Quality management

At AWQC, quality is our focus. We operate with a continuous improvement mindset and principles of excellence in safety, service, technology and sustainability in all that we do.

Our Business Quality Management System is certified to ISO9001:2015. Our laboratories are NATA accredited for chemical and biological and radiation testing and covers over 80 different test methods . Our testing and instrument calibration services are certified to ISO/IEC 17025:2017.

AWQC has maintained ISO9001 certification since 1997 (certification number 7279). Our scope of certification includes both our Laboratory Services and Research & Development departments ensuring that all areas within our business are working within a controlled Business Quality Management System. Scope of certification

The accreditation by the National Association of Testing Authorities Australia (NATA) covers a wide range of chemical and biological tests on water, wastewater and related materials such as soils and sediments, including sample collection. Contact us about the test methods covered in our scope of accreditation.

Our integrated quality management approach facilitates planning, allocation of resources, definition of complimentary objectives and evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the AWQC operations.

AWQC has maintained NATA accreditation since 1974. Our accreditation is for both Chemical and Biological testing and covers over 80 different test methods.

For information on test methods covered in our scope of accreditation you can either contact us or view these online with the following information:

Website: www.nata.com.au(external link) Accreditation Number: 1115

Organisation name: Australian Water Quality Centre

AWQC has maintained ISO9001 certification since 1997 (certification number 7279). Our scope of certification includes both our Laboratory Services and Research & Development departments ensuring that all areas within our business are working within a controlled Business Quality Management System.

View our scope of certification

Where applicable, AWQC can provide the Measurement of Uncertainty to be reported with your test results. No measurement is exact. When a quantity is measured, the outcome depends on the measuring system, the measurement procedure, the operator, the environment, and other effects. A result is only complete if it is accompanied by a statement of the uncertainty in the measurement. Such uncertainties can be estimated using statistical analysis of a set of measurements, and using other kinds of information about the measurement process. There are established rules for how to calculate an overall estimate of uncertainty from these individual pieces of information. When the uncertainty in a measurement is evaluated and stated, the fitness for purpose of the measurement can be properly judged.

