Today, over 60% of laboratories in the United States alone rely on Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) to navigate day-to-day operations and the deluge of lab data. And the rise in demand for laboratory automation is expected to further drive the adoption of these systems in the coming years. However, like any technology, LIMS systems too have their evolutionary journey, and upgrading them is not merely a choice but a strategic necessity. With the burgeoning complexities of environmental data, evolving regulatory standards, and the pressing need for digitization, upgrading a LIMS is all the more important in an environmental laboratory to automate and standardize workflows and ensure the orchestration of accurate and high-quality environmental analyses. This blog outlines the reasons behind the necessity to upgrade the LIMS in your environmental laboratory.

1. Enhanced Cost Efficiency and Improved Return on Investment (RoI): Upgrading a LIMS after the initial investment can lead to significant cost savings and increased RoI for environmental labs. A modern environmental LIMS software drives automation, eliminating paperwork and the need for hand-keying instrument data. Instrument interfacing streamlines and automates data upload, saving time and costs. This automation enhances data integrity, decreases human errors, and improves team efficiency & productivity. A LIMS increases ROI by enabling labs to optimally utilize available resources, such as equipment, staff, and consumables. Furthermore, it helps reduce staff costs, standardize operations, and minimize the need for retesting samples by enforcing quality control measures. Environmental testing laboratories focus on reducing the turnaround time, from the reception of samples to delivering the final test report to clients. Automating workflows has a positive impact on overall deadlines, as it reduces the workload for busy laboratory technicians, contributing to more efficient processes.
2. Improved Compliance with Regulations and Industry Standards: Ensuring adherence to diverse regulations and standards is vital for any environmental laboratory. If your lab is struggling to stay current because of an old system, it’s probably a good idea to upgrade to a newer, more advanced system. This is important because following industry standards is crucial for maintaining quality and safety in your lab. If you don’t keep up and accidentally break the rules, it could end up costing you money in fines or other punishments, such as license cancellation. Upgrading your system helps you avoid these problems and stay competitive in the field. A modern environmental LIMS software facilitates the automatic management and application of these specifications, aiding in compliance with regulatory demands. Enhancing environmental lab compliance through a LIMS involves advanced data tracking, comprehensive reporting, and robust quality control measures. Moreover, a modern LIMS monitors staff training and certification, and generates staff competency reports to track staff members’ competence levels, identifying those who need further training. This ensures that only qualified technicians are authorized to perform specific steps in the operational processes or tests, strengthening regulatory compliance.
3. Improved Collaboration, Communication, and Process Visibility: In many environmental labs, the processing of samples involves collaboration across various departments as the samples move through the laboratory, requiring specific details from each team. This underscores the increasing significance of sample tracking and process visibility. Laboratories and facilities without a modern LIMS often face challenges in predicting the volume and timing of incoming samples. In the absence of a system to monitor test request progress, lab personnel resort to less efficient communication methods, such as phone or email, consuming valuable time for both parties. The implementation of a modern LIMS addresses these issues by maintaining an unbroken chain-of-custody that allows visibility into each sample’s location through the sample life cycle, including its specific storage position and custodian. This detailed information enhances communication within the environmental lab and facilitates more informed decision-making. Furthermore, the workflow management functionality of a LIMS helps track deviations from standard protocols and take necessary corrective actions.
4. Improved System Uptime: Upgrading a LIMS in environmental labs is essential for improving system uptime. A LIMS upgrade that specifically addresses and mitigates downtime issues is crucial, as unexpected system failures can lead to significant losses in terms of both productivity and finances. Lengthy downtimes disrupt workflows, causing delays in sample processing and analysis, ultimately translating into staggering losses for the laboratory. By investing in an upgrade that enhances system reliability, labs can minimize downtime-related risks and optimize overall operational efficiency, contributing to more resilient and productive laboratory operations.
5. Reduced Security Risks: LIMS upgrades help avoid security risks associated with outdated software. The integrity of laboratory data is compromised when using a LIMS riddled with known bugs, posing a serious threat to the accuracy of results. Neglecting security measures exposes labs to data breaches, potentially resulting in significant financial losses. A legacy LIMS lacking the latest safeguards such as single sign-on, electronic signatures, audit trails, and multi-factor authentication are particularly vulnerable. Beyond financial implications, such security breaches erode trust in the company and may even lead to the shutdown of a laboratory. Regular LIMS upgrades are essential to address known vulnerabilities, access the latest security features, and ensure ongoing protection of valuable data.
6. Improved Scalability: Upgrading a LIMS is essential for environmental laboratories to remain adaptable, efficient, and scalable. Upgrades address the potential lack of flexibility in current systems to accommodate new features and evolving laboratory processes. When considering LIMS upgrades, it is crucial to opt for solutions that are hardware and Operating System (OS)-agnostic and offer integration platforms, facilitating seamless connectivity with other lab systems. Such compatibility ensures that the LIMS can adapt to diverse technologies and workflows, enhancing its potential and ensuring scalability for future growth. Additionally, the adoption of cloud computing capabilities in the upgraded LIMS allows for remote access to data and prevents data loss due to natural calamities, theft, and other factors.
7. Flexibility to Deploy New Versions: As operational workflows change or if the system has limited functionality, laboratory staff may develop custom workarounds to adapt to these challenges. Over time, these workarounds can accumulate and make the LIMS increasingly complex. It’s challenging to update a heavily customized LIMS. The more customized a LIMS is, the more difficult it becomes to implement updates or new versions of the software. The practical consequence of a heavily customized LIMS, coupled with the need for extensive documentation, makes it challenging to meet ISO 17025 traceability standards.
   So, if a lab’s LIMS is overly customized, it may face challenges in terms of system upgrades, operational flexibility, and compliance with industry standards. As a result, a LIMS upgrade might be advisable to address these issues and ensure the smooth functioning of the laboratory in accordance with relevant standards.
8. Future-Proofing Your Environmental Lab: A LIMS should effectively support and manage the increasing complexity of data generated in modern environmental labs. Beyond basic numerical measurements, the lab of the future relies on instruments producing complex data streams, incorporating both numerical data and substantial amounts of unstructured metadata. To meet this demand, modern LIMS must seamlessly integrate with advanced data analytics engines, creating an automatic control chain that preserves data integrity and ensures consistency in analytical procedures from data source to result. Investing in a modern environmental LIMS software not only prepares the lab for future challenges and technological advancements but also facilitates the continuous adoption of safety and security updates, crucial in today’s landscape of scams and phishing attempts. The efficiency of small, incremental updates in modern LIMS eases the process of staying abreast of the latest features and improvements. Moreover, transitioning to a cloud-hosted LIMS offers added benefits in terms of data security and reduced infrastructure costs. Overall, these upgrades are essential for environmental labs aiming to future-proof their operations and maintain a competitive edge.

