VOC testing of paints and coatings according to ISO 11890-2

We offer several accredited methods for determining the total fluorine (TF) content of combustible materials: EN 14582, based on combustion ion chromatography (CIC). The method is recommended by the Nordic Council of Ministers as a quick and powerful total fluorine screening technique., EN 15408 using oxygen bomb combustion treatment followed by ion chromatography (IC). This method can be applied to plastic sheets and granules, and it is also possible to determine the total content of S, Cl, and Br., ASTM D7359-23, based on oxidative pyrohydrolytic combustion, followed by CIC.. The most suitable method is typically selected based on the sample matrix. However, please let us know if you wish a specific standard to be followed. Sample preparation (air drying and milling of the sample to particles <1 mm) is included in the displayed price. This analysis is commonly used to evaluate packaging materials' compliance with the PFAS restriction outlined in the new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). If TF content does not exceed 50 mg/kg (ppm), the material can be considered compliant without further testing.

GC-MS analysis of 16 PAH compounds, which are listed as high-priority pollutants by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The analyzed PAH compounds are: naphthalene [CAS: 91-20-3], acenaphthylene [CAS: 208-96-8], acenaphthene [CAS: 83-32-9], fluorene [CAS: 86-73-7], phenanthrene [CAS: 85-01-8], anthracene [CAS: 120-12-7], fluoranthene [CAS: 206-44-0], pyrene [CAS: 129-00-0], benz(a)anthracene [CAS: 56-55-3], chrysene [CAS: 218-01-9], benzo(b)fluoranthene [CAS: 205-99-2], benzo(k)fluoranthene [CAS: 207-08-9], benzo (a) pyrene [CAS: 50-32-8], dibenzo(ah)anthracene [CAS: 53-70-3], benzo (ghi) perylene [CAS: 191-24-2], indeno (123cd) pyrene [CAS: 193-39-5].

This metal screening analysis includes the semi-quantitative determination of 70 elements. The method can be used, for example, to determine the background concentrations of metals in environmental samples or to study the elemental distribution of unknown samples. Screening is also often performed to assess which metals should be analyzed by a quantitative method. The measurement is performed using a high-resolution ICP-MS technique (ICP-SFMS), which can identify very low elemental concentrations. A semi-quantitative determination of the following elements is included: Ag, Al, As, Au, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Br, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Dy, Er, Eu, Fe, Ga, Gd, Ge, Hf, Hg, Ho, I, Ir, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Nd, Ni, Os, P, Pb, Pd, Pr, Pt, Rb, Re, Rh, Ru, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Si, Sm, Sn, Sr, Ta, Tb, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, Tm, U, V, W, Y, Yb, Zn and Zr. However, please note that some elements may not be determinable due to matrix interference. During this semi-quantitative analysis, the instrument is calibrated for about 30 elements. The rest of the analytes are quantified using sensitivity factors for calibrated elements with similar mass and first ionization potential, considering isotope abundances. Quantitative analysis is also available at an additional price. During this analysis, all elements are calibrated (excluding halogens and Os). Please ask for an offer for this service.

XPS is a semi-quantitative technique used to measure the elemental composition of material surfaces. In addition, it can also determine the binding state of the atoms. XPS is a surface-sensitive technique. Typical probing depth is 3-9 nm, and detection limits range roughly between 0.1 and 1 atomic %. XPS can measure elements from Li to U. The elemental composition is reported in at.% and measured on 1 area of a few 100 µm. Upon request, we can measure smaller areas or depth profiles, and a binding state determination can also be provided. Measurements are typically performed using one of the following instruments: PHI Genesis, Thermo Fisher ESCALAB 250Xi, PHI Quantum 2000. Synchrotron XPS is also available. Contact us for more information and a quote for your project.

Qualitative identification of chemical groups in solid samples by Attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Results will be delivered as an FTIR spectrum. In addition, a comparison to an FTIR library will be provided. The method is not quantitative, but it can be used to identify the main chemical components of the sample.

Determination of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen content of an organic sample. CHNS analysis (”LECO analysis”) is performed using a flash combustion method, where the sample is combusted under 25 kPa of O2 at an elevated temperature (1,000 °C), followed by gas chromatography separation and detection using a thermal conductivity detector. Oxygen is analyzed by reduction on granulated carbon at 1480 °C, utilizing high-temperature thermal decomposition and conversion of oxygen into carbon monoxide before gas chromatography separation and detection with a thermal conductivity detector. The sample can be either solid or liquid, but water in the sample affects the results. In the case of aqueous samples, it is possible to dry the sample before analysis. The displayed price includes the full CHNOS package with two parallel measurements and applies to conventional organic samples. The results are reported as wt-% of the initial sample. The addition of ash, drying, and dry loss measurements will increase the minimum required sample material to 300 mg. The analysis gives the total carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen content of the material, but it does not identify any chemical structures. The measurement can be combined with other methods, such as GC-MS, 1H, and 13C NMR, to perform substance structure identification. Analysis can be split into the following packages: CHN, O, and S.

Pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (py-GC-MS) analysis to determine the identity of an unknown polymer sample. During the measurement, the sample is instantaneously heated in an inert atmosphere or vacuum. This causes the sample to decompose into smaller molecular fragments, which are then analyzed with GC-MS. Different types of polymers can be identified by their unique decomposition products. This includes, but is not limited to: PE, PP, PS, ABS, PMMA, PET, PC, PVC, polyamides, natural & synthetic rubbers, and more. The price includes the basic preparation and qualitative analysis of the sample. More extensive sample preparation and quantitative analyses are subject to additional costs.

