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 X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS, also known as Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis or ESCA) is a quantitative surface analytical technique that measures the elemental and chemical state composition of the top 1-10 nm of solid materials. RJLG now utilizes the new state-of-the-art K-Alpha XPS system, a compact, fully integrated, and highly automated system. The Company is the first commercial analytical testing laboratory in the United States to offer XPS services using the K-Alpha.
Click here for more information on how RJLG experts can use the ESCA to help solve your surface analysis problems.
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 RJLG’s analysis of organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) is performed using the new Sunset Laboratory Carbon Aerosol Analyzer, the industry standard instrument for environmental and workplace monitoring. This piece of equipment has been continually improved to incorporate new technology for enhanced accuracy, precision and ease of use, and is the basis for the NIOSH 5040 method for the measurement of OC and EC on quartz filters.
Click here for more information on Diesel Particulate Matter analysis.
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 RJLG has invested in a new ThermoFisher KoneLab instrument for the analysis of wine. Our experts are dedicated to supplying the winemaking industry with the most accurate and timely scientific analysis possible.
Numerous wineries are located near RJLG’s Pasco, Washington facility on the campus of Columbia Basin College; therefore, it is only natural we would be assisting the local vintners. With over 500 wineries and 350 growers in the state, Washington is currently producing 18.0 million gallons of wine annually. Growth in the number of wineries has been explosive and shows no signs of abating. In 1981 there were just 19 wineries in Washington. By 1991 there were 80 and by 2001 there were 170. Within the last six years that number has rocketed.
If you are a winery, regardless of size, anywhere between Washington’s Puget Sound and the Finger Lakes in New York, let RJLG put its hard work to work for you.
Click here for more information on the types of materials RJLG experts can analyze in the wine and beverage industry.
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Hazardous drug exposures are a growing concern to oncology pharmacy and nursing staff in the United States. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Chapter 797 (Official June 2008) recommend hazardous drug monitoring, but recognize the challenges of implementing proven methods for the collection and analysis of environmental samples. As part of the continued development of RJLG’ field services, we now offer environmental monitoring for hazardous drugs.
Our services include the development of a monitoring program, field sample collection, sample analysis by a partner laboratory with over 15 years experience analyzing hazardous drug samples, and reporting which includes recommendations to reduce exposures.
Click here for more information. Or contact Matt Zock at the New York office at 212-613-2700.
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 RJLG will bring their education platform to a national level with the potential for a partnership with Northwest Missouri State University (NMSU).
A delegation from NMSU and the Northwest Missouri Regional Economic Development Office visited RJLG’s facility in the EverGreene Technology Park in Waynesburg, PA in May, 2008. The delegation heard of the Company’s success in developing business/education partnerships and wanted to gain “lessons learned” from programs already implemented through RJLG in Greene County.
Click here
for the complete story.
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 Delta-Energy, one of RJLG’s spin-off companies, is the recipient of the 2008 Frost & Sullivan Award for Resource Recovery Technology Innovation for its development of the DEPolymerizationTM process, a breakthrough technology to capture all the carbon possible from scrap tire shred.
"For a number of years the rubber industry has sought a sustainable solution for not only reusing scrap tires, but also recovering valuable raw materials to recycle back into new tires without effecting performance," stated Miriam C. Nagel, Frost & Sullivan research analyst. "Recovery processes in the past resulted in degrading or destroying the valuable materials, most notably carbon black. We found in performing our analysis that Delta-Energy not only has the process but the test data to back it up."
Click here for the complete story.
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Mr. David Exline has recently been promoted to General Manager of Commercial and Forensic Services at RJLG.
He is now responsible for the day to day operations of the Company's analytical services, including Pharmaceutical, Materials, Environmental, Forensics and Bio-Medical Departments.
Click here for complete bio.
Mr. Jerome Schafer was recently promoted to Manager, Sales and Client Services at RJLG.
His experience with scanning electron microscopy and many years working in client services make him an invaluable asset.
Click here for complete bio.
Now, you can finally put a name with a face. Check out The Group section of the RJLG website…. We’re adding photos of our staff! Tell us what you think of our site at info@rjlg.com.
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 Three women in RJLG’s Criminal Forensics Group were ‘featured speakers’ at an Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) “Females in Forensics’ workshop in May, 2008.
Elana Foster and Allison Murtha presented, ‘Case Studies and Instrumentation’. Sara Rafferty presented and instructed a hands-on activity in ‘Fingerprinting’.
Click here for complete story.
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If you or your son or daughter has ever wondered if the techniques you see on shows like CSI are real… now there’s a chance to find out!
RJLG and Waynesburg University have partnered to host a CSI Camp this summer. RJLG’s Allison Murtha and Alison Chasko will conduct the camp for 60 high school students from around the country. The purpose is to allow students interested in forensic science to obtain hands-on training from certified experts in various disciplines. Small group setting is designed for question and answer sessions. Students entering 11th or 12th grade are eligible to participate, as well as recent 2008 high school graduates.
