We test food and
environmental
samples for a
wide range of
contaminants

Our laboratory network has assisted in projects worldwide to determine the levels of contaminants arising from:

Legacy and current industrial and agricultural activities and processes
Water, wastewater and sewage treatment processes
Ecosystem impacts of modern human activity
Environmental emergencies and long-term environmental remediation.

Our capability includes sample analysis for exposure and risk assessment projects related to impact on plant, animal, ecosystem and human populations and ecosystem assessments.

We consider requests for method development for special projects on a case-by-case basis.

Environmental Contaminants

We offer specialist testing in diverse environmental matrices for ultra-trace and trace levels of:

Dioxins / furans (PCDD/PCDF congener profiles and OCDD and TCDD screens)
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (including dioxin-like PCBs, indicator PCBs, total PCBs and customer-specific profiles)
Semi-volatile Organic Compounds (including PAHs)
Chlorophenols, Chlorobenzenes, Organochlorine Pesticides)
Brominated flame retardants (including PBDEs)
Nitrosamines (including NDMA)
Mutagen X
Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs)
Short Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (SCCPs)
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs)
Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs)

Food Contaminants

We offer specialist testing for:

Pesticides, veterinary medicines, industrial chemicals, process by-products and other organic pollutants
Microbiological quality assessment (general microbiology and pathogens)
Seafood & aquaculture for chemicals of concern such as malachite green, leucomalachite green, gentian violet, nitrofurans
POPs (dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs, BFRs, PFCs etc) which are of key concern to feeds and dietary intake pathways
Adulterants (such as Melamine etc)
Phthalate Plasticisers and Bisphenol A
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs) in dairy products, oil and fruit
DCD in dairy products
Detergent residues
Packaging chemicals
Toxins

Our expert scientists use state of the art equipment and internationally benchmarked test methodology.

Analysis of PFAS (Per- and poly- fluorinated alkyl substances)

PFAS are an emerging class of contaminants that have become a significant concern in recent years as more research has become available to regulators.

PFAS are a group of synthetic (man-made) compounds that have been produced commercially since the 1950s – the most common being perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). PFAS compounds have been widely used for decades in consumer products such as carpeting, upholstery, and food paper wrappings; and in industrial applications such as metal plating and Aqueous Film Forming Foams (AFFFs) used for firefighting. Manufacturing of these compounds has been phased out since 2002, but PFAS may still be found in imported products, or as part of old stock.

Critically, as PFAS do not decompose easily, (i.e. they are very persistent in the environment) they can be found in air, water and soil and are known to bio-accumulate in some living organisms. Once ingested, PFOS and PFOA are eliminated very slowly from the human body. This means concentrations in the body increase over time, if they are continuously consumed.

Why choose AsureQuality

The only laboratory in New Zealand able to perform these analyses.
Meets all the requirements of the PFAS National Environmental Management Plan (NEMP) from the Heads of Environmental Protection Agencies Australia and New Zealand (HEPA).
All analysis is international guidance compliant (e.g. QSM 5.1) and reported on a comprehensive suite of PFAS compounds, including linear and branched isomers of critical compounds.
World-class reporting limits - ultra-trace (ppt) levels for key matrices (refer to Table 1). These limits meet the requirements of the FSANZ (Food Safety Australia and New Zealand) recommended health-based guidance values.
Highly experienced with existing clients from across Australia and New Zealand, and involvement in the analysis of samples from highly contaminated sites.
All methods are developed in-house and are based on literature references and/or standard methods. Further detailed documentation of test methods are available on request.
Ability to adapt methods for other sample types (this would take some time and likely incur additional costs).
Supply sample containers and PFAS-free reagent water for rinsing equipment during field sampling.

Sample types

Water: Chlorinated potable water, untreated potable groundwater, non-potable fresh water, sea water and reagent water.

Soil, Sediment, Biosolids: All soil/ sediment types (e.g. clay, sand, top soil, compost, fresh and marine sediments) and wastewater treatment plant biosolids.

Blood/Serum/Milk: Animal and human blood (whole blood and serum). Animal and human milk.

Vegetation and Tissue: Citrus, tomato, zucchini, squash, grasses; muscle tissue of fish, crustaceans, cow, sheep; kidney tissue of sheep and cow; and chicken egg, grapes, olives and avocado.

Liver: Sheep and cow liver.

Table 1. Reporting limits for key matrices.

Matrix	Reporting Limit
Water	1.0 ng/L - for assessment against various drinking water guidelines. 0.1 ng/L - for assessment against the interim screening levels for freshwater for PFOS for 99% protection of freshwater species of 0.00023 μg/L (0.23 ng/L; DER, 2017¹).
Soil	0.1 ng/g
Serum, Blood & Milk	0.1 ng/mL
Vegetation, Tissues, Eggs	0.1 ng/g
Liver & High Fat Vegetables	1.0 ng/g

¹DER, 2017: Interim Guideline on the Assessment and Management of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Contaminated Sites Guidelines, Government of Western Australia Department of Environmental Regulation (Version: 2.1).