Determination of selected volatile organic compounds (VOC) in water using the GC-MS and GC-FID techniques. Analysis can be conducted according to the following standard methods: EPA 624, EPA 5021A, EPA 8260, EPA 8015, EN ISO 10301, ISO 11423-1, and EN ISO 15680 The results of the analysis are reported in µg/L. Analysis includes the following analytes: Analyte: Reporting limits: chloromethane 1 µg/l bromomethane 1 µg/l dichloromethane 0.1 µg/l dibromimetaani 1 µg/l bromochloromethane 2 µg/l trichloromethane (chloroform) 0.1 µg/l tribromomethane (bromoform) 0.2 µg/l bromodichloromethane 0.1 µg/l dibromochloromethane 0.1 µg/l sum 4 trihalometanit 0.5 µg/l tetrachloromethane 0.1 µg/l trichlorofluoromethane 1 µg/l dichlorodifluoromethane 1 µg/l monochloroethane 1 µg/l 1,1-dichloroethane 0.1 µg/l 1,2-dichloroethane 0.1 µg/l 1,2-dibromietaani 0.5 µg/l 1,1,1-trichloroethane 0.1 µg/l 1,1,2-trichloroethane 0.1 µg/l 1,1,1,2-tetrachloroethane 0.1 µg/l 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane 1 µg/l vinyl chloride 0.1 µg/l 1,1-dichloroethene 0.1 µg/l cis-1,2-dichloroethene 0.1 µg/l trans-1,2-dichloroethene 0.1 µg/l amount of 1,2-dichloroethene 0.2 µg/l trichloroethylene 0.1 µg/l sum of 11 chlorinated hydrocarbons 1.1 µg/l tetrachloroethene 0.1 µg/l Sum of trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene 0.2 µg/l sum 5 chlorinated ethylenes 0.5 µg/l 1,2-dichloropropane 1 µg/l 1,3-dichloropropane 1 µg/l 2,2-dichloropropane 1 µg/l 1,2,3-trichloropropane 1 µg/l 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane 1 µg/l 1,1-dichloro-1-propene 1 µg/l cis-1,3-dichloro-1-propene 1 µg/l trans-1,3-dichloropropene 1 µg/l hexachlorobutadiene 1 µg/l 2-chlorotoluene 1 µg/l 4-chlorotoluene 1 µg/l monochlorobenzene 0.1 µg/l bromobenzene 1 µg/l 1,2-dichlorobenzene 0.1 µg/l 1,3-dichlorobenzene 0.1 µg/l 1,4-dichlorobenzene 0.1 µg/l amount of 3 dichlorobenzene 0.3 µg/l 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene 0.1 µg/l 1,2,4- trichlorobenzene 0.1 µg/l 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene 0.1 µg/l amount of 3 trichlorobenzene 0.4 µg/l benzene 0.1 µg/l toluene 0.5 µg/l ethylbenzene 0.1 µg/l o-xylene 0.1 µg/l m/p-xylene 0.2 µg/l sum of xylenes 0.3 µg/l sum of BTEX 1 µg/l styrene 0.2 µg/l isopropylbenzene 1 µg/l n-propylbenzene 1 µg/l 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene 1 µg/l 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene 1 µg/l n-butylbenzene 1 µg/l sec-butylbenzene 1 µg/l tert-butylbenzene 1 µg/l p-isopropyltoluene 1 µg/l naphthalene 1 µg/l Diisopropyl ether (DIPE) 0.6 µg/l ETBE (ethyl tert-butyl ether) 0.2 µg/l MTBE (methyl tert-butyl ether) 0.2 µg/l tert-amyl ethyl ether (TAEE) 0.2 µg/l TAME 0.2 µg/l tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) 5 µg/l ethanol 100 µg/l A customized offer can also be prepared if you are interested in analyzing only individual compounds from a sample. Suitable sample containers for analysis can be ordered through us. Sample containers picked up from Measurlabs are included in the price of the analysis, but sample containers can also be shipped to the customer for a separate fee.

Determination of biobased carbon content in plastics and plastic additives by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) according to ISO 16620-2. The method applies to monomers, polymers, polymer resins, plasticizers, and additives containing any combination of biobased and fossil-based carbon. Results are reported as biobased carbon content (%) relative to total carbon (TC), derived from the measured percent modern carbon (pMC) value. The data can be used to support biobased carbon content declarations under ISO 16620-5. ISO 16620-2 is almost identical to the European EN 16640 standard and technically similar to ASTM D6866. All three are based on the radiocarbon (¹⁴C) method, which allows unambiguous quantification of biobased carbon content without prior knowledge of the production process. However, ASTM D6866 is broader in scope, as it applies to a wide range of solid, liquid, and gaseous matrices, while ISO 16620-2 is specific to plastics. The displayed price applies to non-volatile samples. If your sample is volatile, please discuss the testing options with our experts. Please also note that we cannot accept samples that contain artificial carbon-12, carbon-13, or carbon-14 isotopes because they will damage the equipment.

Carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy measurement for samples that can be dissolved in deuterated solvents. The analysis method is typically used to identify the structures of organic substances and the present functionalities. The price includes sample preparation, deuterated solvent (D₂O, DMSO-d, or CDCl₃), NMR tube, measurement, and basic data processing. The results are delivered as an image file containing the NMR spectrum. Additional information and raw data can be provided upon request. Please let us know if your samples require the use of other than the above-mentioned deuterated solvents or atypical measurement conditions, such as very high temperatures and/or long measurement times.