Agilent Technologies and Mississippi State University (MSU) have unveiled an analytical method that will be used to test seafood from the Gulf of Mexico for the evidence of oil contamination.
The method, developed by State Chemical Lab scientists at MSU, is pending review from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
MSU recently received a boost for the method when Agilent installed a 7000 Series GC/MS/MS PAH analyser that determines levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the primary oil contaminants that affect seafood.
Agilent engineers completed the setup of the instrument in the first week of July.
Kang Xia, associate professor who also serves as director for the Research Division and the Industrial and Agricultural Services Division of the Mississippi State Chemical Lab, said: 'Repetition and precision in the testing process are essential.
'The lab's current instrument isn't reliable; it is more than 10 years old and has suffered numerous mechanical and software failures due to its advanced age and heavy use.
'Agilent's 7000 Series GC/MS/MS PAH analyser will prevent this from happening,' added Xia.
The Agilent GC/MS/MS PAH analyser shortens the turnaround time between testing a sample and providing results to regulatory agencies.
With the new piece of equipment, it will take about two-and-a-half days to take 20 samples, run tests and receive the results.
This method takes less time than the method currently used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which takes five to six days.
Mike McMullen, president of Agilent's Chemical Analysis Group, said: 'It is critical that Mississippi State and similar research facilities tasked with monitoring the safety of seafood in the Gulf [of Mexico] have the most advanced technology available.
'Agilent has a long history of providing leading technologies in hydrocarbon processing, environmental and food safety testing - all key areas of response in the Gulf [of Mexico].
'Within weeks of the spill, our scientists had developed turnkey solutions to immediately improve productivity and analytical performance,' he added.
The State Chemical Laboratory expects to submit the test process to the FDA for review by the end of July.
Findings will also be submitted to a peer-reviewed publication.
