2025-10-27 – Weekly Lab Technician News : EDTA contamination effects

Last week on the Lab Technician forum, we saw a diverse range of discussions. Members delved into the transition from stability testing to formulation, highlighting challenges and strategies. The community also explored the implications of EDTA contamination, sharing experiences and preventative measures. Career shifts were a recurring theme, with several technicians discussing the move from core chemistry roles to toxicology benches. Employment opportunities and skill-building were also prominent, with insights into remote roles in wastewater services and essential lab technician skills.


This Week’s Hot Topics

Moving from stability to formulation
This conversation is gaining traction as members discuss the complexities and learning curves involved in shifting from stability testing to formulation roles. It’s a valuable read if you’re considering a similar transition.
Read more here

What tanks first with EDTA contamination
A practical discussion on identifying the first signs and effects of EDTA contamination in lab settings. Participants are sharing troubleshooting tips and preventive actions.
Read more here

Switching from core chem to tox bench
Technicians are exchanging insights on moving from core chemistry to toxicology. It’s a great thread for those considering expanding their expertise within the lab environment.
Read more here

2025-10-16 – Weekly Lab Technician Jobs: Remote roles in wastewater services available
The job market insights this week focus on remote roles in wastewater services, a growing area with diverse opportunities.
Read more here

FAQ/Guidelines
A handy resource for both new and seasoned forum members, detailing the forum’s guidelines and frequently asked questions.
Read more here

Admin Guide: Getting Started
For those new to the forum, this guide walks you through the basics of engaging with the community effectively.
Read more here

Key Skills Every Lab Technician Should Have
A discussion on the vital skills that lab technicians need today, from technical abilities to soft skills.
Read more here

Unusual Samples Tested in Labs
An intriguing thread where technicians share some of the most unusual samples they’ve encountered. It’s both educational and entertaining.
Read more here

Funny Lab Mishaps
A lighthearted discussion where members recount amusing incidents from the lab. It’s a good reminder that even in science, humor has its place.
Read more here

Essential Software for Lab Data Management
Members are evaluating software tools essential for managing lab data efficiently, with recommendations based on personal experiences.
Read more here


Thank you for engaging with our forum. Your contributions make this community vibrant and informative. Until next week, keep sharing and supporting each other.

But using a dedicated purple-only pipette and a separate ‘purple last’ rack cut our EDTA carryover to almost nil, and we added an extra probe wash on the track after EDTA tubes, @Nora… When I see the classic pattern — K high with Ca/ALP low — I repeat from the serum tube or drop a reflex comment so clinicians don’t chase a false result.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍​‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‍​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍⁠‍​⁠‌​​⁠‌‌‌⁠​​‌‌‌‍‌‍​⁠‌‌​​‌‌‍‌​⁠​⁠‌‍‌‍‌⁠​​‌⁠​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‍⁠‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

We found the worst EDTA carryover wasn’t the probes — it was “EDTA glitter” building up in the decapper chute and centrifuge buckets. Adding a weekly 0.5% acetic wipe-down there plus a middleware rule to auto-reflex Ca/K on the next sample after a purple in the rack cut our random low Ca calls by about 90%, @mikeC1975. Caveat: check material compatibility and rinse well so the acid doesn’t nudge ALP.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍​‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‍​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌⁠‌​‍‍‌‌​‌‌​‍‌‌​⁠‌​‍⁠‌‌​‌‌‌⁠​⁠‌​⁠‌​⁠‌⁠‌‌‌​​⁠​‍​⁠‍‌​⁠‍​‌‍⁠‍‌​‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

Quick example: we reduced false highs by adding an LIS rule that throws a ‘possible EDTA contamination’ comment when K spikes with low Ca/Mg and a clean hemolysis index, and it reflexes a serum redraw. Small caveat: it can trip on genuine hypocalcemia (oncology/ICU), so we whitelist those order sets and also glance at the phleb draw order notes, @dianaW66.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍​‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‍​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌​‌⁠‌⁠‌​⁠‌‌‌​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​⁠‌‌‌​​⁠‌‌‌​​‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠​‍​⁠​⁠‌‌​⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌​‌‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

Swapping the cap‑piercer O‑rings monthly cut our EDTA‑triggered K blips, @Serena — cheap fix, but check aliquoter tips too.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍​‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‍​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​⁠​​​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​​‌‍⁠‍​‍⁠‌‌⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠‌​‌‌⁠⁠‌​⁠‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‍‌‌‍​​⁠‌‍‌‌⁠⁠‌​‍‍‌​​‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

I stopped the 2 a.m. hop‑volcano by chilling to 48–50°F and “bleeding to 1–2 psi” while the first 10% went in through a purged doser, then back to 12 psi once it’s wet. No doser? Stage a tiny pre‑charge to wet the cone and vent gently through the PRV, or it turns into a confetti cannon.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍​‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‍​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​⁠​​​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‍​⁠‌‌​‌‌‍​‌​⁠‍​‌​‍⁠‌⁠‌‌​⁠​⁠‌‍⁠‌​⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​⁠​⁠‌​‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​