Environmental Monitoring

Environmental laboratories combine advanced technology and experienced researchers to deliver analytical data on biological, ecological and physical sciences, as well as a range of diverse engineering fields. The environmental testing services performed at an environmental laboratory include analysis of water, soil, air, waste characterization, energetics and explosives, contaminants, and other environmental forensics. This type of testing requires qualified experts who are able to assist in the development of analytical protocols, environmental sampling and analysis.

 

Soil Testing

 

Soil test may refer to one or more of a wide variety of soil analysis conducted for one of several possible reasons. Possibly the most widely conducted soil tests are those done to estimate the plant-available concentrations of plant nutrients, in order to determine fertilizer recommendations in agriculture. Other soil tests may be done for engineering geotechnical, geochemical or ecological investigations.

 

Water testing

 

Water testing is a broad description for various procedures used to analyze water quality. Millions of water quality tests are carried out daily to fulfill regulatory requirements and to maintain safety.

Testing may be performed to evaluate:

  • ambient or environmental water quality– the ability of a surface water body to support aquatic life as an ecosystem.

[Environmental monitoring, Freshwater environmental quality parameters and Bioindicator.]

  • wastewater– characteristics of polluted water (domestic sewage or industrial waste) before treatment or after treatment.

[Environmental chemistry and Wastewater quality indicators.]

  • “raw water” quality– characteristics of a water source prior to treatment for domestic consumption (drinking water). Bacteriological water analysis and specific tests such as turbidity and hard water.
  • “finished” water quality– water treated at a municipal water purification plant.

[Bacteriological water analysis and Category: Water quality indicators.]

 

Air Quality

 

Air pollutants are atmospheric substances—both naturally occurring and anthropogenic which may potentially have a negative impact on the environment and organism health. With the evolution of new chemicals and industrial processes has come the introduction or elevation of pollutants in the atmosphere, as well as environmental research and regulations, increasing the demand for air quality monitoring.

 

Air quality monitoring is challenging to enact as it requires the effective integration of multiple environmental data sources, which often originate from different environmental networks and institutions. These challenges require specialized observation equipment and tools to establish air pollutant concentrations, including sensor networks, geographic information system (GIS) models, and the Sensor Observation Service (SOS), a web service for querying real-time sensor data. Air dispersion models that combine topographic, emissions, and meteorological data to predict air pollutant concentrations are often helpful in interpreting air monitoring data. Additionally, consideration of anemometer data in the area between sources and the monitor often provides insights on the source of the air contaminants recorded by an air pollution monitor.

 

Air quality monitors are operated by citizens, regulatory agencies, and researchers to investigate air quality and the effects of air pollution. Interpretation of ambient air monitoring data often involves a consideration of the spatial and temporal representativeness of the data gathered, and the health effects associated with exposure to the monitored levels. If the interpretation reveals concentrations of multiple chemical compounds, a unique “chemical fingerprint” of a particular air pollution source may emerge from analysis of the data.

 

List of environmental tests

 

  • Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
  • Ambient/Outdoor Air Quality (AAQ)
  • Stack Emission (SE)
  • Dust (D)
  • Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
  • Noise monitoring
  • Illumination
  • Particulate Matter (TSP, PM10, PM2.5 & PM1.0)
  • Carbon Monoxide (CO)
  • Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
  • Nitrogen Dioxide(NO2)
  • Ozone (O3)
  • Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
  • Methane (CH4)
  • Ammonia (NH3)
  • Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S)
  • Hydrogen Fluoride (HF)
  • Lead (Pb)
  • BTEX
  • Semi-volatile Organics (PAHs, PCBs, POHCs)
  • Volatile Organics (Speciated and Total)
  • Environmental compliance and safety
  • Hazardous materials testing

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