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Telephone:
765-494-1492
FAX: 765-494-4331
Mon-Fri, 8-5 p.m.
Office of Indiana State Chemist
© Copyright -
2012
All Rights Reserved
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March 2008 Edition
Office of Indiana State Chemist and Seed Commissioner Newsletter |
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Office
of Indiana State Chemist - An Overview
Rodney J. Noel, Ph.D.,
Lab Director/Associate State Chemist |
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The
Indiana State Chemist Laboratory functions in support of the enforcement
of the state laws that the Office of Indiana State Chemist administers.
This started in 1881 with the creation of this office which resulted
in the analysis of commercial fertilizers in an effort to assure
purchasers that they were receiving the proper grade of fertilizer.
Over the years, there have been additional laws added to the responsibility
of the Indiana State Chemist. This has required additional laboratory
analyses, staff and equipment.
The laboratory is divided into five different sections, with a supervisor
for each section. There is the Pesticide Residue Section which analyzes
samples in support of the Indiana Pesticide Use and Application Law
(IC 15-3-3.6). The Microbiology Section supports both the Indiana Commercial
Feed Law (IC-15-5-13) and the Indiana Pesticide Registration Law (IC
15-3-3.5). The Pesticide Formulation Section analyzes pesticide products
that are required to be registered in the State of Indiana under the
Indiana Pesticide Registration Law. The Fertilizer and Automated Analysis
Section supports administration of the Indiana Commercial Fertilizer
Law (15-3-3-1) and the Indiana Commercial Feed Law. The last section
is the Animal Feed Drug and Vitamin Section, which supports the Indiana
Commercial Feed Law.
The laboratories are staffed by 24 full-time professional chemists
and microbiologists. The support staff includes two half-time technicians,
a sample preparation technician and an administrative assistant. In
addition, several students are hired throughout the year to aid the
chemists in the laboratory.
Many of the analyses performed in the State Chemist Laboratory require
highly sophisticated instrumentation. Our laboratory has taken great
pride in maintaining a cutting-edge approach to the analysis of the
products. Our laboratory staff is well-trained and participates in
several organizations such as AOAC International. Our philosophy is
to utilize the best possible methods and procedures available for all
analyses done in the Indiana State Chemist Laboratory.
If you have any questions regarding the laboratories, please contact:
Dr. Rodney J. Noel
Telephone: (765) 494-5900
E-mail: noelr@purdue.edu
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Microbiology
Laboratory
H.S. Ragheb, Ph.D., Microbiology
Supervisor |
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The Microbiology Department at Indiana State Chemist
laboratories began the examination of antibiotics in feeds in 1962.
At that time the Indiana State Chemist was Dr. Forest Quackenbush
who was also the Head of Biochemistry Department at Purdue University.
At first, feed samples were examined for their antibiotic content
to enforce the State Commercial Feed Law as well as to participate
in collaborative studies with the Association of Official Analytical
Chemists (AOAC). The activities were mainly those initiated and conducted
by the Food and Drug Administration, which is responsible not only
for food safety but also for feed stuffs. As time progressed the
number of feed samples examined increased. The samples were complete
feeds as well as premixes.
The microbiological analysis of antibiotics in feeds is not an easy
task. The technique is complex and requires special attention to details
by the analysts. Variability in results within and between laboratories
resulted in lack of confidence in analytical results. To address this
issue in May 1970, Dr. E.D. Schall the Indiana State Chemist convened
a symposium at Purdue University. The discussion on each antibiotic
was led by each AOAC Associate Referee. These were scientists employed
by the pharmaceutical companies who manufacture these antibiotics.
Dr. W.W. Wright from FDA’s Center of Antibiotics Analysis, also
the AOAC General Referee on antibiotics in feeds, participated throughout
the symposium and coordinated many discussions. Participants who represented
40 laboratories were involved in day to day discussion of the assay
techniques and problems. The symposium was cosponsored by the Association
of Official Analytical Chemists, the Association of American Feed Control
Officials, and the Office of Indiana State Chemist, Purdue University.
The proceedings of the symposium were later published and distributed
to all participants. The symposium was the forerunner of the current
AOAC Forum for Antibiotics and Drugs in Feeds.