Conclusion

The decision to upgrade your environmental LIMS software is not just a matter of choice but a strategic necessity, particularly in the dynamic landscape of environmental laboratories. As the heartbeat of your lab, a modern environmental LIMS software ensures the harmonization of workflows, fosters collaboration, and orchestrates accurate and compliant environmental analyses. The benefits of upgrading your LIMS extend beyond improved cost efficiency and return on investment. A LIMS upgrade enhances compliance with ever-evolving regulations and industry standards, improves collaboration, communication, and data visibility, ensures better system uptime, reduces security risks, and allows for improved scalability. The need for an upgrade becomes even more pressing if your LIMS is heavily customized, posing challenges in terms of operational flexibility and adherence to industry standards. Upgrading to a modern environmental LIMS software not only prepares your lab for future challenges and technological advancements but also ensures the continuous adoption of safety and security updates. 

In this ever-evolving environment, the question is not if, but when you should upgrade your LIMS to future-proof your operations and maintain a competitive edge.

The field of environmental testing has evolved significantly in the last decade and alongside it, the pressure to adapt to the shift has landed squarely on laboratories that test environmental samples. Laboratories need to perform a diverse range of analytical tests on environmental samples such as air, water, soil, and wastes (liquids, solids, or sludges). At the same time, laboratories have not been spared the economic upheavals that have cut across industries following the pandemic-initiated global recession. This has come with market consolidation and declining profitability. However, things are not as bad as they may seem. The market size for environmental testing is expected to surpass $17 billion by 2030, from $8 billion in 2023. What laboratories need is a lifeline to tide them over the recession period and accelerate productivity. In this case, leveraging technology seems to be it.

