Lab Services
Air Quality Analysis
The Air Quality Group at Watercare specialises in monitoring of air quality; ambient, stack, workplace and odour. It is IANZ accredited for monitoring and assessing a wide range of pollutants and parameters. The results of testing can be used for compliance monitoring (e.g. comparison to ambient standards or against stack consent conditions) and for process control and process improvement (e.g. evaluating efficiency of control equipment).
Ambient air quality
Watercare Laboratory Services has the facilities and resources to report quality-assured information on levels of ambient air pollutants and meteorological parameters. Resources include continuous analysers and passive samplers as well as the latest environmental data management software. Additional services offered include equipment calibration and maintenance, equipment hire, and expert advice on ambient monitoring, data interpretation and site selection.
Services include:
- Gases (SO2, H2S, NOx, CO, O3 – by real time analysers and SO2 and NOx by passive sampling).
- Dust (TSP, PM10 and PM2.5 – onto filters by partisol, HiVol, minivol and microvol, and by real time analysers (BAM)).
- Dust fallout by deposition gauges.
- Dust speciation on filters.
- Volatile organic compounds and BTEX (passive sampling).
- Meteorology (wind direction, wind speed, humidity, radiation, rainfall, temperature).
- Site assessment, installation, maintenance and calibration services.
- Data logging, data management, data validation and reporting.
Stack emission monitoring
The stack team offers sampling of industrial discharge stacks using isokinetic sampling trains. The service extends to particulates, metals, fluorides and sulfur and nitrogen compounds.
Services include:
- Sample and velocity traverses from stationary sources.
- Stack gas velocity and volumetric flow rates.
- Gas analysis for determination of dry molecular weight.
- Moisture content in stationary sources.
- Particulate emissions from stationary sources.
- Sulfuric acid mist and sulfur dioxide emissions from stationary sources.
- Sampling of aldehydes and ketones from stationary sources.
- Determination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans from stationary sources.
- Determination of hydrogen halides and halogen emissions from stationary sources.
- Determination of metal emissions from stationary sources.
- Collection and analysis of ammonia from stationary sources.
- VOCs.
Workplace monitoring
The workplace exposure monitoring team monitors and reports on workplace environments. The team can identify and assess potentially hazardous substances relevant to individual industries.
Services include:
- Assessment of workplace atmospheres for dust, gases, odours and other air pollutants and physical parameters (including noise) by sampling onto filters and sorbent tubes, whole air sampling and direct assessment using portable instruments.
Odour assessment
Watercare offers the following odour related services:
- Sampling of odorous gas emissions from point sources (stacks), from solid surfaces (landfills, earth filters) by biofilter hood and from liquid surfaces (ponds, clarifiers) by static flux chamber.
- Assessment of odour samples for odour concentration using dynamic olfactometry, including a description of the odour. Watercare is IANZ accredited for this testing.
- Assessment of the offensiveness of odour samples
- Assessment of odour in the field using a field scout according to German Method VDI 3940 “Determination of odorants in ambient air by field inspections”
- Nose calibrations
- Taste and odour of water samples (Threshold odour number TON)
To find out more about any of the above services or to obtain a proposal please contact Michael Hodgson (Air Quality Department Head) on (09) 539 7776 or airquality@water.co.nz.
