laboratory automation€¦ · comprehensive lims implementation benefits q & a / wrapup ... •...

Presented by:

Ken Ochi, Accelerated Technology Laboratories, Manager of Global Marketing

LABORATORY AUTOMATION:

Advances & Trends in the Water / Wastewater Sector

24th Annual Good Laboratory Practice Conference

Agenda ATL OVERVIEW

WATER QUALITY IN THE NEWS

BUDGETING AND RESOURCES

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

COMPREHENSIVE LIMS IMPLEMENTATION BENEFITS

Q & A / Wrapup

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND REPORTING

ADDITIONAL ADVANCEMENTS

Accelerated Technology Laboratories

• >24 Years of Expertise in LIMS & Laboratory Automation

• Our LIMS solutions are installed in >575 laboratories with >50,000 users worldwide

• ~55 percent of ATL client base in water, wastewater, environmental markets

• ISO 9001:2015 Certified

• ATL Advantage Program

Water Quality in the News

• 2015: Lead contamination in Flint, MI

• ~1 in 4 Americans (77M) drinking unsafe water

• 80K (SDWA) drinking water violations (2015)

• In VA…industrial chemicals (PFAS*) in groundwater wells in Chincoteague.

• Benefits of LIMS in Water Quality – Auditing

– Data Qualifiers

– Reporting

* Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

Auditing

Data Qualifiers

Reporting

Budgeting and Resources

• No replacement of exiting staff

• Fewer new positions

• Restructuring

• Benefits of LIMS in resource reduction

– Automated Processes

– Sample Scheduling

Automated Processes • Instrument integration

– Increased throughput – Elimination of redundant data entry – Faster turnaround times

• Bar coding – Streamlined sample login – Chain of custody – Inventory tracking

• Configurable workflows – Match existing business processes – Specific to each department or business unit

Sample Scheduling

Regulatory Compliance and Reporting

• ISO 17025, NELAP, VELAP, EPA regulations

• Data retention requirements

• Submitting compliant reports in a timely manner

• Benefits of a LIMS for Regulatory Compliance and Reporting

– Preconfigured report formats

– Electronic data deliverables (EDDs)

– eDMRs

National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP)

• Listed in The NELAC Institute (TNI) Accreditation database as “H2O Quality Laboratory a Division of the Prince William County Service Authority”

• “Fields of Accreditation” (FOA) are listed on the right

What does regulatory compliance mean for PWCSA?

• Adherence to VELAP Chapter 46 requirements for commercial laboratories

• Adherence to Virginia Waterworks regulations

• Under provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the lab must be certified by the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS) to perform micro and chemical analysis of drinking water. The Office of Drinking Water (ODW) of the Virginia Department of Health has been given responsibility to oversee the SDWA requirements

• DW compliance = TCR, DBP, Lead and Copper, etc. (Submitted Lab-to-State)

• WW compliance = according to permit

• NPDES DMR – submitted electronically

LIMS plays critical role in achieving regulatory compliance

• The LIMS generates traceable data reports for customers

• Reduces errors and improves efficiency by integrating data from instruments to LIMS

• Ability to export data from LIMS to separate database used by plant operations (for DMR submission)

• Ability to monitor sample testing in real time by generating QC charts

• Integration of barcode and scanning technology to LIMS eliminates inefficiency and mistakes

• The LIMS exports data as csv files for digital submission of regulatory data to state (Lab-to-State)

• The LIMS creates sample disposal logs for traceability

LIMS – A Critical Tool for Regulatory Compliance

ISO 17025 Requirement Does LIMS

Provide Functionality?

Traceability YES

Personnel training records YES

Instrumentation calibration/maintenance YES

Chemical inventory YES

Document customer complaints/resolution YES

Corrective Action / Preventative Action (CAPA) YES

Growth of Mobile Technology in Labs – Use of mobile LIMS technology increases productivity

of field technicians and lab staff

– Elimination of paper processes

– Real-time access of field testing results before

technician returns to lab

– Recent advances in mobile technology

– Better options for remote connectivity

– More cost-effective and powerful hardware options

available today

Benefits of Mobile Technology

• Transmit results directly from field to LIMS

• Reduce redundant data entry

• Maintain electronic COC

• Create new samples on the fly

• Data entry at the bench

• Saves time and money

Mobile Technology Return on Investment

• Resource savings (avg. 60 min per day per person) x 6 field personnel = 6 hours/day time saved.

– Extrapolate savings to 30 hours/week or 120 hours/month. This is time those resources can apply to other activities.

• Fairfax Water recouped cost of Mobile solution within 6 months on labor savings alone.

• That includes cost of software, hardware, implementation.

Comprehensive LIMS Implementation Benefits

• Bar Coding & Instrument Integration

– Increase efficiency

– Expedite turnaround

– Minimize redundancy

– Improve data quality

1D, 2D and RFID

• Sample login

• Inventory tracking

• Chain of custody

Bar Coding

• Increases accuracy

• Increases throughput

• Avoids duplication

• Enhances productivity

• Virtually eliminates errors

• ROI typically within one year

Instrument Integration

Additional Advancements

• Hosted (Software as a Service) Solutions

Hosted (SaaS) Solution Overview

• Operating vs. Capital Budget

• Private or Public Cloud

• Accelerated delivery time

• Minimal IT resources

• Vendor updates hardware/software

• Secure environments

Hosted (SaaS) Solution TCO

Total Cost of Ownership – Over 10 Years

Questions?

• Thanks to Prince William County Service Authority and Fairfax Water for referencing their use of LIMS technology in my presentation.

• Stop by the ATL booth (Booth #20) for more discussion on LIMS and laboratory automation.

THANK YOU!

Questions? Visit ATL

in Booth #20

23rd Annual Good Laboratory Practice Conference