Sampling

Sampling in the environmental sector is a fundamental part of the analytical process since a significant and representative sample is created rightly at this stage: a sound reasoning during the evaluation of test results will be made because a sampling carried out incorrectly can jeopardize the truthfulness of the analytical data.

Mérieux NutriSciences performs sampling on all environmental matrices: in particular, for water, waste and land, the official UNI methods and the national guidelines of other countries are respected.

Water sampling

Mérieux NutriSciences deals with water intended for human consumption, waste water and groundwater. The reference legislation is obviously different not only for compliance limits, but also for the sampling methods that must be used depending on the specific case: various UNI general technical standards and other specific rules applicable case by case are then taken into consideration, depending on the required analytical test. Each sampling is followed by the filing of the appropriate and necessary documentation: sampling report and acceptance form.

Waste sampling

As for waste sampling, the reference is the standard UNI 10802 that applies to all types of waste: liquid, melted, liquid sludge, pasty mud, powders or granular waste, coarse, monolithic or massive waste. Sampling is also essential in carrying out product categories analysis. In the current version of the standard, sampling is an integral part of both the chemical analysis and the analytical process and sampling aims at obtaining a representative sample of the waste to be characterized.

Mérieux NutriSciences performs waste sampling through:

• definition of the sampling plan;
• manual sampling and preparation of test portions of the laboratory sample.

The drafting of the sampling plan has to be done before the collection of any type of waste (solid or liquid) as the applicable technical legislation and the legislation in force on classification envisage the mandatory drafting of such document as a fundamental and integral part for the collection of all the information required for the execution of a representative sampling and carried out according to the rules on safety.

Sampling of soil

With reference to the soil, Mérieux NutriSciences deals with the sampling of soil:

• in contaminated sites to verify their degree of contamination;
• in non-contaminated areas to verify the possible re-use of the soil that was obtained from excavations.

The methods of sampling and the analytical screening to apply according to the final target are therefore set.

After the collection and regardless of the sampled matrix, Mérieux NutriSciences complies with the holding time established by the relevant sampling rules for all parameters, stabilizing the sample whenever needed to allow the correct test execution. If the holding time is set at zero, the field analysis is performed immediately after sampling, with calibrated tools that undergo periodic checks to guarantee the same reliability of the result provided by our laboratory instruments.

Thanks to its equipment and the skilled team dedicated to field operations, Mérieux NutriSciences performs sampling campaigns of remarkable range: monitoring on large and structured networks at ground water level, sampling of recovered soils or for their re-use, waste sampling for companies, petrochemical plants, companies manufacturing raw materials, remediation companies or waste disposal plants.