XN000022-1978-11-11 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1978

THE INCREASE IN ESTABLISHMENT TO ABOUT 150 OFFICERS HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND RECRUITMENT EXERCISES ARE NOW IN PROGRESS.

THE STAFF EXPANSION HAS INVOLVED A RE-STRUCTURING AT THE HIGHER LEVELS AND RESULTED IN THE PROMOTIONS OF ONE LOCAL OFFICER TO THE POST OF CHIEF CHEMIST, SIX OTHERS TO THE SENIOR PROFESSIONAL GRADE AND ADVANCEMENT FOR SEVERAL TECHNICAL STAFF.

THE GOVERNMENT CHEMIST, DR. A.J. NUTTEN SAID: THE EXTRA STAFF ARE REQUIRED TO COPE WITH THE INCREASING WORKLOAD INCLUDING COMPLETELY NEW COMMITMENTS AND TO FILL NEW POSTS CREATED IN THE RECENTLY ESTABLISHED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT SECTION.+

+THE NEW SECTION IS DESIGNED TO CENTRALISE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PREVIOUSLY UNDERTAKEN BY INDIVIDUAL UNITS OF THE LABORATORY, DR. NUTTEN SAID.

THE NEW SECTION WILL REVIEW EXISTING METHODS FOR EXAMINING FOOD, DRUGS AND OTHER COMMODITIES, PROBE INTO APPLICATION OF NEW METHODS, AND COLLECT AND COLLATE ESSENTIAL DATA.

TO HELP KEEP PACE WITH THESE DEVELOPMENTS, THE GOVERNMENT LABORATORY HAS RECENTLY ACQUIRED AN ADDITIONAL 6,000 SQ. FT. OF LABORATORY SPACE IN THE ADMINISTRATION BLOCK OF THE GOVERNMENT SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT AT OIL STREET, NORTH POINT.

IT IS HOPED THAT CONVERSION OF THE AREA, WHICH WILL BE DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE GOVERNMENT LABORATORY, WILL COMMENCE SHORTLY.

AS PART OF THE EXPANSION THE GOVERNMENT LABORATORY HAS ACQUIRED A FLAMELESS ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROPHOTOMETER FOR USE IN DETERMINING METALS IN TRACE CONTENTS AND HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHS WITH A BUILT-IN PROCESSOR AND FACILITY FOR A PRINT-OUT OF RESULTS.

THE SPECTROPHOTOMETER HAS A VARIETY OF APPLICATIONS SUCH AS IN FOOD STANDARD AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION CONTROL WORK, WHILE THE CHROMATOGRAPH IS MAINLY USED FOR ASSAYING OF PHARMACEUTICALS AND DANGEROUS DRUGS.

ADDITIONALLY. IT IS HOPED TO ACQUIRE A SCANNING ELECTRONIC MICROSCOPE AND A MASS SPECTROMETER/GAS CHROMATOGRAPH WHICH WILL ENABLE TRACES OF MATERIALS TO BE PRECISELY IDENTIFIED AND DETERMINED.

THE MICROSCOPE USES AN ELECTRON BEAM INSTEAD OF LIGHT TO SCRUTINISE MATERIALS AND HAS A HIGH MAGNIFYING POWER UP TO SEVERAL THOUSAND TIMES THE ACTUAL SIZE OF THE SPECIMEN. THERE IS NO DESTRUCTION OF THE SPECIMEN AND THIS IS OF PARTICULAR VALUE IN FORENSIC SCIENCE WHERE PRESERVATION OF EVIDENCE FOR COURT PURPOSES IS VITAL.

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