EPA operates two pesticide laboratories that provide a variety of technical services to the Agency, other federal and state agencies, tribal groups and other organizations:

• Analytical Chemistry Laboratory
• Microbiology Laboratory

The labs assist EPA and state enforcement labs by:

• providing:
  • reference standards,
  • analytical methods development,
  • training,  
  • assistance with laboratory audits; and
• developing analytical methods for risk assessment and enforcement projects;
• performing chemical and efficacy analyses when needed; and
• assisting in investigations of incidents such as crop damage or illegal pesticide residues. 

Our laboratories develop methods and procedures to measure the effectiveness of hard surface disinfectants. They use testing methods to identify pesticides in food, feed, water, and soil. Pesticide residue amounts in a sample are measured, including any significant chemical metabolites and degradates (break-down products). 

Pesticide manufacturers must develop environmental chemistry and residue analytical methods and provide them to EPA as a requirement of product registration.

Find methods:

• Antimicrobial testing methods and standard operating procedures
• Environmental chemistry methods test soil and water samples to determine the fate of pesticides in the environment.
• Residue analytical methods test samples of food, feed, and animal commodities. Residues may not exceed our maximum allowable limits (i.e., tolerances).