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Analytical services

Laboratory analysis

Aim of Analytical services

Analytical Services is responsible for water quality analysis, supporting the water resource management and water supply functions of the Department. The water resources quality information team provides data and information for a comprehensive set of water quality constituents, i.e. major salts, nutrients, trace metals, biological entities and organic contaminants. The laboratories house several specialist groups with expertise in sample analysis, computer technology and laboratory equipment. These groups work together to provide comprehensive support to water resource management.

Scope of analysis

The following methods form part of the scope of test work on potable water, groundwater and surface water samples, conducted at Resource Quality Information Services.
SANAS has withdrawn all accreditation, effective from 25 September 2018, because of laboratory inability to meet accreditation requirements due to financial constraint. .

Biology

Hydrobiology
  • Chlorophyll a - M2002005
  • Phaeophytin a - M2005003
  • Phytoplankton identification - M2000001
  • Phytoplankton identification and enumeration - M2000002
  • Total suspended solids- M2003002
Microbiology
  • Escherichia coli identification - M1005005
  • Enumeration of Coliforms and Escherichia coli - M1005006
  • Faecal Coliforms - M1001001
  • Faecal Streptococcus - M1002001
  • Standard Plate Count - M1004001
  • Total Coliforms - M1000001
Toxicity
  • Bioluminescent Bacteria test (Vibrio fischeri) - M3004
  • Daphnia pulex acute tests - M3001
  • Daphnia pulex reproduction tests - M3005
  • Quantiplate Microcystin - M2006001
  • Recombinant yeast screening test - M3007
  • Selenastrum capricornutum growth inhibition test - M3003
  • UMU Genotoxicity - M3008
  • Zebra fish embryos and larvae test - M3006

Chemistry

Organic
  • Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
  • Pesticide residues
  • Other selected organic pollutants in water, sediment and soil samples.
Trace metals, COD
  • Aluminium, Antimony, Arsenic, Barium, Beryllium, Bismuth, Boron, Cadmium, Cerium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, Lead, Lithium, Manganese, Mercury, Molybdenum, Nickel, Osmium, Selenium, Scandium, Silver, Strontium, Thallium, Thorium, Tungsten, Uranium, Vanadium, Zinc, Zirconium by Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES)
  • Chemical Oxygen Demand - M2031
Inorganic
  • Ammonium as N - M5001.5 and M5005.8
  • Calcium - M5001.2
  • Chloride - M5001.3 and M5005.4
  • Electrical conductivity (25oC) - M5003.1
  • Fluoride - M5001.13 and M5004.1
  • Magnesium - M5001.4 and M5005.5
  • Nitrite - M5001.6
  • Orthophosphate as P - M5001.7 and M5005.9
  • pH - M5003.2
  • Potassium - M5007.2 and M5008.2
  • Silicon - M5001.8 and M5005.10
  • Sodium - M5007.1 and M5008.1
  • Sulphate - M5001.9 and M5005.6
  • Total alkalinity - M5001.1 and M5005.7
  • Total Kjeldahl nitrogen - M5001.10 and M5005.11
  • Total Oxidised Nitrogen (TON) - M5001.11
  • Total phosphorus - M5001.12 and M5005.12
  • Turbidity - M0105001

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Last update of this page 2018-10-09 11:23