Throughout its operation, the Microbiology Laboratory has participated
in every AOAC collaborative study on antibiotic analysis in feeds.
The Laboratory also initiated and completed two studies on chlortetracycline
and bacitracin assay. As a result one method for analysis of chlortetracycline
by the turbidimetric method was approved by AOAC as Official Final
Action in 1996. The laboratory staff has participated in analytical
research and method development. Over 20 manuscripts were published
on these topics. The laboratory developed the bioautograph techniques
for detecting residue of monensin and other antibiotics in feeds. Such
feeds are usually accidentally contaminated and may result in death
of animals. For many years the laboratory monitored the good food manufacturing
practices (GMP) of feed samples collected by Indiana State Chemist
Inspectors. Not only the presence of an antibiotic was determined but
also samples were checked for drug combinations.
In 1990, the supervisor of the laboratory was appointed by AOAC as
General Referee for antibiotics in feeds. As time passed, the laboratory
has developed an excellent reputation and confidence among the feed
and pharmaceutical manufacturers. On many occasions, outside laboratories
sent samples to the State Chemist Microbiology Laboratory for analysis.
These samples are usually
"problematic" because of interference by feed components
and lower level of antibiotic fortification.
Other activities of the Microbiology Laboratory include the examination
of the bacterial and yeast load inoculants. For a short period of time
the laboratory was involved with EPA in determining disinfectant efficacy
and sporocidal testing. Currently, many more varieties of antibiotics
are analyzed. For example, in 1999, the number of feed samples examined
for antibiotics content were 226. The antibiotics tested included apramycin,
bacitracin, bambermycin, chlortetracycline, hygromycin, lincomycin,
oxytetracycline, penicillin, monensin, neomycin, salinomycin, tylosin
and virginiamycin. The analysis of these compounds in feeds is relevant
especially for those who advocate the control of the use of antimicrobials
in animals and their impact on foodborne pathogens. |
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Fertilizer/Trace/Proximate
Laboratory Section
James Bartos, Section Supervisor |
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This
section of the laboratory has 6 employees, analysts Sally Mullins,
Natalie Newlon, Patricia Waller, and Irene Szalasny, half-time
assistant Connie Lehe, and supervisor James Bartos. During the
spring and fall seasons of the year, the focus is on fertilizer
analysis. At these times, when fertilizer is actively being sold
in the marketplace, our inspectors will collect 3000 to 3500 samples
of fertilizer products. The remainder of the year is devoted to
the analysis of animal feeds, and our inspectors will again collect
3000 to 3500 animal feed samples.
The chemists are responsible for analysis of nitrogen, phosphorus,
potassium, sulfur, and micronutrients (trace metal elements) in fertilizers.
Additionally, each fertilizer season a number of fertilizer samples
are screened for lead, cadmium, and other heavy metals. In the area
of animal feeds, the section is responsible for the analysis of protein,
calcium, phosphorus, micronutrients, selenium, chromium, and other
non nutritive trace elements, and for proximate analysis (moisture,
fat, fiber, ash, etc.).
Since the analytical responsibilities of the Section include many of
the most commonly guaranteed components of these agricultural products,
the workload is high volume, batch oriented. The Section employs a
number of quite specialized automated instruments, is highly computerized,
and relies heavily on statistical quality control of analytical results.
And since the primary emphasis in the regulatory context is accuracy,
it is policy that no sample is reported as being deficient relative
to product guarantee, unless it has be analyzed at least twice, on
two separate days, with good agreement between individual results.
In addition to the routine workload, the chemists devote a substantial
amount of time to development of new methods, and refinement of existing
methods. The laboratory actively participates in AOAC International,
a professional association for analytical chemists, in the development
of standardized and validated chemical methodology, which can be demonstrated
to perform well in the hands of different chemists, in independent
laboratories. |
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Drugs
and Vitamins Laboratory Section
Victoria Siegel, Ph.D., Section Supervisor |
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The
Drugs and Vitamins Laboratory Section at OISC is responsible for
analyzing animal feeds and feed ingredients to determine levels
of drugs, vitamins, mycotoxins, and other components. Drugs are
assayed at the premix, feeding, and residue levels and include
the antibacterials not determined by microbiological methods, antimicrobials,
coccidiostats, and anthelmintics. Other feed components assayed
include amino acids, lactose, sugars, fats, and enzymes. This section
also screens animal feeds for the presence of prohibited bovine
materials.
