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2026-07-15

How to preserve water samples in warm weather

Water quality sampling in summer is not the same exercise as sampling in March. Higher ambient temperatures accelerate the biological and chemical processes that change analyte concentrations between collection and analysis. Understanding which analytes are most sensitive, and what to do about it, is the difference between a reliable result and a number that reflects the transit van rather than the river.

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— Owen Micklewright
2026-05-20

Nutritional testing for UK food labels: what you actually need

The UK Food Information Regulations require most pre-packed foods to carry a nutrition declaration covering energy, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars, protein, and salt. For small producers, working out what to test, how to test it, and what format the results need to be in is often more confusing than the testing itself.

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— Owen Micklewright
2026-04-08

Soil metals testing in Phase 2 site investigations

Phase 2 site investigations are commissioned when a Phase 1 desk study identifies a credible pollutant linkage between a potential source and a receptor. Soil metals analysis is one of the most common components of a Phase 2 investigation, and the quality of the results depends as much on how samples are collected as on what happens in the laboratory.

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— Owen Micklewright
2026-02-14

What ICP-OES actually does and why it matters for your results

ICP-OES stands for inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. It is the standard method for measuring metal and metalloid concentrations in water, soil, food, and several other matrices. Understanding roughly how it works helps clients interpret their results and ask better questions about the analysis.

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— Owen Micklewright
2026-01-22

Pharmaceutical assay testing for small supplement producers

Small supplement and nutraceutical producers often need assay testing to verify that a product contains what the label says it contains, but the route to getting that testing done is not always obvious. Large contract research organisations typically require minimum batch commitments and long lead times. This is a guide to what assay testing involves and what to look for in a laboratory.

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— Owen Micklewright
2026-03-05

VOC monitoring in the workplace: what the regulations require

Volatile organic compounds are present in many workplace environments, from printing and coating operations to laboratories, vehicle repair workshops, and food manufacturing facilities. Understanding when monitoring is required, what the results mean, and how to act on them is a practical necessity for employers with potential VOC exposure.

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— Owen Micklewright

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