist for Pickering Labs. Seen here posing with our new Artificial Perspiration carboys![/caption]

Larger sized bottles are now available of our new Artificial Sebum, giving customers the choice to purchase as 25 grams or 200 grams per bottle.  The new 200g bottles, part number 1700-0702, will provide significant savings over purchasing large amounts of Artificial Sebum in the smaller bottles (part number 1700-0700).  This product is available off the shelf, as inventory permits.

Our AATCC Test Method 15 Artificial Perspiration is a very popular formulation, particularly as the stabilized version with two years shelf life.  We currently offer this stabilized formulation in our standard 200mL bottles (part number 1700-0015), and as a case of 4 x 950mL bottles with part number 1700-0541 for larger volume users. 

It is with much excitement that we now offer the ability to order stabilized AATCC Test Method 15 Artificial Perspiration in even larger volumes!  By purchasing one of our new 19.8L carboys, our customers can save significantly on their large volume purchases.  Carboys of AATCC Test Method 15 stabilized sweat, part number 1700-0555, are available now as a made-to-order product.

These carboys, which hold almost 20 liters in a single container, are available for any customer wishing to purchase stabilized artificial perspiration in bulk volumes.  Please contact support@pickeringlabs.com for more information on bulk volumes of your artificial perspiration formulation of choice.

New Pickering Test Solutions products:

1700-0702            Artificial Sebum, 200g

1700-0555            AATCC Test Method 15 Artificial Perspiration, stabilized, 19.8L

Also feel free to visit our webpage at www.pickeringtestsolutions.com for more information.  Thanks!

 

 

FDA Announces New Glyphosate Testing in Food

Maria Ofitserova Ph D. – Pickering Laboratories

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is the most widely used herbicide in the world. In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates Glyphosate and sets residue limits for different crops as well as drinking water.  Recent research, however, has raised concerns about Glyphosate safety and its prevalence in the environment.  The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) rated Glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans” and several studies, including one conducted by Germany’s Federal Environment Agency (UBA), have indicated a massive increase in the number of human urine samples contaminated with Glyphosate over the last 15 years.

The increased use of Glyphosate has been studied as well. According to Bill Freese, a science policy analyst with the Center for Food Safety, 50 times more Glyphosate is allowed on corn grain now than was allowed in 1996.  The US-EPA has also increased what it considers to be a safe amount of Glyphosate exposure by a factor of 17.  The EPA's high-end estimate of infant exposure to Glyphosate exceeds the level considered safe for them in 1983, Freese adds.

GlyphosateAs the scrutiny of Glyphosate grows in the United States, a U.S. Government Accountability Office report has criticized the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for not sufficiently monitoring residues of the chemical on foods. This February, the FDA announced testing of Glyphosate in foods including soybeans, corn, milk, and eggs. Meanwhile, consumer groups, academics and testing laboratories have claimed to have detected Glyphosate in breast milk, honey, cereal, wheat flour, soy sauce, and infant formula as well.

The herbicide registration renewal of Glyphosate in the European Union was questioned due to mounting evidence of chronic human exposure and insufficient safety data, especially in children, and a suspected link to cancer.  As of now, the decision on relicensing has been postponed.  Several EU members, such as France, Sweden, Netherlands and Italy, have indicated opposition to renewal of the 15-year license.

With this growing international concern about Glyphosate, additional regulations from the US-FDA and international regulatory agencies are possible in the upcoming months and years.

Pickering Laboratories has over 30 years’ experience manufacturing and selling instruments and reagents for Glyphosate analysis in accordance to the US-EPA Method 547 for Glyphosate Analysis in Drinking Water as well as the AOAC Method 991.08 for Glyphosate Analysis in Environmental Waters. These HPLC methods are based on post-column derivatization technology with florescence detection.  The AOAC Official Method 2002.52 for Analysis of Glyphosate in Crops describes easy clean-up procedures that are successfully combined with Pickering Laboratories’ post-column derivatization for analysis of Glyphosate in crops such as soy, corn, alfalfa, and sunflower seeds as well as vegetables such as tomatoes and broccoli. The analytical method is sensitive and selective, and it can be easily implemented in any laboratory. For further details visit our webpage at: www.pickeringlabs.com   

Please enjoy these excellent additional resources/sources:

http://civileats.com/2016/02/17/fda-to-start-testing-for-Glyphosate-in-food/

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/mar/08/eu-vote-on-controversial-weedkiller-licence-postponed-Glyphosate

http://www.gmwatch.org/news/latest-news/16666-german-environment-agency-study-finds-Glyphosate-in-urine

http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_round_up/2987365/almost_all_germans_contaminated_with_Glyphosate.html