News | March 8, 2004

Severn Trent Laboratories Develops Capabilities to Analyze for Emerging Contaminant PFOA

Severn Trent Laboratories Inc. (STL) has developed the capability to detect and quantify Perfluorinated Octanoic Acid (PFOA) in water and soil samples.

PFOA and related compounds have been used in a wide range of consumer products for more than 40 years. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated that "Toxicological studies in rodents and primates have shown that exposure to PFOA can result in a variety of effects including developmental/reproductive toxicity, liver toxicity and cancer." The EPA has entered into enforceable consent agreements with some parties under the Toxic Substance Control Act to control PFOA in the environment.

STL has validated a complex method using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis techniques to deliver approximately 8 parts per trillion detection limits in water samples.

About STL
STL (Severn Trent Laboratories, Inc.) is the industry's leading environmental testing company. STL operations include 29 laboratories and 20 service centers in the United States, four laboratories and one service center in the United Kingdom, and a large fleet of mobile laboratories. Complementing STL's vast range of testing capabilities is QED Environmental Systems, Inc., the leading supplier of pumping systems and equipment used for groundwater sampling.

STL employs 2,600 people including 2,100 in the United States and has revenues in excess of $300 million annually. STL is a member of the Severn Trent Group of companies (London: SVT.L), headquartered in Birmingham, England, a leading provider of water, waste, and utility services. Severn Trent is a FTSE 100 company and is the leading utility in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index.

For more information visit http://www.stl-inc.com

Source: Severn Trent Laboratories Inc. (STL)