Case Studies

An agrochemical manufacturer was considering a new Chinese source for their compound. They contacted Battelle for a 5-batch study, which included a request to complete the development and validation of four draft methods for the analysis of the 15 known impurities in the original compound.

The primary purpose of the Agricultural Health Study is to assess the health effects of occupational exposures, particularly to pesticides, on farmers and their families. The study also examines other environmental, occupational, dietary, medical, lifestyle and genetic factors in relation to health in this population.

Medical equipment maker Stereotaxis collaborated with a team of Battelle medical device designers and engineers to analyze and improve how surgeons interact with heart catheters and related therapies. Battelle developed the Stereotaxis Vdrive, a technology that allows the complete heart catheterization process to be conducted remotely with a joystick control.

As part of its mission to establish a sustainable energy mix for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K.A.CARE) conducted the Renewable Resource Monitoring and Mapping (RRMM) Program. Battelle supported the RRMM Program and established a field monitoring network for solar resources, airborne dust and meteorological conditions, and building the capacity of host government staff to sustainably operate the network and share the data publicly.

Battelle has been working with the U.S. Navy for more than 15 years to characterize, treat and monitor groundwater at the former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC) Warminster. Groundwater in fractured rock beneath the site is contaminated with chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) from historic activities at the site.

Climate change is already having impacts on human health, infrastructure, ecosystems and security worldwide, serving as a threat or risk “magnifier” that compounds existing challenges in multiple sectors. As a key member of a team supporting USAID, Battelle staff helped pioneer the development and delivery of a climate change training course to USAID staff worldwide.

When it comes to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), traditional water sampling methods suffer from a high potential for cross-contamination and result in large volumes of investigation-derived waste (IDW), which is difficult and expensive to dispose of and can lead to stockpiled waste. Battelle has come up with a solution to this challenge with our PFAS Insight® technology.

Battelle developed a new testing methodology to rapidly screen water samples for a number of emerging contaminants and current-use pesticides. We then studied different treatment strategies to determine the most effective way to remediate and dispose of compromised water.

Exposure to formaldehyde in ambient air poses one of the greatest risks for cancer among the air toxins. The current methods for measure carbonyls has limitations. Battelle investigated the method with the goal of updating guidance on how best to implement this critical air monitoring technique.

When traces of oil are found in water, sediments, or biological tissues, how can you identify the sources? Agencies and oil companies need rapid, accurate and objective data in order to determine where hydrocarbons are coming from and distinguish between an accidental release and natural sources.