The Pesticide Residue Laboratory operates as a service center and provides pesticide residue analyses primarily for university clients and for Virginia Cooperative Extension.
Extraction techniques include liquid-liquid extraction, various types of solid-phase extraction, and microwave-assisted extraction. Instrumentation used includes gas chromatography (GC), GC-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), and high-performance liquid chromatography. Available GC detectors include electron capture, nitrogen-phosphorus, flame photometric, and mass selective detectors. The Pesticide Residue Laboratory emphasizes quality control in laboratory activities and has prior experience working under Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) compliance on residue studies for the IR-4 Project. Ongoing research includes the development of water extraction methods with the S-1011 Water Quality Methodology multi-state research project. International activities include coordinating quality assurance workshops in West Africa for pesticide residue chemists at institutions collaborating with the IPM CRSP project, West African Regional Consortium of IPM Excellence.

Cobb, J.M., Mattice, J.D., Senseman, S.A., Dumas, J.A., Mersie, W., Riley, M.B., Potter, T.L., Mueller, T.C., Watson, E.B. 2006. Stability of Pesticides on Solid-Phase Extraction Disks after Incubation at Various Temperatures and Time Intervals. JAOAC Intl. 89 (4): 903-912.