York Analytical Laboratories has been a leading environmental analysis provider in the Greater New York region since the 1980s. Renowned for its expertise in air monitoring and innovative testing methodologies, York offers comprehensive services for air, water, soil, and hazardous waste, including PFAS analysis. In 2019, it opened New York City’s first dedicated PFAS laboratory, and in 2024, York was acquired by ALS Limited to enhance its growth in PFAS testing solutions in the Northeast U.S.
Mission
York is committed to being the environmental testing laboratory of choice in the Northeast U.S., the industry leader in delivering advanced PFAS testing solutions, and providing the fastest turnaround times for PFAS testing.
Vision
York will leverage ALS Limited's extraordinary global network of resources in PFAS testing research, technology systems and testing innovations. We will anticipate clients’ future testing challenges and deliver the most comprehensive suite of PFAS testing services and technical insights in the industry.
York Analytical Laboratories - Part of ALS Ltd
Interview with York-ALS Team
York Analytical Laboratories stands at the forefront of environmental testing, dedicated to delivering innovative PFAS solutions and rapid testing services. With a legacy of excellence since the 1980s, York leverages its deep industry expertise alongside ALS Limited's global resources to address the evolving needs of clients across the Northeast U.S. PromoChrom proudly supports York’s automation needs in all testing applications. We are excited to feature York’s significant contributions through an engaging interview with their accomplished team, including Technical Director of PFAS Operations, Michelle Onofrio, and Lab Director, Joe Ravino. This discussion offers an in-depth look at York’s extensive expertise in PFAS testing, emphasizing their effective use of automated SPE technology and commitment to delivering high-quality environmental analyses with speed.
Michelle Onofrio
Technical Director
of PFAS Operations
York Analytical - ALS
Joe Ravino
Lab Director
Toms River, NJ Lab
York Analytical - ALS
What is the range of applications you handle, particularly those involving SPE?
York-ALS excels in PFAS testing across all matrices by methods EPA 537.1, EPA 533, EPA 1633 and EPA 537m. York uses PromoChrom automated SPE for all PFAS extractions, allowing for an efficient and streamlined extraction process to deliver the fastest results to clients.
York Analytical Laboratories provides comprehensive environmental analyses for groundwater, drinking water, wastewater, soil, and air samples, with unmatched expertise in PFAS analyses. We provide the entire continuum of analytical services from project origination, technical issue responsiveness, fast and thorough analysis and reporting.
Lab Technician Serena Mendes (left) with Lab Director Joe Ravino (right) at Toms River, NJ Lab
What are the types of extraction and challenges that York have?
York extracts aqueous and solid samples for PFAS. Aqueous samples are loaded directly onto PromoChrom's SPE-03 systems, and solid samples undergo a series of steps that allow PFAS to exchange from the solid phase into an aqueous phase before SPE.
Most common challenges:
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Aqueous samples with higher TDS/TSS, as these are prone to clogging. Through our partnership with PromoChrom, York has developed robust methods to minimize clogging, and the PromoChrom team is always available to help troubleshoot so we can resume extractions same-day.
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Dilutions can present challenges. Samples with high levels of PFAS or with matrix interferences often need multiple dilutions to achieve results within our reportable range that meet QC requirements. When the sample is suspected to have high PFAS contamination or high levels of matrix interference, our experienced PFAS analysts are able to make bench-level decisions so we can extract at full volume and lower volume concurrently to reduce delays in reporting final results to our clients.
An In-Depth Look at Benefits of PFAS Method 1633
What made you choose the SPE-03 initially?
Lab Technician Sasha Boodram (left) with Technical Director Michelle Onofrio (right) at the Queens, NY flagship PFAS Laboratory
York is unique among PromoChrom partners because we were the first laboratory in the NYC region to begin testing for PFAS after opening our Emerging Contaminants laboratory in Queens, NY in 2017.
We built our Queens lab around PromoChrom technology even before the first PFAS regulations were finalized because we anticipated PFAS was going to be a tidal wave, and we wanted the best technology to scale our testing operations. We have many years of experience operating this invaluable extraction technology and working with PromoChrom to maximize throughput.
To continually expand our PFAS capacity, we knew that the efficiency and speed of the prep work required for soil and groundwater was paramount in analysis. To deliver the fastest turnaround times, we’ve learned it’s not necessarily about the LC–MS/MS instruments, it’s more about the speed of the prep work.
