CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIÓN EN CONTAMINACIÓN AMBIENTAL (CICA)

 Contact person in the laboratory:

 Dra. Elizabeth Carazo Rojas

 Email of contact person:

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 Mandate of the Laboratory:

 The lab is a centre of investigation of the University of Costa Rica.

 Role in the farm-to-fork chain:

 The lab has the technical competence to perform assays
 and to improve new and modern methods.
 Our role is to give high quality results of analysis in food and   environmental samples. Then, our customers can make decisions   based in good results and give realistic regulations.

 National Reference Laboratory:

 No, it is not.
 But for pesticide analysis we are an alternative laboratory to the   National Reference Lab of the Ministry of Agriculture. The Water   Quality Lab has been designate as CAFTA-DR Regional Reference   Laboratory by the USEPA.

 Type of contaminants analysed:

 Pesticides,persistent organic pollutants, emerging pollutants. Water   quality parameters as: the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total   phosphorous, pH, heavy metals by different techniques (GFAAS,   FAAS, FIMS, ICP-MS ), anions, stable isotopes.
 Air pollutants such as: SO2, NO2, particulate matter (PM), stack gas   analysis, anaerobic digestion gaseous products and agricultural   greenhouse gas emissions.
 Ecotoxicological analysis of water and soil and determination of   ecological quality in rivers through benthic communities study.

 Matrices analysed:

 Combination matrices and contaminants
 analysed:

 Analytical Scope: Laboratorio de Análisis de Plaguicidas Analytical   Scope CICA-UCR.pdf

 Description of validated method used:

 Laboratory accredited according to
 ISO17025:

 Yes, it is. See attached documents: Alcance de Acreditación CICA,   UCR.

 Provision of interpretation of residue
 data to customers:

 Yes

 Laboratory certified according to GLP:

 No, it is not certified according to GLP guidelines.

 Is laboratory available for research and
 development (R@D) within RALACA when   funding becomes available?

 Yes, we are available and very interested.

 Is the laboratory available for quality   auditing services within RALACA when   funding becomes available?

 Yes, we are available and prepared. The laboratory has experts in ISO   17025 with extensive auditing experience. These staff members also   work as part of the group of internal auditors of the University of Costa   Rica.

 Is the laboratory available for expert   missions within RALACA when funding   becomes available?

 Yes, we are.

 Is the laboratory available for ad hoc on-   site training when funding becomes   available?

 Yes, we are.

 Is the laboratory available for ad hoc
 remote/distance learning training when   technology and funding becomes
 available?

 Yes, we are.

 Is the laboratory available for preparation   of ad hoc reference materials when   projects/funding becomes available?

 We do not work preparing reference materials.

 Is the laboratory available for organization   and distribution of ad hoc proficiency   testing/collaborative trials when   projects/funding becomes available?