Organic Chemistry

ComponentMU% *
Aldrin22.5
Chlordane-a24.6
Chlordane-g21.4
Chlorpyrifos21.6
Chlorthal-Dimethyl18.7
DDD21.2
DDE24
DDT23
Dieldrin21.5
Endosulfan 119.4
Endosulfan 219.8
Endosulfan Sulphate19.1
Endrin19.3
Heptachlor21.2
Heptachlor Epoxide19.9
Lindane17.3
Methoxychlor17.9
Trifluralin15
Glyphosate19.34
AMPA15.49
2,4-D21
2,4,5-T29
Clopyralid20
Dicamba21
MCPA24
Picloram19
Triclopyr28
Silvex20
Acifluorfen27
Bentazon25
2,4-DB22
2,4-DP21
Chlorosulfuron26
Metsulfuron21
Sulfometuron35
Haloxyfop28
Haloxyfop methyl29
n-Octane (C8) TRH35
n-Octane (C8) TPH34
n-Dodecane (C12) TRH34
n-Dodecane (C12) TPH32
n-Docosane (C22) TRH38
n-Docosane (C22) TPH36
n-Dotriacontane (C32) TRH34
n-Dotriacontane (C32) TPH32
Cyanogen chloride37
Cylindrospermopsin15
Anatoxin-a18
Acetic Acid24
Propionic Acid22
Isobutyric Acid12
Butyric Acid12
Isovaleric Acid12
Valeric Acid22
Caproic Acid24
Heptanoic Acid46
Naphthalene 0.07-0.1µg/L22
2-methylnaphthalene 0.05-0.1µg/L29
1-methylnaphthalene 0.05-0.1µg/L21
Acenaphthylene 0.07-0.1µg/L22
Acenaphthene 0.02-0.1µg/L19
Fluorene 0.02-0.1µg/L19
Phenanthrene 0.02-0.1µg/L15
Anthracene 0.02-0.1µg/L11
Flouranthene 0.02-0.1µg/L14
Pyrene 0.02-0.1µg/L15
Benzo[a]Anthracene 0.02-0.1µg/L23
Chrysene 0.02-0.1µg/L10
Benzo[a]pyrene 0.01-0.1µg/L38
Benzo[b]fluoranthene 0.02-0.1µg/L20
Benzo[k]fluoranthene 0.02-0.1µg/L21
Indeno[1,2,3]pyrene 0.02-0.1µg/L30
Dibenz[a,h]anthracene 0.02-0.1µg/L38
Benzo[g,h,i]perylene 0.02-0.1µg/L30
Chloroacetic acid 1-130µg/L35
Bromoacetic acid 1-130µg/L25
Dichloroacetic Acid 1-130µg/L25
Bromochloroacetic Acid 1-130µg/L27
Trichloroacetic Acid 1-130µg/L28
Dibromoacetic Acid 1-130µg/L40
Bromodichloroacetic Acid 1-130µg/L25
Dibromochloroacetic Acid 1-130µg/L30
Tribromoacetic Acid 1-130µg/L45
Vinyl Chloride22
1,1 – dichloroethene23
Trans - 1,2 - dichloroethene15
Cis – 1,2 –dichloroethene19
Chloroform23
1,1,1-trichloroethane15
carbon tetrachloride18
1,1-dichloropropene38
Benzene18
1,2-dichloroethane17
trichloroethene25
1,2-dichloropropane18
dibromomethane20
bromodichloromethane19
cis-1,3-dichloropropene24
Toluene18
trans-1,3-dichloropropene20
1,1,2-trichloroethane18
tetrachloroethene23
1,3-dichloropropane23
dibromochloromethane19
1,2-dibromoethane21
chlorobenzene20
1,1,1,2-tetrachloroethane16
ethylbenzene19
total m+p-xylenes18
o-xylene18
Styrene16
Bromoform20
isopropylbenzene18
bromobenzene16
1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane21
1,2,3-trichloropropane19
n-propylbenzene20
2-chlorotoluene17
4-chlorotoluene20
1,3,5-trimethylbenzene17
tert-butylbenzene17
1,2,4-trimethylbenzene15
sec-butylbenzene19
1,3-dichlorobenzene14
4-isopropyltoluene17
1,4-dichlorobenzene16
1,2-dichlorobenzene15
n-butylbenzene26
1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane22
1,2,4-trichlorobenzene22
hexachlorobutadiene24
naphthalene22
1,2,3-trichlorobenzene17
4-chlorophenol 17
2-bromophenol19
3-bromophenol13
2,6-dichlorophenol22
4-bromophenol17
2,4-dichlorophenol16
3,5-dichlorophenol30
2,4,6-trichlorophenol 18
2,4,5-trichlorophenol16
2,6-dibromophenol18
2,4-dibrmomphenol18
2,4,6-tribromophenol21
pentachlorophenol25
phenol25
2,4-dimethylphenol27
4-chloro-3-methylphenol25
2-nitrophenol25
4-nitrophenol29
o-cresol22
m-cresol22
p-cresol21
2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenol17
2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol15
2,3,4,5-tetrachlorophenol22
NDMA27
Dichlorodifluoromethane33
Chloromethane16
Bromomethane15
Chloroethane18
Trichlorofluoromethane24
Dichloromethane18
1,1-Dichloroethane13
2,2-dichloropropane23
Bromochloromethane21
1,1-Dichloro-1-propene16
1,2-Dicloroethane17
Trichloroethylene (TCE)17
Tetrachloroethylene16

Inorganic Chemistry

ComponentMU% *
Alkalinity as Calcium Carbonate5.5
Ammonia - Free - as N17.4
Ammonia as N37.5
Biochemical Oxygen Demand 30.8
Bromide18.3
Chemical Oxygen Demand (T0155-01)26.1
Chemical Oxygen Demand (TMZ-M31)20.0
Chloride15.4
Chlorine12.4
Colour - Apparent (456nm) Unfiltered6.1
Colour - True (456nm) Filtered6.2
Conductivity & Total Dissolved Solids6.4
Cyanide - Total34
Ferrous Iron - Soluble15.5
Fluoride19.7
Iodide    14.1
Methylene Blue Activated Substances23.0
Nitrate + Nitrite as N18.4
Nitrite as N15.6
OrganoChlorine Pesticides25.0
Organophosphorous and Triazine Pesticides26.2
pH3.6
Phosphorus - Filterable Reactive as P14.0
Phosphorus - Total21.5
Silica - Reactive13.5
Silica - Soluble25.7
TKN as N22.6
Total Dissolved Solids by Evaporation12.8
Total Organic Carbon17.6
Trihalomethanes23.4
Turbidity17.8
Volatile Fatty Acids17.4

Measurement Uncertainty

Element

Sample matrix

M.U (%)