We've continually invested in new PromoChrom technology to give us an edge in providing faster PFAS turnaround times, therefore, differentiating us to clients from other labs.
How has the SPE-03 helped?
Lab Technician Michael Ramlall at the Queens, NY PFAS Lab Sample Prep Center with the SPE-03 Systems
We love SPE-03 units because they are robust and relatively easy to maintain. The automated capabilities of SPE-03 allows analysts to multi-task, so they can prep subsequent batches and work on other tasks as the PromoChroms are doing the SPE independently.
Specifically, this allows for the laboratory to prepare future samples or perform concentration/analysis while automated extraction is taking place.
Being able to speak to the support experts at PromoChrom in real time is also invaluable if we need to troubleshoot issues so we can minimize any downtime.
What are some of the notable achievements by York?
YORK was the first-ever laboratory in NYC to be licensed by NELAC to analyze volatile organic compounds in soil and water, for TO-15 Air analysis and PFAS.
In 2017, York began managing PFAS sample analysis for clients in our existing Queens, NY facility, and in October 2018 we expanded it and opened the first and only dedicated PFAS laboratory in New York City.
A key to York’s steady growth was the acquisition in 2023 of two Toms River, NJ, laboratories to accelerate our PFAS operations in both environmental testing and drinking water, and we built out there a PFAS laboratory with new PromoChrom SPE-03s.
PromoChrom's SPE-03 System with York's Drinking Water Testing Kit
Westchester County Airport (NY) PFAS Case Study
Fast forward to today, we deliver the fastest turnaround times on PFAS analysis in the region, an achievement we’re constantly working to improve. With our flagship PFAS laboratory in Queens, NY, and Toms River in full production, we have two of the finest PFAS labs in the region within 90 miles of each other to serve increasing PFAS testing demands.
Currently, we have over 10 laboratories and client service centers within a six hour drive, serviced by responsive courier teams to ensure samples are never mailed. We hold certifications in six states and are in process of securing additional certifications in the Northeast.
PFAS turnaround time has been the biggest driver of having new clients work with us since we strive to deliver in seven days or less and accommodate rush services when needed.
York's Commitment to Culture & Client Services
“Our commitment to culture and how that translates to our growth and staff retention stands out in the environmental testing industry. As a long-time independently owned and operated laboratory, it was a given that we had to be fast, nimble and completely client-focused. In addition, we focused on creating a unique, team-centric culture that attracted talent throughout the region.
We committed to marketing our company differently to stand out among competition in ways that engaged our clients and prospects. As an example, we are a relationship-driven company, and have gotten deeply involved in organizing and sponsoring music events that connect people in support of local environmental causes and industry associations like the NY State Council of Professional Geologists.
Michael J. Beckerich
President
York Analytical Laboratories - Part of ALS Ltd
We share industry insights, technical knowledge and team culture by telling stories that both inform and entertain. Video has been a large part of this marketing that we committed to early and often. We published comic books featuring our Superhero client service teams battling the evil Dr. Chaos and his sinister PFAS contamination crew. The Holiday Ale we brew every year with a brewery founded by Geologists is a huge hit – our courier teams hit the road starting in November to distribute Holiday Ale gift packs, and we film our lab teams doing a music video.
As a result of this relationship-based marketing approach, we have grown to become not only the lab of choice for environmental consultants and professionals throughout the tri-state region, we have also been a destination of choice for lab professionals and project managers.”
Some of York's unique approaches to storytelling and relationship-building with customers
Comic books featuring York's Superhero client service teams
Holiday Ale Gift Packs
What will be the future developments at your lab?
In April 2024, York Analytical was acquired by ALS Limited, and we are aggressively scaling our PFAS expertise and geographic reach in the Northeast U.S. Becoming an ALS laboratory company connects us to an exceptionally strong, global PFAS research and innovation team.
The combined York-ALS team can be faster to market in extending its PFAS technology services client services to a national client base in multiple growth market segments. For example, the military and defense industry has long been a strong segment for ALS in the U.S., while the commercial and industrial market has been the foundation on which York has grown.
With the acquisition of York Analytical, ALS now has advanced PFAS testing operations in every major region – West (Kelso, Washington), South (Houston, Texas) and Central (Holland, Michigan) and the Northeast with multiple York laboratories.
The U.S. environmental testing market size is expected to more than double in 10 years. As regulations unfold, the ALS network has the talent, R&D resources and record of innovation to help the York-ALS teams pursue aggressive growth, with a long-term impact on client growth and satisfaction.