HERAtech Laboratories satisfies growing water-analysis demand and reduces costs using workflow automation

Importance of the Topic

Monitoring pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water is essential for safeguarding public health and the environment. Regulatory frameworks demand ultra-trace detection limits and reliable data to ensure compliance. Manual sample preparation methods create bottlenecks in high-throughput laboratories and expose analysts to hazardous chemicals, driving the need for automated workflows that enhance productivity and data quality.

Objectives and Study Overview

This case study describes how HERAtech Laboratories confronted a growing demand for water analysis by consolidating pesticide and PAH assays into a single automated workflow. The main objectives were to:

• Automate liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) and online injection to enable unattended 24/7 operation.
• Combine two separate GC-MS methods into a single run for both pesticide and PAH panels.
• Reduce analyst hands-on time, solvent consumption, and sample volume requirements.
• Maintain or improve sensitivity to meet legislative limits (0.5–20 ng/L).

Methodology and Instrumentation

The laboratory implemented automated DLLME using microvolumes of methanol and dichloromethane in 5 mL water samples. The TriPlus RSH SMART autosampler performed all extraction steps—dispensing solvents, vortexing, centrifugation, and extract transfer—followed by large-volume injection into a Thermo Scientific TRACE 1610 GC coupled with a TSQ 9610 triple quadrupole MS. Overlapping extraction of one sample with the GC run of the previous sample optimized cycle time.

Used Instrumentation

• Thermo Scientific TriPlus RSH SMART autosampler with robotic sample handling and Fast Wash Module.
• Thermo Scientific TRACE 1610 Series gas chromatograph with iConnect PTV large-volume injector.
• Thermo Scientific TSQ 9610 triple quadrupole GC-MS/MS system.

Main Results and Discussion

Automation eliminated 90% of manual preparation steps, reducing analyst time from over 16 hours to 30 minutes per batch of 20 samples. Sample throughput doubled from 24 to 48 samples per day. Solvent use dropped from liters to milliliters per analysis. The combined method achieved sub-ppt detection limits for key analytes, with improved repeatability (RSD values halved compared to manual SPE). Traceability and method robustness increased due to the minimized risk of human error.

Benefits and Practical Applications of the Method

• Enhanced laboratory efficiency with 24/7 unattended operation.
• Significant cost savings from reduced solvent and sample volume requirements.
• Improved data quality and regulatory compliance for drinking water and wastewater testing.
• Scalable approach for high-volume environmental and QA/QC laboratories.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Building on this success, HERAtech plans to expand automation to standard and internal standard preparation, as well as multiresidue extractions for up to 500 analytes. Integrating robotic workstations for both GC-MS and LC-MS workflows will further reduce manual intervention and support growing analytical demands.

Conclusion

By adopting an automated DLLME-GC-MS/MS workflow, HERAtech Laboratories achieved consolidated pesticide and PAH analysis in a single run, doubled daily throughput, and slashed manual labor and solvent consumption. The approach delivers high sensitivity and reproducibility to meet stringent regulations, demonstrating the transformative impact of automation on environmental testing.

Reference

• Legislative Decree 18/2023 (water intended for human consumption)
• Legislative Decree 152/2006 (deep waters and wastewater)
• EPA Method 8270 for PAH analysis