Welcome to the Department of Toxic Substances Control

Mobile Laboratory for Emergency Response

Overview

DTSC’s mobile laboratory was funded by a one million dollar federal grant from the Department of Homeland Security for detecting chemicals following a disaster.  The grant is administered through the California Office of Homeland Security.  It is one of only three of its kind in the country, and the only one in use west of the Mississippi River.

Mobile lab

ECL Mobile Laboratory

Advanced Chemistry Support for Emergency Response

 



 

 During a natural disaster, terrorist incident, industrial accident or other emergency, toxic chemicals may be released.  On-site data are crucial for incident commanders in taking appropriate response actions concerning evacuation, providing shelter, treating victims and cleaning and re-occupying impacted areas.  As an emergency response vehicle, the mobile lab has the means to detect and confirm the presence of toxic chemicals in the environment.
Extending Traditional Lab-based Capabilities into the Field

 

The mobile lab includes separate, self-contained areas for sample preparation and analysis of toxic chemicals. Two on-board gas chromatograph/mass spectrometers (GC/MS) are specifically designed for detecting toxic chemicals in soil, air and water.  These are complemented by a series of field-portable instruments for measuring volatile chemicals, metals and other chemicals to expand the mobile lab’s capabilities to respond to an unknown release.

GC/MS equipment
GC/MS Equipment

 

Several safety features, such as a high efficiency particulate air filtration system, and a fume hood are incorporated for the chemists’ protection.  A satellite system installed in the mobile lab enables the analytical data generated on-site to be transmitted to DTSC’s Environmental Chemistry Laboratory or other state and federal fixed laboratories for data sharing and decision making.  

Equipment Listing

Fact sheets on equipment available are accessible by clicking on the links below:


Current Activities

 

The mobile lab and its on-board and field instruments arrived between April and September 2005.  The mobile lab is currently undergoing field trials to test its operational capabilities and staffing and coordination requirements.  As part of this field testing, during October 2005 the mobile lab participated in fieldwork in Richmond supporting site mitigation activities.  During November 2005 the mobile lab participated in Golden Guardian 2005 Statewide emergency response exercise in coordination with the Office of Emergency Services, local first responders and other emergency response agencies. The mobile lab has traveled to Sacramento, Cypress and Glendale to provide an opportunity to interact with regional field staff.  Current activities include testing of field-portable GC/MSs for volatile chemicals and an X-ray fluorescence spectrophotometer for metals.  More field trials for the mobile lab are planned throughout the year.  To test and maintain expertise, the mobile lab will be used to support field operations in coordination with other DTSC programs.

 Mobile lab team 

2005 Golden Guardian Mobile Laboratory Team


Contacts

For more information about the mobile lab, please contact Dr. K C Ting:

 K C Ting,  Ph. D.
Section Chief
Department of Toxic Substances Control
Environmental Chemistry Laboratory
700 Heinz Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94710
Kting@dtsc.ca.gov


Resources

 
 
Copyright © 2007 State of California