Expansion of analytics: The new microbiological laboratory at the Leuna chemical site offers drinking and cooling water analyses at the highest level

InfraLeuna GmbH's analytics department at the Leuna chemical site has expanded to include a state-of-the-art microbiological laboratory.

„The range of tasks and requirements in the field of microbiology have increased significantly in recent years. There was no longer enough space in the old laboratory - we were literally bursting at the seams”, says Dr Antje Mroczek, Head of the Analytics department.

With the conversion of a former, unused chemical laboratory on the ground floor of the building in which the Department of Analytics is located, microbiology has made a huge leap in terms of space from 45 to more than 200 square metres. The new microbiology laboratory fulfils the requirements of protection class S 2. Compliance with these safety precautions ensures that employees can work without risk.

Three laboratory assistants and a microbiology specialist currently work in this laboratory area. They are responsible for carrying out and monitoring the analyses. The focus of microbiological analysis is on the examination of drinking water and cooling water. The demand for these analyses has risen sharply, particularly due to stricter legal requirements such as the German Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV) and the 42nd Federal Immission Control Ordinance (42nd BImSchV).

The InfraLeuna GmbH laboratory has had the necessary approvals for these tests for many years, such as accreditation in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 and approval in accordance with the 42nd BImSchV for sampling and analysis. Furthermore, the laboratory is a drinking water testing center listed by the State Office for Consumer Protection of Saxony-Anhalt.

The range of services includes the testing of various samples for different microorganisms such as Escherichia coli, coliform bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, enterococci, Clostridium perfringens and Legionella.

Microbiological testing is used to determine and detect these microorganisms and to assess whether a sample is hygienically flawless or contaminated. The work in a microbiology laboratory is still mainly carried out by hand. Part of the sample is placed on special culture media plates. Some tests require up to eight culture media plates per sample. These plates are then incubated at a specified temperature in the incubator, i.e. the microorganisms are cultivated. There are currently 11 incubators available for this purpose, as each microorganism is cultivated at a specific temperature. After incubation, the incubated plates are evaluated, i.e. the colonies that have grown are counted. These are then compared with the limit values of the Drinking Water Ordinance, for example.

This work requires space and work surfaces, which must be located in a closed S 2 area. The new laboratory now offers sufficient space to process the increasing number of samples and to be equipped for future requirements.

The customer base for this range of tasks is not limited to the Leuna chemical site. The samples also come from external customers in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia who can be reached within a reasonable time radius. This is because the samples must be processed promptly in order to guarantee representative results.

The analytics department is continuously developing its range of services. There are plans to expand the range of parameters and establish new methods. However, this requires time and careful preparation, as each new method must be thoroughly tested and validated. „Our aim is not only to grow in terms of the number of analyses, but also to expand the range of parameters analyzed, e.g. with a method for the faster determination of legionella in cooling water. This currently takes 10 to 12 days. Thanks to the additional capacity and modern facilities, we are ideally equipped for future requirements and look forward to continuing to support our customers with reliable and precise analyses”, explains Dr. Mroczek.