NALS - Northern Analytical Lab Services at UNBC

07/20/2026

From designing buildings that can withstand earthquakes to developing food packaging that detects contaminants, UNBC researchers are tackling big questions with new funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

Five faculty members received a combined $866,000 through the NSERC Discovery Grant program, supporting research into forest resilience, metabolic health, dam break impacts and more.

Learn more about the projects: https://www.unbc.ca/our-stories/story/five-unbc-researchers-earn-national-funding-foundational-science

02/11/2026

Behind the scenes at NALS at University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC): reliability is a people-powered process. 🔧🧪

When our ICP-OES autosampler started acting up and we were waiting on a replacement part, sample turnaround couldn’t just pause. Instead of letting client projects stall, Erwin Rehl did what great lab professionals do best: he improvised—carefully and safely—by salvaging compatible components from older systems to rebuild a working autosampler setup and keep analyses moving.

That kind of resourcefulness is exactly why NALS remains a reliable service provider for researchers, industry partners, and communities across Northern BC—especially when challenges show up without warning.

👏 Huge thanks to Erwin (and our whole team) for the problem-solving mindset that keeps our lab running.

If you have samples that need ICP-OES metals analysis or want to discuss your project needs, reach out to us: [email protected]

02/08/2026

Sotirios Korogonas (Plant Manager) and Danny Lee (QA/QC Manager) from Arbios Biotech visited NALS - Northern Analytical Lab Services at UNBC at University of Northern British Columbia this week, and we had a very fruitful technical meeting about our ongoing and future collaboration.

Arbios is a City of Prince George company converting woody biomass/forest residues into renewable bio-oil / low-carbon fuel intermediates (including via hydrothermal liquefaction technology), helping advance a circular bioeconomy here in Northern BC.

What we're most excited about is that both sides are aligned on the next chapter: scaling practical, data-driven collaboration that supports innovation and commercialization — right here in our region.

At NALS, our mandate is to be a trusted analytical partner for Northern BC—supporting researchers, communities, and local industry with high-quality testing and R&D services. As an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory, data quality and defensible results are not optional for us — they are foundational to everything we do.

Looking forward to what comes next.

02/08/2026

Do you know what Proficiency Testing (PT) means? 🧪

PT is one of the most important ways an accredited laboratory proves that its results are accurate, reliable, and defensible. In a PT program, multiple labs analyze the same samples, and results are compared against known values and peer performance. It’s a real-world check that our methods, instruments, and team are delivering data you can trust.

At Northern Analytical Lab Services (NALS), data quality control isn’t an add-on — it’s our top priority. As an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory and British Columbia’s Qualified Laboratory, we regularly participate in PT programs through recognized providers, including:

✅ Environment and Climate Change Canada ( )

✅ Clinical Microbiology Proficiency Testing ( )

✅ Industrial Hygiene Proficiency Analytical Testing ( )

✅ ERA (a Waters company)

What this means for you: confidence that your results meet rigorous national/international standards — whether you’re a researcher, industry partner, consultant, or community organization.

📩 Want to learn how NALS can support your project or monitoring needs?

Message us here, or on LinkedIn or contact NALS through our website (https://nals.unbc.ca/).

02/02/2026

Did you know our NALS GC platform can be configured for different sample types and detection needs—not just one “standard” method?

At University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC)'s NALS - Northern Analytical Lab Services at UNBC (NALS), we use an Agilent Technologies 7000D GC-MS/MS (triple quadrupole), supported by multiple sample-introduction options to improve sensitivity and data quality:

✅ Headspace – ideal for volatile compounds

✅ SPME – solvent-free extraction for trace VOCs

✅ Thermal Desorption – direct analysis from sorbent tubes

✅ ITEX – preconcentration for ultra-low levels

Whether you’re a researcher, industry partner, or community program with a monitoring need, we can help match the method to your question and sample matrix.

📩 Want to talk through your project?

DM us or contact NALS via our website (https://nals.unbc.ca/) to discuss sample types, targets, and timelines.

01/26/2026

Last week, BC Natural Resources Forum ( ) in City of Prince George (Jan 20–22, 2026) was a powerful reminder of why Northern BC matters to BC and .

