Company responds to increasing demand for air testing and monitoring of COVID-19 and its variants.
Minneapolis, MN, October 20, 2021 – Pace Analytical® Services, LLC, committed to advancing science through innovative services, today announced the expansion of its quantitative COVID-19 and variant testing and monitoring services to include air sampling.
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is a single-stranded RNA virus and part of a group of viruses referred to as coronaviruses. Pace Analytical® collects and analyzes air samples for coronavirus and variant RNA, the genetic signature of a virus. According to the CDC, COVID-19 and its variants spread more easily through air transmission in enclosed spaces. This has been evidenced most recently in outbreaks of the more infectious Delta variant.
“As society returns to pre-pandemic activities, expanded monitoring of environments will be key in providing useful insights into virus presence”, states Johnny Mitchell, Chief Technology Officer at Pace Analytical. “Over the past year, Pace has partnered with a variety of organizations to monitor SARS-CoV2 RNA levels in wastewater, providing advance notice of spread and/or potential outbreaks. Air monitoring was a natural extension of our services and can be implemented quickly, providing a level of assurance to those visiting or working, studying, or living with others in enclosed spaces.
Rather than simple pass/fail results, Pace offers customers the ability to monitor quantitative data on an ongoing basis. In doing so, the data may reveal changes in viral RNA levels to help office buildings, universities, public school systems, congregated living facilities, airlines, and others better prepare their communities and businesses for potential outbreaks. Daily air sampling has been used to:
- Provide air quality assurance as employees return to work on site and schools reopen
- Ensure customers feel safe entering enclosed spaces
- Build confidence in safety and cleanliness protocols
- Test for the presence of the virus rather than individually testing an entire population
- Provide early warning of a spike in cases and increase in virus/variant spread
Pace monitoring services for SARS-CoV-2 and its variants for both wastewater and air are immediately available.
Pace Analytical® is a portfolio company of Los Angeles-based Aurora Capital Partners.
About Pace Analytical® Services
Pace Analytical® Services, LLC makes the world a safer, healthier place. For decades, Pace has been the trusted source for quality life sciences and environmental lab testing and analysis services and the resource for professional services to support our client’s in-house lab needs. Our work is done in partnership with our clients by providing the service, science, and the data they need to make critical decisions that benefit us all. Pace people advance the science of businesses, industries, consulting firms, government agencies, and more through the largest, American-owned, and nationally certified laboratory network.