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  • ICP-OES
  • ICP-MS
  • Microwave digestion system
  • Microwave extraction system
  • Mercury analysis system
  • None


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How to Optimize Environmental Sample Preparation and Analysis

This event is now available on demand.

Event Overview:

A key part of the workflow for an environmental laboratory is sample preparation. Most sample preparation steps are manual, time-consuming, costly, error-prone, and have elements of risk associated with exposure to concentrated acids and solvents.

This eWorkshop presents a total workflow approach to sample preparation for organics and metals, including a special case for mercury. It examines ways to improve key measures of the process such as lab throughput, data quality, costs, and safety. Practical advice is provided for preventing workflow disruptions, such as lengthy and incomplete digestions and extractions, sample contamination, and complicated preparation steps for mercury, all of which can prevent a laboratory from meeting their overall performance, cost, quality, and safety goals.

Several of the presentations include demonstrations of the systems and methods being discussed, including acid purification, automated reagent addition, vessel handling, microwave digestion, microwave extraction, sample filtration, labware cleaning, and Direct Mercury Analysis, all reflecting approved EPA methodologies.

Key Learning Objectives:
  • Discover why you should look beyond conventional sample digestions and extractions and consider the total sample preparation and analysis workflow for metals (including mercury) and organics.
  • Learn about approaches for improving your lab’s throughput, quality, flexibility, safety, and costs. 
  • Explore approved, but often underutilized, technologies for environmental sample preparation and analysis.
Who Should Attend: 
  • Anyone performing or overseeing environmental analyses
    • Lab Directors
    • Lab Managers/Supervisors
    • Group Leaders
    • Chemists/Analysts
    • Technicians
    • QA Managers
Event Agenda:

Half-day session, 11:00 am — 2:00 pm EST

11:00 am           eWorkshop Introduction, Spectroscopy

11:05 am           Milestone Introduction
Bob Bradley, Milestone

11:10 am         Overview of a ‘Total Workflow’ Approach to Sample Prep and Why it Matters
Giulio Colnaghi, Milestone

This introduction to a ‘total workflow’ approach to sample preparation for metals and organics analyses examines not only the evolution of the pivotal microwave digestion and extraction processes, but also additional steps in the workflow that are critical to meeting lab performance requirements. By optimizing these steps, laboratories are better prepared to overcome the challenges they face and avoid workflow disruptions that impede the analysis process and result in higher costs and avoidable risks.


11:25 am            The ultimate in environmental workflow simplicity: Direct Mercury Analysis: 
Jesse Davidson, Milestone  

Milestone’s Direct Mercury Analysis (DMA) approach eliminates the complex and error-prone sample preparation steps associated with classical cold vapor AAS as well as the hassles of analyzing samples for mercury via ICP-MS.  This presentation demonstrates how the simple “load and go” DMA approach provides significant ROI, safety improvements, more consistent data quality, and automated processing of environmental samples in accordance with EPA SW-846 method 7473.


12:05 am            Microwave extraction, solvent addition, and sample filtration for semi-volatile organics analysis 
Jesse Davidson, Milestone  

The Milestone Total Workflow approach for organics extractions provides an efficient, safe, and robust approach to soil extractions for target organic species such as PCBs, pesticides, and semi-volatiles.  The key components of the workflow examined in this presentation include automated solvent addition, microwave extraction, and extract filtration. Advantages of the approach include faster preparations, lower costs, improved worker safety, and less impact on the environment.


12:40 pm          Total Workflow Approach for metals -In-house acid purification 
Mirco Rossetti, Milestone  

High-purity acid expenses for metals analysis can consume a significant portion of a lab’s operational budget.  In addition, accidental contamination and supply chain challenges for obtaining high-purity acids can put a lab’s operations at risk.  In this presentation you will learn the principles of sub-boiling distillation and how performing acid purification in-house can result in considerable cost savings, better quality acids, and ensure an uninterrupted analysis workflow.



12:55 pm          Automated reagent dosing 
Luca Bertoli, Milestone  

The reagent addition, or ‘dosing,’ step of the sample preparation process has traditionally been a tedious and laborious task within metals and extractions protocols, especially when it involves concentrated acids and organic solvents. This presentation shows how automating the reagent dosing process provides greater consistency, while removing the operator from exposure to harmful acid and solvent fumes and frees them to perform safer and more value-added tasks.



1:05 pm          Microwave digestion, vessel handling, and sample filtration for metals analysis
Gianpaolo Rota, Milestone  

While still considered the 'workhorse' of many metals analysis laboratories, rotor-based microwave digestion systems can also be the weak link in a laboratory's sample prep workflow if something goes wrong. In this presentation you will learn how various aspects of rotor-based digestion systems, including the advantages of advanced vessel construction and simplified handling features, can work to optimize a workflow, as well as avoid disruptions such as the need to rerun samples due to incomplete digestions or cross-contamination.  


01:30 pm            Automated labware cleaning for metals labs
Mirco Rossetti, Milestone  

Using acid baths and microwave systems for cleaning sample prep vessels and other types of labware can have a substantial impact on an elemental analysis lab’s throughput, workflow, and efficiency.  In this presentation, you will learn how automating this step using acid-steam cleaning keeps your microwave system focused on digesting samples and removes the tedium and hazards of hand-cleaning labware from your staff.