Lithium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

18

Seawater

24

Solids

34

Beryllium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

13

Seawater

14

Solids

30

Boron

Fresh/ Waste Waters

17

Seawater

22

Solids

19

Sodium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

15

Seawater

15

Solids

22

Magnesium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

15

Seawater

18

Solids

23

Aluminium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

21

Seawater

21

Solids

23

Silicon

Fresh/ Waste Waters

15

Seawater

17

Phosphorus

Fresh/ Waste Waters

25

Seawater

25

Solids

31

Sulphur

Fresh/ Waste Waters

17

Seawater

22

Solids

21

Potassium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

12

Seawater

15

Solids

20

Calcium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

21

Seawater

21

Solids

26

Titanium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

15

Seawater

15

Vanadium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

18

Seawater

18

Solids

21

Chromium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

15

Seawater

18

Solids

21

Manganese

Fresh/ Waste Waters

15

Seawater

16

Solids

24

Iron

Fresh/ Waste Waters

21

Seawater

24

Solids

27

Cobalt

Fresh/ Waste Waters

14

Seawater

15

Solids

22

Nickel

Fresh/ Waste Waters

14

Seawater

14

Solids

24

Copper

Fresh/ Waste Waters

14

Seawater

14

Solids

21

Zinc

Fresh/ Waste Waters

15

Seawater

15

Solids

16

Arsenic

Fresh/ Waste Waters

12

Seawater

12

Solids

24

Selenium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

15

Seawater

15

Solids

24

Strontium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

20

Seawater

20

Solids

21

Molybdenum

Fresh/ Waste Waters

15

Seawater

16

Solids

22

Silver

Fresh/ Waste Waters

18

Seawater

20

Solids

27

Cadmium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

18

Seawater

24

Solids

21

Tin

Fresh/ Waste Waters

14

Seawater

14

Solids

29

Antimony

Fresh/ Waste Waters

15

Seawater

15

Solids

17

Barium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

18

Seawater

21

Solids

31

Lanthanum

Fresh/ Waste Waters

21

Seawater

21

Solids

31

Platinum

Fresh/ Waste Waters

16

Seawater

20

Solids

31

Mercury

Fresh/ Waste Waters

24

Seawater

24

Solids

21

Thallium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

17

Seawater

17

Solids

21

Lead

Fresh/ Waste Waters

19

Seawater

19

Solids

18

Bismuth

Fresh/ Waste Waters

21

Seawater

21

Solids

21

Thorium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

18

Seawater

18

Solids

25

Uranium

Fresh/ Waste Waters

16

Seawater

16

Solids

21

Field Services

ComponentMU% *
Chlorine23.1
Conductivity8.9
pH4.3

Biology

ComponentMU% *
Unicellular Phytoplankton- 24.7 / + 32.7
Small Colonial Phytoplankton- 25.2 / + 33.8
Filamentous Phytoplankton- 31.8 / + 46.6
Filamentous Greens/Diatoms- 26.6 / + 36.2
Straight Filamentous Cyanobacteria- 34.6 / + 52.9
Coiled Cyanobacteria- 29.4 / + 41.7
Large Colonial Pico-cyanobacteria- 15.7 / +18.6
Chlorophyll a (Wintermans & de Mots)11.0
Chlorophyll (Wintermans & de Mots)41.0
Chlorophyll a (ISO10260)16.2
Phaeophytin (ISO10260)53.1

Biomonitoring

ComponentMU% *
Macroinvertebrates - Taxa x Tally: 
Family   1.25
Genus   1.38
Species1.57

Microbiology

ComponentMU% *
Aeromonas spp20.10
Amoeba32.39
Bacteriophage23.57
Campylobacter spp45.4
Cryptosporidium26.05
Giardia25.88
E. coli - Defined Substrate Technology15.1
E. coli - Membrane Filtration22.31
Coliform - Defined Substrate Technology15.1
Coliform - Membrane Filtration22.31
Coliforms, Faecal Coliforms and E. coli34.25
Faecal Coliforms and E. coli16.61
FRNA (MS2) Phage15.50
Colony Count18.23
Enterococci13.28
Enterococci and Faecal Streptococcus13.28
Iron Bacteria Heterotrophic16.74
Legionella spp28.98
Pseudomonas aeruginosa20.63
Pseudomonas spp20.63
Sulphite Reducing Bacteria12.04

*Maximum MU value has been listed. Actual value may be lower depending on test method used. For specific MU value please contact your customer service representative.