Drinking water and radiation laboratory branch (DWRLB)

Contact DWRLB:

Phone: (510) 620-2911

Fax: (510) 620-2940

Mailing Address:

California Department of Public Health

Drinking Water & Radiation Laboratory Branch

850 Marina Bay Parkway, MS G-164

Richmond, CA 94804-6403

LRN-C / BIOMONITORING UNIT

The Biomonitoring Unit within DWRLB houses the Laboratory Response Network – Chemical (LRN-C) laboratory at CDPH. The LRN-C Laboratory Network is coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which supports 62 U.S. state, territorial, and major metropolitan labs through the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement and provides laboratory surge capacity for a public health emergency. The Level 1 LRN-C Laboratory in DWRLB provides clinical testing of toxic chemical agents (e.g., including cyanide, nerve agents, mustard agents, metals, toxic industrial chemicals and biotoxins). The clinical testing of blood and urine is conducted using high-throughput, CDC test methods and instrument platforms for reliability, speed and capacity. The LRN-C works closely with First Responders and First Receivers for preparedness and response to chemical threats.

Image of California Map showing LRN-C lab at CDPH, Richmond