ENVIRONMENT

Forensics Service Overview

AGAT Laboratories’ forensic testing reconstructs environmental events after they have occurred. We investigate for fire cause and characterization, contamination detection, spill response, and highly precise identification of substance and source. We use defensible scientific methods to differentiate between highly complex compounds in the environment, resulting in a fine-grained and comprehensive understanding of the chemistry and substances present.

Our Forensics lab results are used in many applications:

• Biogenic determination
• Chemical properties determination
• Arson investigation
• Spill characterization
• Source attribution and assignment of liability
• Release aging
• Understanding severity of contamination
• Analyzing regulatory compliance requirements (e.g. for remediation or reclamation planning)
• Rapid evaluation and acceleration of site closures, thanks to precise response planning and targeted action
• Clean up strategy and cost reduction
• Restoring productivity of land
• Detecting health and safety concerns
• Detecting legal issues
• Advanced risk assessment

Get precise risk assessment, and faster incident resolution, all from a greater depth of understanding about your environmental contaminants

Find out if forensic analysis could help your investigation: [email protected]

GCXGC Analysis

AGAT Laboratories is the premier commercial lab in North America equipped to offer GCxGC analysis. Our state-of-the-art GCxGC analysis explodes biometric signature recognition into multi-dimensional fingerprinting capable of far more precise identification of compounds, potentially even identifying the geologic formation, and producer, of a given hydrocarbon.

All of our forensics lab services can benefit from our multi-dimensional GCxGC analysis. GCxGC expands on characterization data to provide a second dimension to all traditional GC analytical packages for a truly comprehensive result. An analogy comparing 1-D GC (below in white) with 2-D GC (heat map below) can be made with biometric signature recognition and much higher resolution fingerprint analysis—enabling the ambiguous to become certain.

GCXGC methods can separate biogenic and petrogenic compounds providing unambiguous answers with multiple lines of evidence to support a definitive site assessment. This data helps our clients by providing ecologically relevant site assessments, enabling protection of sensitive site receptors.

GCxGC provides complete testing of multi, variable, and unknown constituent releases or products in releases—including PAHs—to estimate physicochemical properties, help characterize environmental persistence and degradative processes, and monitor environmental fate and toxicity over time. Using GCxGC, we can create a unique product profile, enabling better source attribution, potentially even to the specific refinery, geological formation, or gas station the product is from.

Our GCxGC lab service can provide:

• Spill characterization through full fingerprint analysis providing comprehensive source determination
• Accelerated site closures through identification of potential biogenic interference with multiple lines of evidence
• Release aging using advanced degradation and weathering analysis of petroleum and fuel spills
• Advanced risk assessment, made more comprehensive and complete through a second dimension of separation

Find out if forensic analysis could help your investigation: [email protected]

Our Accreditations

Laboratory accreditation provides formal recognition to competent laboratories, thus providing a ready means for you to find reliable testing and calibration services that also meets your service needs.

AGAT Laboratories is accredited, licensed or approved for specific analyses by the following agencies:

• The Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation (CALA)
• The Standards Council of Canada (SCC)
• Enhanced Water Quality Assurance (EWQA)
• Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC)
• Ministère de l’Environnement et de l’Action en matière de changement climatique (MDDELCC) 
• Nova Scotia Environment
• R&G-FORENSIC (SCC)

AGAT Laboratories is accredited by CALA and SCC, for specific tests, to the following standard:

• ISO/IEC 17025:2017

AGAT laboratories is certified to the following standard:

• ISO 9001:2015

The Accreditation Process

World-wide, many countries rely on a process called Laboratory Accreditation which includes specific criteria and procedures as a means of determining technical competence. Specialized technical assessors conduct a thorough evaluation of all factors in a laboratory that affect the production of test or calibration data. The criteria is based on the internationally accepted standards of ISO/IEC 17025, which are used for evaluating laboratories throughout the world. Laboratory accreditation bodies specifically use this standard to assess factors relevant to a laboratory’s ability to produce precise and accurate test and calibration data.

AGAT Laboratories is accredited, licensed or approved for specific analyses and ensures:

• Validity and appropriateness of test methods.
• Suitability, calibration and maintenance of test equipment.
• Technical competence of staff.
• Testing environment.
• Sampling, handling and transportation of test items.
• Quality assurance of test and calibration data.
• Traceability of measurements and calibrations to national standards.

To ensure continued compliance, accredited laboratories are regularly re-examined to ensure that they are maintaining their standards of technical expertise. These laboratories may also be required to participate in regular proficiency testing programs as an on-going demonstration of their competency.

Find out if forensic analysis could help your investigation: [email protected] 

Petroleum Forensics

Petroleum Forensics is used to decipher highly complex, multi-compound systems. Natural and disturbed substances can be analyzed to answer pressing questions.

Often, forensics techniques are used to answer questions that arise following a chemical release:

• When did it occur?
• What is the product?
• Where is it from?
• Who was responsible?

Petroleum releases involve crude oil and petroleum products, which are some of the most complex mixtures known to man. Comprised of thousands of individual compounds, created over thousands of years—with composition that vary from equally complex formation, processing, and degradative mechanisms—they pose an analytical challenge for the most experienced chemist, equipped with the most sophisticated analytical equipment.

Confounding things further, the depositional environment of a release can hold equally complex matrices and further influence the hydrocarbon composition. This can even present as a regulatory exceedance when, in fact, there is no contamination.

To overcome these challenges, and equip our clients with the best information available, AGAT laboratories uses cutting edge technology coupled with over 35 years of analytical chemistry expertise to provide relevant, high quality results. Using those, our clients are in a position to make informed decisions and targeted plans, thereby controlling costs and mitigating risk.

Find out if forensic analysis could help your investigation: [email protected]

Arson Forensics 

Shed light on arson investigations with accurate and in-depth insight into the chemical substances present, even in the most complex samples. Our laboratory has supported a variety of origin and cause investigators in complex environments and situations, including for law enforcement when legally defensible results are a must.

We test for residual accelerants, identifying ignitable liquid residues whose presence contributed to fire and fire progression. We are able to test in environments and samples ranging from simple to the most complex matrices. 

AGAT Laboratories’ Arson Forensics lab is the only commercial lab in Alberta offering accredited Arson Forensics. Our lab’s central location in Alberta provides expedited investigation and case closure, thanks to faster turnaround times, faster sample delivery, and faster results.

Accreditations

Our Forensic Sciences Laboratory meets all requirements for R&G-Forensics, and is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada, ensuring you receive the highest quality results.

Our laboratory staff are experienced analysts, and their continued certification remain up-to-date through participation in proficiency testing programs and training. Our lead chemist, Dr. Ron Brockbank, has over 25 years analytical chemistry experience with a wide range of sample and matrix types, and we have partnered with world renowned consultants to offer legally defensible expert interpretation for service beyond analysis.

Find out if forensic analysis could help your investigation: [email protected]