Feed components are determined mostly using high performance liquid
chromatography, although spectrophotometric, titrimetric, molecular
techniques and gravimetric methods are also used. The staff for this
section includes five full-time B.S. or M.S. analytical chemists and
one section supervisor. The
section supervisor is Chair of the Association of American Feed Control
Officials Collaborative Check Sample Program. This program currently
has over 300 enrolled participants from all over the world, and provides
a monthly test sample to allow laboratories to monitor the performance
of their lab analysts and analytical methods. |
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Pesticide
Formulation Laboratory
Ping Wan, Section Supervisor |
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Since
the early 1950’s the pesticide formulation laboratory section
at OISC has been analyzing commercial pesticide products in support
of state and federal pesticide laws. The laboratory performs chemical
assays on products to confirm label claims for active ingredients
and is also involved in label review. Each product brought in is
maintained in strict chain-of-custody, documented using digital
photography and is analyzed for the chemical active ingredient.
Many products contain more than one active ingredient and each
individual component is reviewed. Pesticide products come in many
different forms. While the majority of products can be classified
as solid or liquid, there are many different matrices within these
main categories. Liquids can be micro-encapsulated, packaged as
aerosols, in trigger sprays or impregnated onto towels or wipes.
Solids can be gels, ointment, dusts, granules, small pellets, large
tablets or pet collars. Each individual product is sampled so that
a representative test portion is analyzed.
It is the goal of the laboratory to perform high quality analysis of
pesticide products to accurately determine whether they meet the requirements
of label claim. The data generated by the laboratory must be legally
defensible and every effort is taken to ensure that it stands up in
court. The laboratory strives to maintain a broad range of capability
and is in contact with pesticide manufacturers to obtain methods for
new active ingredients and improved methods for existing products.
Equipment is maintained well and up-dated as necessary, making use
of available funding through a cooperative agreement with EPA.
Since 2000, the pesticide formulation laboratory at OISC
was recognized by our regional branch of EPA and has been designated
as the official EPA Region 5 Backup Laboratory. The laboratory performs
assays for enforcement samples collected by the EPA regional pesticide
investigators; and also supports the Region 5 state formulation laboratories
with their needs of sample analysis, data reviewing and methods development.
The laboratory also operates the AAPCO (Association of American Pesticide
Control Officials) Check Sample Program, which is a proficiency testing
program open to labs conducting both regulatory and commercial pesticide
analyses. The aim of the program is to maintain the quality of analytical
work and to increase the analytical capability of the participant laboratories.
The current membership involves 70 domestic and international labs,
from 38 U.S. states and countries all over the world. |
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Pesticide
Residue Laboratory Section
Jeff Hardy, Section Supervisor |
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The
Office of Indiana State Chemist Pesticide Residue Laboratory has
a laboratory supervisor, three full time analytical chemists and
a part time lab technician. Two basic sample types are analyzed
by the residue laboratory: "for cause" investigative
residue samples and water samples.
The "for cause" samples range in matrices from soil to plant
material to sneakers to children’s toys and everything in between.
The laboratory uses state of the art equipment to analyze these samples
for trace amount of pesticides. The laboratory uses methods established
by the manufacturer, EPA, FDA, AOAC International, and in-house fully
validated methods.
Water samples including groundwater and surface water are analyzed
semi-routinely by the residue lab for pesticide residues. Recently
the laboratory has also developed the capability to analyze for important
pesticide degredates and metabolites in water samples.
The integrity of the samples, maintenance of a strict chain of custody
and rigorous quality control is very important for each sample received
by the pesticide residue laboratory.
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If you have
any comments about the newsletter or have any questions about our
office, please contact us at:
Office of
Indiana State Chemist
Purdue University
175 S. University Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2063
Telephone: 765-494-1492
Fax: 765-494-4331
Editor: Melinda
Walsh |
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