Facility

Chemical analytical laboratory

The marine chemical-analytical laboratory of Wageningen Marine Research specialises in analysing samples from the sea for the environment and food safety.

Our activities consist of measuring a large number of contaminants, such as Brominated flame retardants (PBBs, PBDEs, HBCD and TBBP-A), Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Organochlorine pesticides including Dicofol (OCPs), Mercury,  Perfluorinated compounds (PFAS, such as PFOS and PFOA), Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), Organotin and off-flavor substances (Geosmin and 2 methyl isoborneol). In addition, the laboratory develops new measuring methods on request.

Equipment

The laboratory is equipped with specialised analysis equipment, such as two-dimensional gas chromatographs (GCxGC), gas chromatographs with mass-selective detection (GC-MS and GC-MS/MS) and various gas chromatographs with different configurations and injection techniques. The lab also has a liquid chromatograph with UV, scattering and fluorescence detection (HPLC), but also mass selective detection (HPLC-MS/MS, HPLC-ESI-MS). With these instruments, a wide range of microcontaminants in the environment can be measured.

Quality guaranteed

The quality of the work is guaranteed through the results of interlaboratory studies, certified reference material and other validation steps.

The chemical/environmental laboratory has been accredited by  the Accreditation Council, as the laboratory has demonstrated its ability to deliver valid results in a technically competent manner and to work according to a management system that meets the requirements for test laboratories laid down in NEN-EN-ISO/IEC17025. The accreditation applies to the activities as specified in the relevant scope that can be viewed on the website of the RvA under registration number L097. The accreditation was granted for the first time on 27 March 1997.