Here are three technological trends that are expected to gain momentum in 2023 and thereafter.

1. Automation of Laboratory Processes

While most environmental laboratories have already adopted some form of automation, we expect to witness an even greater uptake in 2023 and beyond.

Environmental laboratories face a myriad of challenges including the need to cut back on operational costs as well as a shortage of skilled and competent staff. At the same time, it is expected that the demand for environmental testing will grow exponentially in terms of volume and diversity of tests. Furthermore, environmental testing laboratories need to follow several regulatory guidelines such as NELAC (TNI), ISO 17025, RCRA, CERCLA, GLP/GALP, UCMR, CFR Title 40, CWA, NPDES, RCRA, UIC, besides state and local regulations. Managing huge volumes of test requests and data generated from them while meeting regulatory compliance can be overwhelming. This has created the need for informatics solutions.

Increasingly, more and more environmental testing laboratories are opting to automate entire workflows to maintain data integrity and eliminate manual errors. This includes processes associated with samples, tests, and data management as well as management of lab instruments, software, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and personnel.

Automation presents several benefits, including data accuracy, the efficiency of processes as well as increased output. It also reduces the administrative workload and allows laboratory staff to focus on more specialized tasks. While the initial cost of switching from manual processes to automated systems can be high, this is likely to yield higher returns in terms of profits in the long run. Fortunately, automation technology for laboratories is now widely available, and consequently, automation has become relatively affordable for even small laboratories with meager budgets.

2. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing supports automation by providing remote and secure access to several IT resources that are hosted in the cloud. A survey conducted by Environmental Business International (EBI) showed that over 50% of environmental companies are planning to invest in cloud computing (IoT) in the 2020s.

Cloud computing allows laboratories to access computing services such as servers, databases, and software over the Internet. It enables real-time collaboration and cost-saving through economies of scale. Laboratories can easily store and access data from any location and at any time. Modern in-the-cloud systems, such as a cloud-based Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), use world-class technology to beef up security and provide automated timely security updates. In multi-laboratory companies, a LIMS can centrally store data of all laboratories and manage diverse workflows of all laboratories, thereby eliminating data silos.

3. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

AI empowers computers with the ability to “think” and execute actions without human input. Environmental testing laboratories can leverage AI and ML to improve experimental design, quickly analyze test results of multiple tests, and make data-driven decisions that may take days if done manually. Just like automation, AI reduces human error in laboratory processes and boosts productivity. The Environmental Business International (EBI) survey showed that over 50% of environmental laboratories are planning to invest in AI.

Apart from AI, the integration of LIMS with Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) solutions helps environmental testing laboratories to see SOPs and record observations. All these technologies are intended to increase efficiency in laboratories and boost output in tandem with the demands of 21st-century environmental testing.

A Greater Demand for an Environmental LIMS Software

From a value of $1.85 billion in 2021, the LIMS industry is expected to reach a value of $3.5 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7%. In a survey that was conducted by EBI, 95% of environmental companies indicated that they have the intention to invest in a LIMS. Most of these companies strongly believe that information technology is necessary for digitally transforming lab operations and for the evolution of the industry to the next phase. An environmental LIMS software automates laboratory workflows by integration with all instruments and software and ties in with other technological trends such as AI and ML.

A LIMS also manages and streamlines the entire sample life cycle, from sample accessioning to reporting test results to customers and regulatory agencies. Furthermore, a LIMS enables laboratories to meet stringent regulatory guidelines, flag out-of-specification results, analyze trends across a set of samples, track deviations from SOPs, and centrally manage multi-laboratory data with ease.

Leveraging The Latest Tech Trends Using an Environmental LIMS Software

Environmental testing is a profitable and competitive niche, but with a fair share of challenges at the same time. Forward-thinking laboratories can use the latest technology trends to pivot their operations so they can meet the stringent demands of environmental testing. Tech trends to be on the lookout for in the coming years include the automation of most laboratory processes, wide-scale adoption of cloud computing, and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning. At the same time, more laboratories are expected to implement a cloud-based environmental LIMS software to digitally transform and future-proof their operations.