Specialist analysis
PFAS (Per- & Poly fluoroalkyl substances): Forever chemicals
SUEZ provides bespoke services, including a detailed analysis for businesses in tackling the PFAS problem, and helps contribute to improved public health.
Microplastics pollution: A growing environmental concern
Microplastics are small pieces of plastic that are less than five millimetres long and can be harmful to our ocean and aquatic life.
They can be unintentionally formed when larger pieces of plastic get damaged and break. Tiny pieces of polyethylene plastic are also added intentionally to health and beauty products such as toothpastes and cleansers. They then pass unchanged through waterways into the ocean.
The scourge of persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
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. They 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.
- Acenaphthene
- Alachlor
- Anthacene
- Atrazine
- Benzene
- Brominated diphenylethers
- Chloroalkanes C10-13
- Chlorfenvinphos
- Chlorpyriphos
- 1,2-dichlorethane
- Dichloromethane
- DEHP
- Diuron
- Endosulphan
- Fluoranthene
- Hexachlorobenzene
- Hexachlorobutadiene
- Hexachlorocyclohexane
- Isoproturon
- Naphthalene
- Nonylphenols
- Octylphenols
- Pentachlorobenzene
- Pentachlorophenol
- PAHs
- Simazine
- Tributyltin compounds
- Trichlorobenzenes
- Trifluralin
- PFOS
- Dicofol
- Quinoxyfen
- Dioxins
- Aclonifen
- Bifenox
- Cybutryne
- Cypermethrin
- Dichlorvos
- Hexabromocyclododecanes (flame retardant)
- Heptachlor
- Terbutryne
- 17a-ethinylestradiol
- 17b-estradiol
- Diclofenac
- Trichloromethane
Analysis
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
Environmental swabbing for Covid-19
Our environmental swabbing service will help you to provide a Covid-safe environment for your employees, contractors and visitors. It will also give you peace of mind that your cleaning measures are effective, and government workplace guidance has been followed.