Coastal Bioanalysts, Inc., located at the Gloucester Business Park, White Marsh, has expanded its facility and added more laboratory and testing space.

Owner Peter DeLisle said he added 1,000 square feet of space last year, with Middle Peninsula Contracting recently putting the finishing touches on an upgrade to the original, 4,000-square-foot facility.

The larger quarters provide extra space for toxicity and sediment studies, DeLisle said. His is the largest such testing facility in the region and he handles sampling for refineries, shipyards, the Department of Environmental Quality and other clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

Tests are conducted using synthetic water without chemicals generally found in other water sources, DeLisle said. Researchers can use the synthetic fresh or salt water to test for various salinities and effects the chemicals might have on minnows, Mysid shrimp and water fleas.

Some tests are completed within a couple days, DeLisle said while others might take as much as six weeks. The facility is staffed so that regular tests can be conducted throughout the week, he said, and a large generator has been added to make sure the valuable test samples aren’t lost during a power failure.

Georgi Briggs of Gloucester is lab manager. DeLisle has a staff of eight.

DeLisle has been in business at the Gloucester Business Park for 14 years and has run the business for a total of 24 years, previously operating at Gloucester Point.

DeLisle earned a Ph.D. at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point.