​AST provides an extensive chemical testing service for Metals.

Metals can vary from being beneficial, problematic or toxic to the environment, biological systems or to human health. The concentration and form of each individual metal can determine if it is likely to have a beneficial or detrimental effect. The maximum concentrations of many metals permitted or recommended in various matrices (such as water, soil, plant or animal tissue) are covered by various guidelines or regulations. Analytical Services Tasmania has the capacity to test for more than 30 different metals and semi-metals at both high and trace levels.

Analyses at AST include:

• Total and dissolved metals and mercury in waters including drinking water, ground water, river water, saline water, sewage and industrial effluents.
• Metals in soils, sediments, solid wastes and some types of biota (e.g. fish, shellfish, seeds, foliage)
• Metals in solid wastes and soils by TCLP extraction for waste classification
• Lead in paint
• Chromium VI in fresh, saline, ground and waste waters (analysed seperately by a different technique to the metals suite and requires an additional bottle type, NaOH preserved Blue labelled plastic bottle)

AST’s metals methods equate to USEPA, APHA or Australian Standard methods. This includes preservations, extraction times and hold-before-analysis times. Our testing may take a little longer due to our strict adherence to these internationally recognised standards, however customers can be assured they are receiving high quality results and exceptional service.

Typical scenarios where metals tests may be useful include:

• Contaminated site assessment
• Drinking water conformance with Australian guidelines
• Environmental monitoring
• Environmental Protection Notice compliance
• Sewage, waste water and industrial effluent monitoring
• Environmental incidence response
• Lead in paint
• Landfill classification of waste and leachate
• Assessment of fish or other biota for heavy metal content
  
• Seepage identification
  

Please contact the laboratory for assistance with selecting analyses and bottle types before sampling.

Further information about specific analytes, reporting limits and methodology can be found on our Metals Analysis at AST information sheet.