General Information

HISTORY

The State Environmental Laboratory completed its formation at DEQ headquarters in 1993. Formerly comprised of staff from the State Health Department, City and County Health Departments and the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, the Customer Services Division was established. This began a new era for the State of Oklahoma. In early 1990’s, the State Environmental Laboratory was named the principal laboratory for the State by the Environmental Protection Agency. The laboratory served the agency, other state entities, public water supplies and the citizens of Oklahoma. In conjunction with the Laboratory Services Advisory Council and the Environmental Quality Board, the division sought to not only provide lab services to the state, but also to construct and reform rules and regulations for laboratory services and laboratory certifications. The Customer Service Division also provided small business assistance, pollution prevention and risk assessment programs to citizens, local governments and businesses.

Since that time, much has changed. The federal rules, regulations and programs along with the state senate and house bills, rules and statutes have caused our agency and our division to evolve as well. On July 1, 2011, we revised our divisional goals and became the State Environmental Laboratory Services Division. Our focus was directed to laboratory services and laboratory accreditation. While still providing considerable technical assistance to our customers, some programs were relocated to other divisions. New programs have emerged and others have been retired to better serve our community today.

WHO WE ARE

The SEL is comprised of three groups: Organics, Inorganics, and Laboratory Customer Assistance. Within each group are sections organized by methodology, technology, chemistry, and program support.

Organics

Gas Chromatography

Drinking water compliance
Emergency response and environmental complaints
Analysis for organic compounds including: pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, disinfection byproducts in public drinking water, petroleum hydrocarbons

Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

Drinking water compliance
Hazardous waste identification
Emergency response and environmental complaints
Analysis for trihalomethanes, volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds
Exploratory analysis
Research and Development
- UCMR5 PFAS Analysis in Drinking Water

Inorganics

General Chemistry

PWS, NPDES, and private citizen well testing
Inorganic compound, nutrient, and mineral analysis for surface waters, ground waters, and drinking waters
Support surface water monitoring programs for other agencies
Drinking water compliance
Research and Development
- Hexavalent Chromium

Elemental Analysis

Metals and radiochemistry analysis
Drinking water compliance
Hazardous substances and waste classification and identification
Surface water analysis
Tissue analysis for metals
Detect radionuclides in water, soil, and other media
Fully accredited by EPA for PWS radionuclide rule support
Method Radium 226 & 228; One of only a handful of labs in the country to perform this method
Radon analysis for private homeowners
Emergency response and incident support
Research and Development
- UCMR5 Lithium Analysis

Microbiology

Drinking water compliance
Private citizen well testing
Emergency response testing for bacteria and pathogens
Analysis of HAB samples including cyanobacteria, golden algae, and legionella
Front line against acute waterborne health risks
Participate in national and regional emergency response exercises
TNI accredited to perform cryptosporidium and giardia analysis
Research and development
- PCR Analysis

Laboratory Customer Assistance

Statewide Sample and Data Management

Sample receipt and evaluation
Sample screening and preservation
Customer assistance and technical support
Customer accounts and communication
Payment processing
LIMS Administration and configuration
Data exports and deliverables
Divisional reporting
Emergency response sample receipt and coordination

Laboratory Customer Assistance

Provide technical assistance to private customers, public water supply, wastewater, other agencies, intra-agency, etc.
Mercury in fish program
Small Systems Assistance Program for small population public water supplies
Cyanobacteria HAB response
Complex fish kills response and technical assistance
Project planning
Sample scheduling and sample collection materials provisioning

CORE FUNCTIONS

The mission of the State Environmental Laboratory is to generate consistent, reliable, reproducible, and defensible laboratory data of known and documented quality to support the decisions that promote the quality of life in Oklahoma and to meet the analytical needs of our clients, communities and the citizens of Oklahoma.