Commissioned by a Dutch contract laboratory for pesticides, KAIN executed a special project at a subsidiary in Nairobi, Kenya.
This project involved the following activities:
• Implementation and validation of a previously developed analytical method to determine levels of DDT in the soil.
• Supervision of the installation of GC-MS system requirements by a local installer.
• The general infrastructure of the laboratory was evaluated and agreement reached about the necessary improvements in consultation with the management,.
• Installation of GC-MS equipment shipped out from the Netherlands.
• Development and implementation of an Excel-based format for converting uncorrected DDT results into corrected DDT results.
• The general working conditions and quality control procedures were improved
• Personnel were instructed on how to operate GC-MS equipment, perform analyses, interpret analytical data, quantify analytical results and report results to the client.
• An action plan for the next 6 months was developed.
• Aftercare activities by way of email/Skype, monitoring progress and approving results.
KAIN coordinated all activities and trained local staff.
Instruments, reference standards and knowledge were transferred and implemented on location from December 2009 to the end of January 2010.
During this period local personnel were instructed on how to perform the analysis, and assisted in setting up a laboratory configuration suitable for routine analysis. The key concepts here were quality, ISO 17025, efficiency, safety and robustness.
As proof of the pudding the Kenyan laboratory proceeded to validate the method independently, demonstrating both the validity of the method and their own competence. This project is still on-going.
