SciTech has been supporting the Monitoring Branch of U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) which supports all chemical agent material operations of U.S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command (SBCCOM), in chemical agent monitoring operations at ECBC, including the Chemical Biological Services Directorate, Product Assurance, and Test Directorates. The Monitoring Branch's services extend to other governmental organizations within and outside of SBCCOM, such as the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (MRICD), Technical Escort Unit (TEU), and Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).

SciTech assists the Monitoring Branch in providing data on the concentrations of chemical agents in the workplace of individuals involved in chemical agent operations including GB, GD, VX, GA, GF, HD, HN-1, HN-3, L, and new or novel chemical agents. The Branch also verifies the efficiency of the ventilation systems designed to contain chemical agents, and clears to XXX level all bulk material, toxic agent protective clothing and associated filter material used during chemical agent operations. All monitoring and analytical operations are performed by SciTech under strict quality control guidelines established and approved by the Chemical Agent Standard Analytical Reference Material (CASARM) committee.

SciTech support to ECBC includes work in the fixed laboratories located in Building E3330, Rooms 183, 185, 186, and 190, at Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG). For real time monitoring and confirmatory analysis at field and remote site operations of known or suspected chemical agent contamination, the Monitoring Branch uses self-contained mobile laboratories known as the Real Time Analytical Platform (RTAP), and the Mobile Environmental Analytical Platform (MEAP). The laboratory system is certified under, and complies with, ISO 9000 quality standard.

Both fixed and mobile laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for detecting and analyzing chemical agents including their precursors and degradation products in a variety of environmental sampling media including air, water, soil, debris, and wastes. SciTech performs analytical work and other activities using:

• Sampling equipment including Depot Area Air Monitoring System (DAAMS) tubes.
• Miniature Continuous Air Monitoring Systems (MINICAMS®).
• Gas Chromatograph (GC) with dual Flame Photometric Detector (FPD), Electron Capture Detector (ECD), Mass Selective Detector (MSD), Atomic Emissions Detector (AED) or Flame Ionization Detector (FID).
• Automatic Continuous Environmental Monitor (ACEM).
• Accelerated Solvent Extractor and Capillary Electrophoresis instrumentation.
• Chemstations, data acquisition systems, laser printers.
• Open-path Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometers (OpFTIR) and ancillary equipment.

SciTech personnel support the Monitoring Branch by performing sampling and media screening analysis of air, water, soil, debris, bulk material, headspace, protective clothing, laboratory wastes, and other environmental matrix samples for chemical agents, their precursors and degradation products. In particular, SciTech personnel:

• Conduct real time monitoring of atmospheric pollutants, in particular, for chemical agent materials, for site personnel during operations to ensure personnel safety.
• Perform confirmatory analysis of samples that show positive response due to suspected presence of contaminants upon initial headspace screening or real time monitoring.
• Analyze historical samples from remediation sites, and/or other historic samples of personal air, laboratory wastes, and protective clothing.
• Assure that the analytical and monitoring data meet, and comply with, the quality criteria of CASARM Quality Assurance Plan (CASARMQAP), and the Monitoring Branch Quality Control Plan (MBQCP).
• Validate and document the results, and perform daily, weekly, and monthly reporting of results and activities, in hard copy and electronic format as specified.
• Archive monitoring data into a 40-year database which serves as documentation to record the presence or absence of chemical exposure during operations of suspected chemical contamination.
• Certify personnel proficiency in analytical methodologies to assure meeting acceptable criteria, in accordance with the Monitoring Branch Quality Control Plan (MTQCP), and maintain certification documentation.
• Certify equipment precision and accuracy in accordance with MBQCP, and other instrument operational procedures to assure that instrument results meet acceptable accuracy criteria.
• Perform preventive maintenance and repairs as required, specified for each monitoring/analytical equipment.
• Challenge the instrument calibrations at the beginning of operations and at the end of each day, as well as verifying the calibrations throughout the day.
• Conduct Quality Laboratory (Limit) (QL) and Quality Plan (QP) sampling and analysis for calibrations and verifications as specified.
• Follow quality control procedures outlined in the MBQCP which is in accordance with the CASARMQAP.
  
  SciTech has provided chemists, technicians, engineering, and management personnel at Edgewood and at various other sites. At any given time 25 to 40 persons directly or indirectly support this contract. Personnel are required to travel to Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) at very short notices. Sample influx at the laboratory varies significantly form time to time. Personnel are on-call, round the clock basis, since monitoring emergencies arise unexpectedly. SciTech has successfully managed all such fluctuation, received appreciation from SBCCOM and repeat contracts.
  
