POP by-products
Dioxins and furans are POP by-products of industrial processes involving chlorine such as:
- waste incineration
- chemical and pesticide manufacturing
- smelting
- pulp and paper bleaching.
PCBs are commercially produced and used in industrial applications including:
- insulating fluids or resins in transformers and capacitors
- heat transfer fluids
- hydraulic fluids
- solvent extenders
- flame retardants
- dielectric fluids.
Despite Australia banning the production or importing of PCBs in the late 1970s they still persist widely in the environment.
Our accreditations to test for POPs
As Australia’s peak measurement body, the National Measurement Institute (NMI) can provide world-class environmental measurement services and solutions. With our state-of-the-art laboratories we can help you meet your regulatory and quality requirements.
We have National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accreditation for Dioxins & dioxin-like Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in a number sources and food products.
We have NATA accreditation to test PCBs in:
- emissions from stationary sources, ambient air, and fly ash
- potable, drinking, ground, and saline waters
- mineral oils and silicate materials
- sediments, soils, sewage, and trade wastes
- milk and dairy products
- meat and meat products
- fat, fish, and food oils.
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)
PBDEs are brominated flame retardants produced in three commercial formulations based on the amount of bromination in the mixture.
PBDEs are usually not chemically bound to consumer products and are released to the environment through:
- indoor air
- household dust
- and during e-waste and textile recycling.
Once in the environment, PBDEs bioaccumulate in the food chain and can be detected in humans.
We have NATA accreditation to test PBDEs in:
- potable, drinking, ground, and saline waters
- sediments, soils, and bio solids
- animal feeds
- milk and dairy products, eggs and egg products
- animal tissue, meat and meat products
- fat, fish, and shellfish
- cereal, grains, food oils, and vegetation.
How to request a service from NMI
We analyse dioxins, furans, PCBs, PBDEs and other POPs in a range of materials at ultra-trace levels.
We can import soil, sludge, sediment, rock, sand, gravel, dust and waters from all countries with approval by the Department of Agriculture.