AIR/EMISSION - Product Catalogue ALS EUROPE

Significance of the Topic

Effective monitoring of ambient air and industrial emissions is essential to protect public health, comply with environmental regulations and guide pollution control strategies. Precise quantification of inorganic gases, metals, volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs, SVOCs), persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and particulate matter ensures informed decision-making and regulatory compliance under EU directives and international standards.

Objectives and Study Overview

This catalogue provides a comprehensive overview of ALS Europe’s analytical services for air and emission testing. It describes target pollutants, sampling modules, analytical methods, limits of quantification (LOQs) and sample requirements across ambient air, stack emissions, industrial hygiene and waste acceptance criteria. The document aims to guide clients in selecting appropriate parameters and services for environmental monitoring, source testing and quality assurance.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Sampling approaches cover active and passive techniques:

• Diffusive samplers (Radiello® cartridges and bodies) for SO₂, NO₂ and VOCs
• Sorption tubes (SKC charcoal, multibed tubes, Tenax™ TA) with thermal desorption
• High-volume and low-volume filter sampling for particulates, metals, asbestos and quartz
• Silonite®-coated canisters for whole-air sampling (USEPA TO-15)
• PUF/XAD cartridges for SVOC/POP collection

Analytical methods include ion chromatography (IC), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (ICP-OES, ICP-MS), atomic absorption and fluorescence (AAS, AFS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-resolution MS (GC-HRMS), high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-UV/FLD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning and polarization microscopy (SEM, PLM), photometry and thermal desorption GC-MS.

Used Instrumentation

Key instrumentation deployed across ALS European laboratories:

• Ion chromatographs with conductivity and UV detection
• ICP-OES and ICP-MS systems for multi-element trace analysis
• Atomic absorption spectrometers with amalgamation accessories
• Atomic fluorescence spectrometers for ultra-trace mercury
• GC-MS and GC-HRMS platforms for VOC, SVOC and POP profiling
• HPLC-UV/FLD systems for PAH determination
• Thermal desorption units coupled to GC-MS
• FTIR spectrometers for respirable quartz quantification
• SEM and PLM setups for fibre and particle characterization
• Photometric analyzers for inorganic acid and formaldehyde in solution

Main Results and Discussion

This service portfolio achieves LOQs suited to regulatory and research needs:

• Inorganic gases (SO₂, NO₂, NH₃, HCl, HF, HCN) down to sub-µg m³ levels
• Trace metals on filters and in solutions at µg sample⁻¹ or sub-µg m³
• Mercury and hexavalent chromium at low ng to pg ranges per sample
• VOCs with LOQs from 0.1 µg/sample to single-digit ng/sample
• PAHs by HPLC (ng/sample) and GC-HRMS (pg/m³) for ambient air
• POPs (PCDD/F, coplanar and indicator PCBs) at pg-level LOQs in air and solid matrices
• Waste acceptance criteria (WAC) leachate and dry-matter methods for ash, slag and bottom ash

The breadth of methods supports EU Regulation 166/2006, EN standards, US EPA protocols and ISO 17025 accreditation, with express turnaround options (ALS Quick) and a unified online portal for reporting.

Benefits and Practical Applications

Clients benefit from a one-stop, globally accredited network offering:

• Extensive pollutant coverage for ambient, emissions and waste matrices
• Rapid, reliable data delivery with customizable express services
• Dedicated technical support for sampling planning and module preparation
• Expertise in ultra-trace and radiochemical analyses
• Online data access and quality validation via Webtrieve

Applications span environmental compliance, industrial hygiene, incinerator monitoring, waste classification, research studies and emergency response.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Emerging directions in air and emission analysis include:

• Non-targeted screening and high-resolution mass spectrometry for unknown pollutant discovery
• Integration of real-time sensor networks and IoT platforms for continuous air quality monitoring
• Advanced isotopic and speciation analyses to trace pollutant sources
• Expansion into emerging contaminants such as PFAS and micro-plastics in air
• Automation of sampling-to-report workflows and AI-driven data interpretation

Conclusion

ALS Europe’s Air/Emission Product Catalogue demonstrates a comprehensive, versatile analytical framework for reliable quantification of a wide range of pollutants. Accredited methods, global laboratory support and rapid reporting empower stakeholders to meet regulatory demands, safeguard health and advance environmental management.