Bureau of Public Health Laboratories Environmental Chemistry supports the enforcement of environmental laws in promoting and protecting the health and safety of all residents and visitors throughout the state of Florida.

The laboratory has testing and analysis capabilities for drinking water. It has a well established record for proficiency of analysis in the areas of organic , metals and inorganic chemistry (we do not perform any air, soil or bacteriology analyses). Bacteriology analyses are separate from Environmental Chemistry.

Phone: 904-791-1506

Fax: 904-791-1520

Inorganic Chemistry, Analytes tested and Methods:

The Non-Metals section tests for anions and other water contaminates in surface, ground and drinking waters using a variety of techniques; Ion Chromatography (IC), colorimetry, Flow Injection Analysis (FIA). 

The EPA 200.7, 200.8, and 200.9 series provides for the determination of dissolved metals in surface, ground and drinking waters as well as wastewater and soils. Each method uses advanced instrumentation; the Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP AES), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS) and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption (GFAA) respectively. The remaining methods use flame atomic absorption with the exception of mercury, which is determined by a cold vapor technique.

Organic Chemistry, Analytes and Methods:
These methods are for the identification and simultaneous measurement of organic compounds in surface, ground, and drinking water samples.

The Environmental Laboratory Certification Program was established in 1979 to ensure laboratory quality and capacity to perform testing of drinking water regulated under the Florida Safe Drinking Water Act.  The legislature expanded the scope of the program in 1986 to cover domestic wastewater testing conducted under the Clean Water Act as well as certification for other types of environmental testing.

More about Environmental Laboratory Certification

Laboratory Assessment Checklists

Contact information for Contract Lab Assessment Providers

National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program

Environmental Lab Certification F.A.Q.