We are leading in analysis of Persistent Organic Pollutants

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Environmental labs

Persistent organic pollutants testing

We provide analysis of persistent organic pollutants. This group of organic compounds is of increasing concern in the environment due to their persistence, toxicity, and bio accumulative properties (PBTs), with a high potential to significantly affect human health. They cover a range of chemistries, but are often grouped into pesticides, herbicides, industrial by-products and health care products.

What are persistent organic pollutants?

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are referenced in several legislative documents such as the Water Framework Directive (WFD), the Groundwater Directive, the Industrial Emissions Directive and the Waste Directive (WM3). There are currently 48 compounds on the Priority Substance (PS) list, although this includes three metals (mercury, cadmium and lead), and a Watch List exists whereby additional compounds may be added, once sufficient data is available.

Analysis of persistent organic pollutants

We provide analysis of POPs. The toxic concentration of these organic compounds is often very low, and therefore detection limits need to correspondingly lower. The instrumentation now implemented and validated at our lab utilises a combination of GCMS and LCMS.

  • GCMS Target Based Screening – full scan mode using Deconvolution Reporting Software (DRS) to identify over 1000 compounds, including all compounds in the WFD.

  • LCMS triple quadrupole – validated for acid herbicides down to ppt levels.

  • GCMS triple quadrupole – validated for key pesticides, including chlorinated and phosphorylated pesticides, plus triazine, again down to ppt levels

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Accreditations and recognitions

Quality is central to everything we do

Our laboratories are accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) to the British, European and International Standard for quality assurance in analytical laboratories – BS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017. The International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) provides recognition to international customers that we are accredited to this standard by a recognised accreditation body. All accredited methods are inspected and approved by UKAS and the full standard covers quality assurance and method-specific procedures. Normec DETS also belongs to proficiency testing schemes, including Aquacheck, Contest, AIMS, AISS, RICE and DCC.

  • UKAS schedule of accreditation, Consett

    Normec DETS Limited, a UKAS accredited testing laboratory No. 2139

  • UKAS schedule of accreditation, Lenham

    Normec DETS Limited, a UKAS accredited testing laboratory No. 4480

Creating a safe and healthy working and living environment?

Normec tests, inspects and certifies so that organisations can innovate safely, quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively.
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