Creating An Automated Annual MDL Verification Process

Optimizing Laboratory Operations
Poster Presentation

Prepared by E. Marshall, C. Awad
Orange County Water District, 18700 Ward Street, Fountain Valley, CA, 92708, United States


Contact Information: [email protected]; 714-378-3345

ABSTRACT

This poster presentation focuses on Orange County Water District’s (OCWD) solution to improve the required process for annually verifying method detection limits (MDL). The OCWD laboratory uses a combination of an in-house built Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) tool and an automated quality management system (QMS) workflow software to effectively calculate the MDL and ensure traceability of related records. The LIMS-MDL tool helps analysts easily review data related to the MDL calculation and generate reports from data collected in the past 24 months. The QMS-MDL workflow allows analysts to submit their reports to QA staff for review, improves communication, creates an auditable record, and tracks a history of updates for each MDL entry. Implementing these tools and software significantly decreased the time and effort it takes for all laboratory staff to complete the annual MDL verification.