Laboratory Technician

Laboratory technicians are responsible for analyzing samples that are sent to them from various agencies. Many companies now offer to run standard tests for consumers on household concerns; lead is just one of the many things that laboratories test for. Your role as the technician is to be able to answer the following questions for the audience:

What is the acceptable amount of lead particles in drinking water?
Define the term ppm and how it relates to concentration of particles in a solution. You will need a visual aide to make the numbers you are talking about more realistic to the audience.

How is lead detected in water? Is it done differently in a laboratory than it would be done at home? Explain as best you can the technique for testing samples for lead in the laboratory.

What is a chelate? How does the chelate EDTA work to bind lead? Does it eliminate lead, or does it function to do something else with it?

How is lead detected once it is in the blood stream? What is required in the testing of the blood?

What is available to the consumer to determine whether or not lead exposure in drinking water is a problem in his/her home? State the names and costs of a variety of kits that are available and how to locate them. Create a handout to share with those who are interested in the information.

 

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