COURSE OVERVIEW:

The meaning of this course lies in the mastery of high-complexity analysis for the world’s most persistent and toxic organic pollutants. Dioxins (PCDDs), Furans (PCDFs), and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are global contaminants that require specialized "Expert" level knowledge to detect at ultra-trace levels in air, soil, and water. This program provides the technical elite with the methodologies needed to identify these substances with absolute certainty in the presence of overwhelming matrix interferences.

The scope of the training addresses the rigorous demands of High-Resolution Gas Chromatography coupled with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRGC-HRMS). It covers the extensive multi-stage cleanup procedures required to isolate congeners from complex environmental samples, using carbon, alumina, and silica fractionation. Participants will explore the concept of Toxic Equivalency (TEQ), learning how to translate complex congener profiles into a single value that represents total biological risk.

The coverage includes a deep investigation into isotope dilution quantification, the use of 13C -labeled standards, and the maintenance of ultra-trace laboratory environments. The course emphasizes the interpretation of mass spectral data for congener confirmation and the strict compliance requirements of EPA Method 1613 and similar international protocols. By mastering these expert techniques, participants will be able to provide definitive data for environmental forensics, regulatory enforcement, and human health risk assessments.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

After completion of this course, the participants will be able to:

• Define the chemical structure and toxicity of Dioxins, Furans, and PCBs.
• Master the use of HRGC-HRMS for ultra-trace organic analysis.
• Implement isotope dilution quantification using 13C standards.
• Execute multi-stage sample extraction and cleanup (Soxhlet/PLE).
• Fractionate congeners using specialized chromatographic columns.
• Calculate Toxic Equivalency (TEQ) using international weighting factors.
• Interpret complex mass spectra for congener-specific identification.
• Manage the ultra-clean laboratory to prevent cross-contamination.
• Validate dioxin and PCB methods according to EPA and EU mandates.
• Troubleshoot high-resolution mass spectrometers and vacuum systems.
• Evaluate environmental data for source-tracking and forensics.
• Formulate comprehensive reports for toxicological risk assessment.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

This course is intended for Expert Analytical Chemists, Toxicologists, Environmental Forensics Specialists, and Research Scientists in the field of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

TRAINING COURSE METHODOLOGY:

A highly interactive combination of lectures, discussion sessions, and case studies will be employed to maximize the transfer of information, knowledge, and experience. The course will be intensive, practical, and highly interactive. The sessions will start by raising the most relevant questions and motivating everybody to find the right answers. The attendants will also be encouraged to raise more of their questions and to share in developing the right answers using their analysis and experience. There will also be some indoor experiential activities to enhance the learning experience. Course material will be provided in PowerPoint, with necessary animations, learning videos, and general discussions.

The course participants shall be evaluated before, during, and at the end of the course.

COURSE CERTIFICATE:

National Consultant Centre for Training LLC (NCC) will issue an Attendance Certificate to all participants completing a minimum of 80% of the total attendance time requirement.