Analytical Services, Inc. (ASI) is a full service environmental microbiology laboratory and consulting firm. We detect, identify and / or enumerate algae, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses in water, biosolids / wastewater, indoor air, food and other environmental matrices, utilizing both traditional and molecular techniques. ASI has successfully designed and executed hundreds of challenge studies on a wide variety of types of water treatment devices, with live protozoa, bacteria, fungi and viruses using proprietary and industry standard protocols. ASI is the first environmental laboratory licensed by Applied Biosystems to utilize and report results generated with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). We are actively involved in projects ranging from watershed assessment (bacterial ribotyping, coliphages genotyping, human infectious viruses) to the distribution system (nuisance organisms, biofilm, Legionella). All protozoan and bacterial analyses are performed at our main laboratory in Williston, VT, while virus and biosolids work is performed at our affiliated laboratory at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) under the direction of Dr. Aaron Margolin, ASI's Senior Scientist and Professor, Microbiology, UNH. Dr. Steve Jones, Director of the UNH Center for Marine Biology, participates in watershed assessment and other studies where microbial source tracking is indicated. Dr. Colin R. Fricker, ASI's Senior Technical Advisor, leads ASI's international consulting services for water suppliers, regulators and engineering firms.
In conjunction with its affiliate laboratory at UNH, ASI was approved throughout the EPA's Information Collection Rule (ICR) for both protozoa (ICRVT201) and viruses (ICRNH202). ASI participated in the validation of EPA Methods 1622 (Cryptosporidium) and EPA Method 1623 (Giardia and Cryptosporidium), and has been performing these analyses since January 1999, both commercially and as a participating laboratory in the EPA's Supplemental Survey. We also participated in the validation of EPA Method 1605, Aeromonas, in anticipation of the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR).
The EPA has validated ASI as a participating laboratory for the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2). We participate in the EPA's ongoing Quality Assurance / Quality Control requirements for 1623. We have been an active participant in EPA's preliminary discussions regarding method and laboratory requirements for LT2 and will continue to participate in Joint Requirements Meetings as a Stakeholder in preparation for the microbial monitoring anticipated under this regulation.
