At NatureMetrics we’re celebrating our fourth year of perfect scores in GCN proficiency testing making us a partner of choice for anyone wanting to work with a high-quality experienced team.
We’ve also achieved 100 % proficiency again in 2022. Read our 2022 article here.
The blind proficiency test is performed annually, and each company’s own GCN kits and workflows are used to test 10 eDNA samples (A – J).
This year, the samples comprised:
Med. = Medium-level GCN eDNA; Low = Low-level GCN eDNA; Inh. = Inhibited and inconclusive; Neg. = Negative.
Taking a closer look at what each result means can help our customers to understand more about what to expect from their GCN eDNA results.
GCN eDNA presence indicates that GCN eDNA (in high, medium, or low concentrations) has been detected using our qPCR workflow. We go above and beyond to provide robust GCN data and can confidently report positive GCN eDNA results using our workflows.
GCN eDNA absence indicates that there is a lack of GCN eDNA in your sample, and we can confidently report this as supported by our 100% proficiency results in the blind test, where we correctly identified all negative samples.
Inhibited or inconclusive samples – Results can be inconclusive for two reasons – the eDNA is degraded or the sample is inhibited. The risk of degradation is limited by the ethanol in the kits, which are very robust when they are corrected stored. Inhibition is typically caused by chemicals present in the samples that inhibit the functioning of the test (e.g. dead plant matter, soil, etc.). When we detect inhibition, we perform DNA dilutions following the standard Natural England protocol to try and resolve this issue, but sometimes this is not enough to completely remove those inhibitors and therefore we cannot provide you with a conclusive GCN result. To find out more about how to take a high-quality sample, without issues of inhibition, tune into our ‘how to’ webinar on GCN eDNA, coming soon!
At NatureMetrics we offer an end-to-end service that promises high quality and ease of use. During GCN season, you can place and track your GCN orders online with your my.naturemetrics account. Orders placed before 12 pm will be delivered to you the next working day. We offer full logistics support and have a 2, 5 and 10 day turnaround services to suit the needs of your project. Our NatureMetrics sampling app allows your field team to conveniently and rapidly collect your data in the field. For accounts, ordering & price enquiries, including applying bulk discounts to your orders, please contact our team at gcn@naturemetrics.co.uk.
To learn more about how eDNA can help you survey biodiversity well beyond GCN contact us on edna-lab@naturemetrics.co.uk.
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New nature tech solutions are enabling the mining industry to pursue a "nature positive" future by monitoring and managing biodiversity. Increasing regulatory requirements around biodiversity disclosure make technologies like remote sensing and eDNA crucial for mining companies to comply.
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