Mobile laboratory for on-site monitoring and analysis
ChemCentre operates a mobile laboratory for on-site monitoring and analysis of chemical vapours and the identification of unknown chemicals in air, water, soil and containers.
The laboratory takes the form of a long wheel base van with a full height rear compartment containing a laboratory bench and several different types of field-portable instruments. It is self contained with on-board 240V power and gas supplies for various field-portable instruments.
The laboratory was recently fitted with a biological and chemical safety cabinet allowing staff to handle infectious and toxic material.
ChemCentre's mobile laboratory is particularly useful in situations when immediate data is required in order to facilitate critical decisions in the field and/or to avoid issues with field sampling and transportation. These include:
- Emergency response
- Health and Safety / Industrial Hygiene
- Source / process monitoring
- Brownfields
- Fence line monitoring
- Site characterization / remediation
- Odour / Health investigations
Our mobile laboratory offers significant benefits
The main advantages of on-site analysis are as follows:
- The analytical results are available immediately in a form where they can be used to make decisions in the field
- The time between sampling and analysis is effectively zero, eliminating any possible effects due to maintenance of sample integrity
- Chain of custody issues are eliminated
- The equipment is portable enough to be rapidly transported from one sampling site to another enabling a rapid response during an odour/health effect event
- The mobile laboratory analyst is a vital member of the project team. This encourages interaction and feedback which can only help to achieve the project goals
- Dedicated analysis, not part of a batch - quality control and attention is tailored to your analysis and your samples are not part of a large batch including samples from other clients
- Representative sample collection and real-time results means that the field laboratory is able to spend your time collecting samples where the contamination or emission has been detected
Full suite of analytical instruments on-board
HAPSITE Field Portable Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry system
- This is a full fledged GC/MS with built in inlet systems for sampling air, water or soil/solids for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) via a loop sampler, thermal concentration tube, heated headspace or on-line purge and trap
- Detection limits range from the ppb to the ppm level depending upon the type of sampler used
- Target compound analysis is possible as well as identification of unknowns
- The system can also be used in a compound specific 'leak-detection' mode for sniffing fugitive emissions from valves, pipe fittings, process vents etc
- The GC/MS system is man-portable, has a built in GPS unit and can be carried as a back-pack unit to elevated sampling positions within industrial plant
Miran Portable Infrared spectrometer
- The Miran has a built in library of 128 toxic industrial compounds and a long path gas cell
- It has a built in air sampling pump and is capable of ppb to ppm sensitivity
- Full scan capability is available for the identification of unknown species
- It can be used to detect and quantify a range of VOCs and inorganic gases in the atmosphere
Toxic Gas Monitors
- A range of hand held toxic gas monitors will be carried including CO2, CO, Phosphine, Chlorine, Hydrogen Cyanide, Ammonia, Nitric Oxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Hydrogen Sulphide, Oxygen, Lower Explosive Limit and PID for general VOC detection
Air sampling systems
- A range of Tedlar and Nalophane gas sampling bags for various NIOSH and OSHA methods
- SUMMA and SilcoSteel passivated canisters for USEPA Methods TO14/15
- Sorbent based thermal desorption tubes (Tenax, Chromosorb 106, Air Toxics) for USEPA Method TO17
- DNPH tubes for sampling of aldehydes and ketones (carbonyl compounds)
- Samplers for airborne particulate matter
Full sized HAZMAT identification Kit (HAZTECH Systems)
- This is a wet chemistry kit for systematic identification of unknown liquids and solids
- The Mobile Laboratory will allow for on-site sampling and analysis in addition to sampling with subsequent laboratory analysis
HazmatID Infrared Spectrometer
- This is an ATR instrument for rapid on-site identification of unknown liquids and solids. The instrument can be removed from the laboratory and carried by hand into accessible premises for true on-site analysis. There are a range of spectral libraries available including explosives, narcotics, toxic industrial chemicals, household chemicals and solvents
Ahura Defender Raman Spectrometer
- This instrumenrt is handheld and can be taken to the analysis site. Raman complements the HazmatID and can analyse liquids and solids. Raman has the advantage that it can operate with aqueous samples and can analyse many chemicals whilst they are still in their original packaging or container. For example a toxic substance can be identified in a glass bottle or a plastic bag without exposing the operator to danger
MiniPAL4 X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (XRF)
- This instrument can analyse elements ranging from Sodium to Uranium in the field. It can perform both qualitative and quantitative analysis
