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.