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HBEL - SERVICES LABORATORY LOCATIONS: HARBOR BRANCH Oceanographic Institution ph. 772.465.2400 x.285 | fx. 772.467.1584 | hbel@hboi.edu 5600 US 1 North, Ft. Pierce, Florida 34946 Sanford Joyce Hodde - Group Leader - hodde@hboi.edu 4155 St. Johns Parkway, Suite 1300, Sanford, FL 32771 ph. 407.322.4686 | fx. 407.322.4097 Lehigh Acres Ashley Yaccarino - Chemist I - ayaccarino@hboi.edu 307 Coolidge Avenue, Lehigh Acres, FL 33936 ph. 941.369.8477 | fx. 941.368.3367 Brooksville Mary Ann Bonometti - Chemist I - bonometti@hboi.edu 16331 Cortez Boulevard, Brooksville, FL 34601 ph. 352.848.0850 | fx. 352.848.0650 Our Technical Services staff has conducted Sample Collection Workshops throughout the state of Florida. These workshops offer drinking water and wastewater operators the opportunity to have hands on training in sample collection techniques. Additionally, these training sessions educate the operators about State and Federal Regulations impacting utility operators. Working closely with local, state and federal agencies, HBEL has hosted several workshops at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution's J. Seward Johnson Marine Education and Conference Facility. Harbor Branch maintains the capability of receiving and processing samples seven days a week. The laboratory maintains a commitment to understanding industry needs and ensures that all aspects of sample analysis and reporting are completed to specifications in a professional and timely manner. All samples are processed through the laboratory following strict quality control protocols. All results are checked and validated under the guidance of the Quality Assurance Manager. The HBEL remains uniquely qualified to offer analytical services to those projects which require an understanding or ability in dealing with surface water and marine environments. By utilizing the expertise of its staff, Harbor Branch continues to perform trace level nutrient analysis on water samples and testing on organic residues (pesticides/PCB's, PAH's and semi-volatile compounds) in water, sediment, and tissues. Our well trained and skilled chemists in the Nutrient Department can detect ultra-low levels (less than 1/10 micro-molar) of nutrients in both fresh water and saltwater. One of the laboratory's current projects is to monitor ultra-low level Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia and Orthophosphate at the part per billion (ppb) level, which are required by an ongoing research project of protecting corral reefs in the worlds oceans. This creates a unique market niche for HBEL as other laboratories can only detect to the part per million (ppm) level of the nutrient. The laboratory performed analytical testing of dredged material from various Army Corps of Engineers harbor dredging projects to determine the extent of contamination. This material included tissues. Sediments and water from various harbors. As a result of these projects, HBEL staff has developed new analytical methods. One such method qualifies and quantifies individual congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). PCBs, which consist of 209 congeners, were formerly used in industrial and commercial applications. These applications included electrical, heat transfer, hydraulic equipment, plasticizers in paints, in pigment, and flame retardant due to the non-flammable chemical stability of PCBs. The toxicity and persistence of PCBs have caused concern about their impact on humans and the environment. This concern has prompted extensive research on the fate and transport and analytical methods for tracing PCBs. HBEL has established analytical methodology to identify these contaminants. Additionally, HBEL assisted the Army Corps of Engineers in the testing for and identification of Tributyltin (TBT) as part of such dredging projects. TBT has been used extensively in marine paint as an antifouling agent. As with PCB's environmental concerns about the impact of TBT (and degradation products dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) have prompted studies on the effect of Organo Tin compounds. HBEL has established an appropriate method to analyze and quantify tetrabutyltin, tributyltin, dibutyltin, and monobutyltin. Responding to the need for environmental assessment in the aftermath of two major hurricanes, HBEL provided analytical testing both locally and internationally. This clean up effort is still in progress and the results provided by the laboratory will aid in determining the extent of the contamination. Since hurricanes and other natural disasters can cause contamination or disruption to water and sewer services, HBEL has responded by offering basic water testing services to the owners of private water supplies. 
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