Environmental Analysis

Below are the interview details that I think may be useful for our students in the Laboratory Technology department. The interview was conducted with my colleague, Chemist Emre ÖZYURT, who is experienced in both laboratory and field studies in Environmental Laboratories.

1. Hello, can we get to know you first?

I'm Emre OZYURT. I am 33 years old, married and have 2 children. I'm a chemist. I have been working in Environmental Laboratory for 6.5 years. I have been working as an analyst in the laboratory for the first 2 years and as a field supervisor/chief for the last 4.5 years.

2. What is environmental analysis? What does an environmental analysis laboratory do? What analyzes are performed?

Environmental analyzes can be considered as measurement analyzes made in polluting matrices (waste water, chimney emissions, OHS measurements) or polluted sources (water resources-creeks-lakes, seas, etc.). All of these matrices are measurements and analyzes based on official or private demand. The samples are taken according to the relevant standards, transported under appropriate conditions and analyzed using internationally accepted methods by the sampling and measurement personnel, who have been trained by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and have been awarded the certificate by passing the exam. Accordingly, if results that pollute the environment are encountered, the companies are penalized after the situation is reported to the official authorities.

3. What is the importance of sample collection?

Sample-sample collection is the most important pillar of environmental laboratories. Because, even if you perfect all the conditions such as state-of-the-art devices, competent personnel, certified standards, etc., if the sample-sample you get is wrong, the results will be wrong, so maybe you will get a clean result in a sample that has the potential to pollute the environment or a clean sample will turn out to be dirty. You may cause the company to be penalized. In similar situations, taking wrong samples-samples in projects for which scientific studies have been carried out for months will result in incorrect results, and you may cause the project to be misinterpreted and the wrong investments to be made, wasting time and effort. For example, in a textile factory that carries out waste water efficiency studies and will supply a production machine accordingly, the wrong sample taken and the wrong result can cause the replacement of machines and the purchase of new devices for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

4. Which trainings can people work in this field?

For laboratory analysis, generally Chemists and Chemistry Technicians (Petrochemistry etc. departments or Environmental Technicians, Laboratory Technologies graduates), for Sales-Reporting-Sampling departments, generally Chemists, Biologists and Environmental Engineers and graduates of related departments from vocational schools of these departments can work.
 
 

5. What are your suggestions to our students?

I can recommend them to work in an Environmental Laboratory or any institution, wherever they are, in an internationally working sector where they can keep their foreign languages up to date.
Thank you for your enlightening information. We wish you good work.