The Delaware Environmental Laboratory is a full-service lab that tests and assesses water, air, soil, hazardous materials and biological samples. The lab helps facilitate the management of Delaware’s natural resources and the protection of Delaware’s water resources.

Since its creation in 1949, the mission of the lab has been to aid in the protection of Delaware’s public health and the environment by providing legally defensible and scientifically credible analytical and technical support to DNREC and other state agencies.

Staff at the lab include experts who work in various specialized sections and through the monitoring of water quality and biological health, the lab provides advice to help state and national leaders manage the environment and prepare to meet the global environmental and public health challenges of the 21st century.

Environmental Laboratory Leadership

Supporting State Agencies and Others

The lab supports DNREC’s Divisions of Water, Watershed Stewardship, Waste and Hazardous Substances and Air Quality. It works closely with the DNREC Remediation Section and the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC).

The lab works on issues and projects related to the Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act, the Clean Water Act (monitoring and assessment, water quality reports and regulations), the Clean Air Act and food safety (fish and shellfish contamination).

If you are interested in requesting service from the Delaware Environmental Laboratory, please Request a Quote. A representative of the lab will review the request and provide a quote by email.

Contaminants of Emerging Concern

Over the last decade, Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) have received increased attention due to their ubiquitous presence in the environment and potential toxicological impacts.

The lab uses liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to analyze Delaware’s water resources for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pharmaceutical and personal care products and other emerging contaminants of concern. Understanding the environmental occurrence and fate of CECs allows for a more realistic evaluation of risks associated with these chemicals on human, animal, agricultural and environmental health.

Related Topics:  laboratory, research, science, water, water testing