1:45 pm             Q&A
Jesse Davidson, Luca Bertoli, Bob Bradley, Milestone

Featured Speakers:

Bob Bradley
Bob Bradley
Environmental Markets Manager
Milestone Inc.


Bob Bradley is the Environmental Markets and Direct Mercury Analysis Product Manager at Milestone, Inc. Bob received his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Chemistry from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining Milestone, Bob co-founded and directed environmental analysis laboratories for over 40 years in the Northeastern U.S. During his career, Bob’s mindset has been that of a hands-on chemist with a focus on new technologies and process improvements in all phases of sample preparation and analysis. He is fully versed in all EPA methodologies and is excited to share his extensive technical and commercial experience with Milestone and their customers.
 
Speaker’s Email: r.bradley@milestonesci.com
Speaker’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bob-bradley-09226913


Giulio Colnaghi
Giulio Colnaghi
Marketing Manager
Milestone, SRL


Giulio Colnaghi has been working at Milestone since 2003. He is a chemist and started his career at Milestone as an Application Specialist, focusing on new method development and addressing specific needs in sample preparation. Later, he transitioned to Area Manager for most countries in Latin America and the eastern part of Europe, and then for the U.S. Since 2018, he has held the position of Marketing Manager at Milestone headquarters in Bergamo, Italy. During his career at Milestone, Giulio has worked with hundreds of laboratories and chemists to help them in overcoming daily challenges in elemental analysis by optimizing their workflow and methods. Today, Giulio aims to support worldwide laboratories to enhance their efficiency using state-of-the-art technologies.

Speaker’s Email: g.colnaghi@milestonesrl.com
Speaker’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/giulio-colnaghi-9674324b 



Jesse Davidson
Jesse Davidson
Product Specialist
Milestone, Inc.


Jesse Davidson is a Product Specialist at Milestone, Inc. for their Direct Mercury Analysis and extraction lines. Jesse obtained his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Southern Connecticut State University, with a focus in organic chemistry and analytical instrumentation. Jesse spent his early years at Milestone as a Field Chemist, installing, repairing, and training across all product lines. Thanks to continuous collaboration with laboratories and universities located across the U.S., he has gained substantial expertise in sample preparation for organics extractions and digestions using microwave techniques. Jesse develops new application methods, participates in, and organizes training courses, and provides ready support to analytical laboratories for extractions, digestions, and Direct Mercury Analysis products.

Speaker’s Email: j.davidson@milestonesci.com
Speaker’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jesse-davidson-97851a284



Luca Bertoli 
Area Sales Manager 
Milestone Srl.


Luca Bertoli graduated from the University of Milan-Bicocca, Italy, in 2014, holding Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Environmental Chemistry. He then joined the department of Organic Chemistry of the University of BOKU, Vienna, where he worked as researcher for two years. Luca first joined Milestone in 2016 as an Application Specialist for one year before taking an Area Manager position with HACH Company, where he gained extensive experience in Sales. In 2020, he rejoined Milestone as the Product Specialist for the microwave extraction product lines. In his current position as Area Sales Manager, Luca works closely with the Applications and Sales departments, driving the vision and strategy for his product lines, in addition to developing new methods and applications and helping customers make the best use of new technologies.

Speaker’s Email: l.bertoli@milestonesrl.com 
Speaker’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/luca-bertoli-b3b22685



Mirco Rossetti
Mirco Rossetti
Product Specialist 
Milestone, Srl


Mirco Rossetti obtained a high school diploma in Chemistry at the Technical Institute. His passion for this subject then convinced him to enroll in Milan University and graduate in Chemistry. After a year’s project in collaboration with a foreign university, he also graduated in Chemical Sciences. His working experience began in a contract testing lab and as a chemical analyst in a pharmaceutical packaging Quality Control lab. He then joined Milestone as an Application Specialist, mainly focused on the digestion, clean chemistry, and ashing lines. Over the past 5 years, Mirco has obtained deep experience on applications through travelling for seminars, trainings, and performing demonstrations. 


Speaker’s Email: m.rossetti@milestonesrl.com 
Speaker’s LinkedIn:  linkedin.com/in/mirco-rossetti-2b170315a 


Gianpaolo Rota 
Product Manager 
Milestone, Srl


Gianpaolo Rota has been an application chemist at Milestone for over 15 years. Thanks to continuous collaboration with laboratories and universities located all over the world, he has gained substantial expertise in sample preparation for elemental analysis over the course of his career.  His specialization is in the use of Milestone’s microwave-based instrumentation line that is dedicated to sample digestion, which includes both rotor-based systems and Single Reaction Chamber (SRC) technology.  He is also one of the company’s experts for its Clean Chemistry products that are used to reduce trace element contamination in samples and reagents.  In addition to developing new sample prep application methods, Gianpaolo participates in international fairs and conferences, organizes training classes focused on sample preparation, and provides ready support to elemental analysis laboratories. 

Speaker’s Email: g.rota@milestonesrl.com 
Speaker’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gianpaolo-rota-47b8b9a4 




For any technical questions please contact David Ambrose: dambrose@mjhlifesciences.com