It was a great chance to reconnect with colleagues, meet new partners, and share how University of Northern British Columbianbc and NALS - Northern Analytical Lab Services at UNBC support the natural resource sectors through accredited analytics, applied R&D, and practical problem-solving.

Highlights:
• Met Hon. jagrup brar (BC Minister of Mining & Critical Minerals) with Scott Broughton (Vitreo) to discuss opportunities for the mining sector.
• Caught up with Mary Mytting Northern Innovation Network to explore new collaboration pathways with UNBC/NALS.
• Connected with Robin Ruddock (MS Environmental Solutions) on water treatment ideas using zeolites, biochar, and porous materials.
• Met Erin Boyle (Seabridge Gold) and invited the team to visit NALS.
• Great meeting with Arbios biotech —Tessa Gill and Stefan Muller—on our ongoing collaboration and future expansion.

Big thanks to the funders and partners who help make this work possible, including , Nserc Canada, , -BC , Mitacs, , and our industry collaborators.

01/26/2026

Did you know NALS at University of Northern British Columbia can help identify and quantify volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and “unknowns” in complex samples using GC-MS/MS (triple quadrupole)?

🔬 What we can do with GC at NALS

Unknowns analysis (what’s in your sample + semi-quant estimates)

Trace-level VOCs in challenging matrices

Sample types: water, soil, plants, air

Multiple sample-introduction options (e.g., headspace/SPME/thermal desorption)

📩 Want to discuss your project or confirm the right method?
Send us a DM or contact NALS through the website contact form (link in bio) — we’re happy to help you scope the best approach.

12/12/2025

Thank you University of Northern British Columbia interim president Dr. Bill Owen for visiting NALS - Northern Analytical Lab Services at UNBC and listening to some our success stories and of course challenges we face 🙏😊

This week, it was a real pleasure to welcome University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC)’s Interim President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. William (Bill) Owen, along with Meaghan Wyatt and Arleta Lucarelli, to Northern Analytical Lab Services at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) Lab...

12/04/2025

It was wonderful to welcome Blaine Grinder, Paul Grinder, and Cynthia from the Tsilhqot’in National Government to University of Northern British Columbia today for a visit to Northern Analytical Lab Services at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) (NALS) and our Seawise Innovative Packaging's biopolymer lab (MATTER_Lab@UNBC ).

We had rich, constructive discussions about how we can work together to support the Tsilhqot’in Nation Nen Plan, especially around:

Comprehensive water, soil, and air monitoring in Tsilhqot’in territory

Co-developing sampling plans and QA/QC protocols that respect Tsilhqot’in law and values

Bridging Indigenous knowledge and scientific measurements for land and water stewardship

Exploring pathways to sustain this work through long-term, community-driven research partnerships

We are deeply grateful for the trust you are placing in our team and for the opportunity to walk alongside you in protecting Nen (Land) and water for current and future generations.

Sechanelyagh, Blaine, Paul, and Cynthia, for making the trip to Prince George and for your thoughtful engagement throughout the visit. I’m excited about the future of our collaboration.

We also acknowledge that this work is happening on the traditional, unceded territory of the Lheidli T'enneh Nation, and I remain committed to ensuring our research truly serves the communities whose lands and waters we study.

12/03/2025

We are happy to see Dr. Kazemian is featured by the University Of Venda for his recent public lecture on “Zeolites, Clays and Zeolitized Fly Ash for Environmental Chemistry: Low-Cost Pathways to Cleaner Water and Healthier Soils.”

We thank the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture, Dr. Rabelani Mudzielwana, and all colleagues and students who made this visit so memorable. We are truly excited about the future of our collaboration and the opportunities to co-develop low-cost, practical solutions for water and soil remediation that benefit communities in South Africa, Canada, and beyond.

Thank you to the University’s Marketing, Branding and Communication team for such a detailed and thoughtful news release capturing the spirit of this visit and lecture.

🌍 Looking forward to many more joint projects, and exchanging ideas


University of Northern British Columbia

The Faculty of Science, Engineering, and Agriculture (FSEA) at the University of Venda (UNIVEN) hosted a public lecture delivered by Prof. Hossein Kazemian from the Department of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), Canada. The lecture, t...