New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 7 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Chapter 18 - REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE CERTIFICATION OF LABORATORIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEASUREMENTS › Subchapter 7 - TOXICITY TESTING › Section 7:18-7.2 - Laboratory facilities and safety

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) A laboratory
				performing acute toxicity tests shall meet the following minimum requirements:
1. The laboratory shall meet all applicable
				requirements of N.J.A.C. 7:18-3, including, without limitation,
				7:18-3.2;
2. The laboratory shall allocate floor space
				and bench top space as follows:
i. For
				bioassay-toxicity testing, the laboratory shall allocate at least 50 square
				feet of floor space with at least 20 square feet of bench top space. For each
				additional toxicity test to be performed concurrently, the laboratory shall
				allocate at least 15 additional square feet of bench top space;
ii. For rearing-holding of invertebrate test
				organisms, the laboratory shall allocate at least 50 square feet of floor space
				with at least 10 square feet of bench top space. For rearing-holding of
				vertebrate test organisms, the laboratory shall allocate at least 75 square
				feet of floor space with at least 15 square feet of bench top space;
				and
iii. The laboratory may either
				combine the water chemistry area with the equipment cleaning area, or separate
				the areas. The laboratory shall allocate a total of 60 square feet of floor
				space for water chemistry and equipment cleaning, with at least 20 square feet
				of bench top space. If the water chemistry and the equipment cleaning areas are
				separated, then the equipment cleaning area shall be no less than 15 percent
				(in square feet) of the floor and bench top space allocated to the water
				chemistry area. The water chemistry area is used for preparation and
				standardization of reagents and media, and for working with hazardous or
				noxious materials such as acids and solvents. The laboratory should separate
				this area from the area used for test organism culturing-holding and from the
				area used for toxicity testing. The equipment cleaning area is used for the
				decontamination of equipment used for sampling and/or testing and shall be
				separate from the test organism culturing-holding area and from the toxicity
				test testing area;
3.
				For bioassay-toxicity testing areas, the laboratory shall have a
				temperature-controlled room or water bath capable of maintaining the
				temperature of test solutions within +/-two degrees Celsius of the test
				temperature;
4. For test organism
				rearing-holding areas, the laboratory shall have:
i. A temperature-controlled room or chamber
				capable of maintaining the temperature of solutions within +/-two degrees
				Celsius of the selected temperature;
ii. A supply of distilled or deionized water
				adequate for making up reagents and media. The water shall satisfy the
				requirements of
				7:18-7.4(a)  for
				laboratory pure water; and
iii. A
				supply of high quality fresh and/or saltwater adequate for use in the
				rearing/holding tanks or vessels. The water shall satisfy the requirements of
				7:18-7.4(b)  for
				laboratory grade water; and
5. For water chemistry and equipment cleaning
				areas, the laboratory shall have:
i. Access to
				a well-ventilated area or fume hood for the safe use of noxious chemicals;
				and
ii. A supply of laboratory pure
				water satisfying the requirements of
				7:18-7.4(a).