Marcella Canas Email & Phone Number

San Diego, California, United States

Carry out several different analyses on our wastewater treatment plant's sludge samples such as pH and total solids and volatile solids. Routinely collect hydrogen sulfide samples along with other gas samples and perform Gas Chromatography to analyze the air, carbon dioxide, and methane levels in the digesters. Additionally, total alkalinity and volatile acids are also determined in our sludge samples. Responsible for general laboratory services including calibration of instruments, checking inventory of lab supplies, submitting purchase requisitions, and preparing dilutions, MDL’s, and laboratory control samples. Perform monthly maintenance, calibration, and troubleshooting of our effluent and influent autosamplers. Conduct several different wet chemistry instrumental analyses and physical determinations and measurements such as temperature, turbidity, total suspended solids, total volatile solids, and total dissolved solids. Carry out analyses to measure the pH, conductivity, and biological oxygen demand in our influent and effluent wastewater samples as well as routinely collect effluent samples to detect any residual chlorine concentration.Responsible for routine sewage sampling, preparing composite samples, entering data through our Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), maintaining sampling equipment, and general laboratory services including preparing glassware, reagents and solutions. These analyses are performed by following our laboratory's Standard Operating and Quality Control procedures to comply with our wastewater treatment plant's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. Also, delegated as Lab Safety Officer for our department’s Safety Committee.

Rancho Bernardo

Processed urine samples and oral fluids in preparation for drug testing. In a multi-faceted working toxicology lab, I took part in the process of specimen bag opening and inputting tracking information into an electronic online system. Provided other lab support duties such as accessioning, aliquoting, centrifuging, batching, and racking the specimen samples. Established a high degree of accuracy by inputting test data entries requested by clients into our Intellium online system while engaging in a strict verification process where requisitions are validated against the specimens. Maintained safe practices by following all company policies, HIPAA laws, and standard operating procedures in order to ensure the cleanliness of the lab and equipment to prevent any cross contamination of the samples.

La Jolla

Performed specific duties to ensure that enough materials and resources were readily available for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows of the lab to carry out their daily research. Autoclaved glassware, assembled syringes, gathered pipette tips in preparation for sterilization, made antibiotics, and prepared liquid media, buffers, and agar plates. I also ordered, received, and restocked lab materials in addition to organizing incoming invoices.