  SciTech staff have been deployed for monitoring operations at international sites such as Guam, United Kingdom, and Belgium. SciTech designed mobile monitoring systems were also deployed in Iraq as part of the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) Mission.
  

Laboratory Hood Testing top

SciTech provides technical support by conducting inspections of over 400 laboratory hoods and gloveboxes used for chemical surety materiel (CSM), and non-surety research, development and test operations. All hoods are tested semiannually to ensure proper operation and are also tested after undergoing maintenance, or having filters changed. SciTech tests the audible and visible alarms of the surety and toxic hoods annually. Additionally, when new hoods are installed in ECBC facilities, SciTech also performs the acceptance testing of the hoods. SciTech has developed standing operating procedures (SOPs) for hood inspections. The testing and certification of hoods and gloveboxes is performed by utilizing air velocity measurements using a hot-wire anemometer. Calibration of anemometer is performed in accordance with National Institute of Standards and Technology methods. Laboratory airflow hood alarms have also been evaluated by parameters set forth by industrial hygiene standards. To facilitate scheduling for certification purposes, a database program has been developed that encompasses all technical performance data for each hood. Also incorporated into the program is such logistical information for each hood as the location, point of contact, status and specifications. This information is used to determine re-certification requirements and future testing dates. SciTech submits daily electronic reports to the Government as well as weekly and monthly hard copies.

Safety Support for Research and Technology Directorate: top

In support of the Research Directorate of the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC), SciTech performs periodic testing of safety equipment located in laboratories. Database programs have been developed, maintained, and updated to contain data related to protective mask inspections, laboratory equipment calibration, results of medical testing, surety use permits, standing operation procedures, key/lock control rosters, hazardous waste tracking and safety equipment located in laboratories. Updates on approximately 70 nerve agent kits are performed, requiring quarterly inspections of decontamination solutions and Mark I Antidote kits. Each database is specifically designed by SciTech for its own distinct needs:

(1) The protective mask database tracks inspection dates due for the upcoming week along with delinquents. Each individual is notified of expiration dates and obligations.

(2) The laboratory equipment calibration database is used monthly for tracking calibration sheets that must be distributed to responsible individuals.

(3) The medical database is updated monthly and is used to notify individuals of required testing.

(4) Surety use permits and standing operating procedures are evaluated for potential expiration dates to notify responsible parties for proper action.

(5) The key/lock control roster database programs are set up in such a fashion that tracking the location of a specific key can be accomplished in a quick and timely manner.

(6) The safety equipment program is a planning tool to show the location and the date of the last inspection for each specific piece of equipment. The safety equipment program is updated and inspections performed on a weekly basis.

Risk Awareness: top

For SBCCOM and ECBC, SciTech organized a Risk Awareness Program during which the Government personnel participated in activities to raise individual awareness of safety, health, and environmental concerns in the workplace and in the community. In coordination with the Government, SciTech planned the events suitable for the program, contacted potential speakers, exhibitors and other possible attendees. SciTech helped the Government in developing the program's agenda, prepared invitations to participants, prepared promotional material for handouts, prepared publicity for the events, conducted a workplace survey, and kept a record of the preparation activities. SciTech collected and distributed to visitors other handout material assembled for the program provided by speakers and exhibitors. SciTech prepared a camera-ready poster promoting the Risk Awareness Program. SciTech also provided personnel to assist with setting up of exhibits at the Edgewood conference Center area, directed exhibitions, speakers, and other participants to the proper place, and coordinated arrangements with Government and also assisted in restoring the exhibit area to its original configuration at the end of the program. SciTech prepared an after action report that described the preparations, conduct of the events, recommendations and suggestions for future Risk Awareness Programs.

Environmental Testing Support top

As part of the Government's efforts to apply telemetry systems to track and monitor free ranging animals for natural resource research, monitoring, and planning, SciTech collected, synthesized, analyzed, and reported data from Argos System (a new satellite technology). SciTech supported the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC), in its efforts to assemble, test and demonstrate a prototype hardware system for collecting and reporting environmental testing and monitoring of data. As part of this activity, new sensors were developed which used a Global Positioning System (GPS) database derived from an integrated GPS receivers. The new hardware developed had several additional sensors that were tested and evaluated for use in monitoring the microclimate surrounding the free ranging organisms. This research required the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) such as Arc Info, and a thorough knowledge of computer systems.