Tracey Varvel is the Technical Director at the SPL–Kilgore environmental laboratory in Kilgore, Texas. A graduate of Texas A&M University and the University of California, Riverside, she began her career as a laboratory technician at Ana-Lab and steadily advanced through roles in project management and quality management. Following SPL’s acquisition of Ana-Lab, Tracey advanced into laboratory leadership and now oversees technical operations as Technical Director.

Topic Summary: Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs)
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs) are found in a wide range of antimicrobial products, from hospital-grade disinfectants to household cleaners. As their use has grown, so has their presence in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) systems, often undetected until performance problems arise.  Even at low concentrations, these compounds can severely disrupt biological treatment processes, leading to ammonia breakthrough, foaming, sludge instability, and noncompliance.
SPL uses advanced HPLC-MS technology with a thorough approach to testing, detecting QACs at the low µg/L range with compound-specific accuracy. Our data helps wastewater professionals establish baselines, enforce pretreatment, and quickly diagnose upsets with confidence.