During the 5 days, 4 nights at Waynesburg University, students will study with experts in the fields of crime scene investigation, fingerprints, blood spatter, trace evidence, expert testimony and other aspects of forensic science. The schedule also includes surveillance techniques, forensic canine presentation, wrongful convictions and the role of forensic evidence in cases. One key event is a murder mystery show, “Audition for Murder”.
The RJLG criminal forensics group will offer several lectures. Sara Rafferty will talk about ‘Fingerprinting’. Dave Exline will conduct a session on “Trace Evidence Collection”, along with a ‘hit-and-run’ demonstration. ATF agents will also participate at the camp. The keynote speaker is Kirk Noble Bloodsworth. He is the first man to be exonerated from death row based on post-conviction DNA evidence. He’ll talk about his quest for justice as he was an inmate on death row.
The camp will be held July 27-31, 2008.
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RJLG continues another year of sponsorship for the fourth annual Materials Camp on the North Carolina State campus in Raleigh, NC. The event was held June 22-27 for high school sophomores or juniors with an interest in the properties and uses of materials.
Twenty-five high school students were selected for the program. Participants stayed in dormitories and ate in university dining halls during their week on campus. While attending Materials Camp, students were shown how to use sophisticated analytical tools such as the scanning electron microscope, which examines a material’s surface characteristics, and the transmission electron microscope, which is used to look at the atomic structure of materials. They were also introduced to the emerging field of nanomaterials.
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RJLG is involved with Duquesne University’s Project Seed Program, sponsored by the American Chemical Society. The program places economically disadvantaged high school students in a laboratory setting for 8 weeks during the summer. Funding to have this program take place was awarded by the American Chemical Society and several local donors, RJ Lee Group, Inc., Westinghouse, and PPG Industries.
Applications were solicited from area high schools and the best students were chosen based upon grade point average, teacher recommendations and a personal statement. These students are paired up with a Duquesne University faculty mentor and a graduate student supervisor. Each student conducts his or her own research project, interacts with other summer research students and participates in many enriching activities.
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 Dr. Bunker is headed to Chicago next week for the 2008 Inter/Micro conference to present on ‘Complementary TEM and FESEM Characterization of Amphibole Particles in Mixed Mineral Dust from Libby, Montana, U.S.A’.
Her talk will take place the afternoon of Tuesday, July 8 at the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel.
Click here for the complete abstract.
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 Sue Kon is traveling to Syracuse, NY on July 20-22, 2008, to host a seminar at the Environmental Laboratory Convention & Exposition - PAAEL & NYAAEL. The topic of her presentation is ‘Sample Handling Issues’.
Sample handling has become a critical issue in recent years in regards to the integrity of data that is being produced by environmental laboratories across the United States. In order to provide our clients with legally defensible data, it is our responsibility as commercial and municipal laboratories to ensure that all samples are representative of the system from which they are sampled. In addition, regulatory compliance must be maintained in regards to the use of the correct sampling container, preservation and holding times. This seminar will focus on sampling handling issues in the hopes of better educating our clients on the importance of proper sampling techniques. Sample acceptance and rejection policies will also be addressed.
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 Dr. Brian Strohmeier gave a keynote presentation titled, “The Challenge of Naturally Occurring Asbestos – Characterization of Amphibole Particles in Mixed Mineral Dust,” at this year’s Roy J. Shlemon Specialty Conference. Co-authors included Dr. Richard Lee, Dr. Kristin Bunker, Matt Sanchez, and Drew Van Orden.
The presentation discussed the combined use of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) for enhanced characterization of amphibole mineral particles suspected to be asbestos.
The conference on ‘The Geological Assessment of Naturally Occurring Hazardous Substances’ was held June 4-6 in Folsom, California. It was sponsored by the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG) and the AEG Foundation. The technical program encompassed topics on naturally occurring asbestos, arsenic, mercury, radon, and other naturally occurring hazardous geologic substances commonly found throughout the United States. The conference attendees and speakers included scientists from various commercial laboratories and consulting firms, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and other government agencies.
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The American Industrial Hygiene Association held a 6 day conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 31-June 05, 2008, at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
The conference serves as the annual focal point for the IH industry. Exhibitors showcase goods and services and attendees are mostly certified industrial hygienists (CIH). The forum offers educational seminars throughout the course of the show.
The RJLG exhibited June 2nd through the 4th. Attendees included Keith Rickabaugh, Jerome Schafer and Ryan Hall. A special thank you to those who attended RJLG’s Customer Appreciation Reception!
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New GM of Commercial & Forensics Services
New Manager of Sales and Client Services