The CSIR Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, situated in Stellenbosch, is accredited by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS). The laboratory provides analytical services and support to researchers in the CSIR and to local, provincial and national government, industry, environmental consultancies and academia. The laboratory has facilities and equipment for the collection and comprehensive testing of water, sediment, and biological tissue. The laboratory also provides an environmental toxicity testing service through its sister Environmental Toxicology Laboratory in Durban.

Analytical services

The analytical services offered include:

• Groundwater (boreholes)
• Surface water (pools, ponds, dams, lakes, rivers, streams, drinking water)
• Wastewater (industry effluents, leachates, mine water)
• Estuarine and marine water, sediment, and biological tissue
• Soil (agriculture, industrial sites).
• Non-environmental samples such as bottled water and wine
   

These services support:

• Blue Drop and Green Drop certification;
• Wastewater characterisation for discharge permits;
• Land/site remediation projects;
• Groundwater monitoring;
• SANS 241 for drinking water and SANS 1657 for bottled water certification; and
• Dredged sediment characterisation for disposal permits (London Convention)

Ad hoc testing

• Bottled water and wine
   

Quality Control and SANAS Accreditation 

To assure the quality of analytical results, the laboratory adheres to the ISO 17025:2017 standard, which details the necessary quality policies and procedures expected of an accredited laboratory. Quality control includes the regular analysis of laboratory control samples, duplicate samples and certified reference materials.

Analyses offered

The analyses offered by the laboratory can be found here. If you require specialised analyses that the laboratory is unable to perform, we can assist by submitting the samples to laboratories that collaborate with the CSIR.

Sample containers

The laboratory can provide containers for sample collection and storage.

Sample submission forms

The laboratories sample submission form can be accessed here.