High Quality Analysis of Effluent Samples for Metals, and other Inorganic Parameters to help you meet your discharge limits.

Inorganic parameters analysed at Chemex fall broadly into two main areas, metals and traditional chemistry parameters.

The effect of metals in the environment spans the entire spectrum from beneficial, and indeed necessary, through to dangerously toxic. This often depends on the concentration with many metals being both beneficial and toxic at different levels. Increasingly, more and more metals are being found to be hazardous to health and disposal of these is being more tightly controlled than ever before, with the main emphasis being on the heavy metals.

Chemex can analyse your effluent samples for a large range of metallic elements. Determination of the metals, except mercury, is by acid digestion using a closed vessel microwave unit, followed by analysis using a state of the art Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry (ICP/MS) system. ICP/MS is widely recognised as a superior technique for metals analysis providing high levels of precision and linearity combined with low detection limits. Mercury determination is carried out by Cold Vapour Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry (CVAFS) following oxidation with a bromate/bromide mixture to break down any organomercury compounds and subsequent reduction with hydroxylamine hydrochloride.

Many of the metals elements are analysed to BS 17025 standards, with analysis by USEPA protocols a further option.

The full list of metals elements and their associated accreditation status can be seen in the metals method summary.

A full suite of anions are available with determination of Bromide, Fluoride, Chloride, Sulphate, Nitrite and Nitrate by Ion Chromatography.

A number of standard water quality parameters are carried out including, amongst others, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Alkalinity and Hardness.

Flow Injection Analysis methods account for the determination of Free and Total Cyanide, Phenols, Ammonia, Sulphide, and Thiocyanate amongst others.

Other methods carried out include titrimetry, gravimetry, and spectrophotometry. Spectrophotometry accounts for a range of analytical parameters such as formaldehyde, orthophosphate, reactive silica, ferrous iron and hexavalent chromium.

Analysis for Total Organic/Inorganic Carbon (TOC/TIC) is carried out using a dedicated Carbon analyser.

The list of available determinants and parameters in this area is quite large and individual methods can be found in the method index. Even when a parameter is not mentioned explicitly it may well be possible to analyse for this and you are encouraged to contact us with any queries.