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- Australian Radioactive Waste Agency
- Australian Space Agency
- Boosting innovation and science
- Co-hosting the Square Kilometre Array
- Increasing international collaboration
- Industry growth centres
- Industry Innovation and Science Australia
- National Measurement Institute
- Optical astronomy in Australia
- Participating in the digital economy
- Promoting innovation precincts
- Science in our department
- Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
Energy
Resources
Northern Australia
Trade
Business support
Measurement services
Government to government services
- Regulations and standards
Emissions reduction
Energy
Resources
- Applying to export rough diamonds
- Applying to export uranium and controlled ores
- Offshore mineral exploration and mining
- Offshore oil and gas exploration and development
- Offshore petroleum exploration acreage release process
- Regulating offshore oil and gas in Australian Commonwealth waters
- Regulating the Ranger Uranium Mine
- Taxes and royalties on minerals and petroleum
Measurement
Trade
Space industry
Building industry
Business support
- Funding and incentives
Emissions reduction
Industry innovation and science
- Australian Square Kilometre Array Fellowships Programme
- Business Research and Innovation Initiative
- Business-research collaboration
- Collaborating with Asia-Pacific on science, research and innovation
- Collaborating with China on science and research
- Collaborating with India on science and research
- Cooperative research centres
- Enabling international space investment
- Industry 4.0
- Inspiring Australia: Science engagement in Australia
- International research collaboration
- Moon to Mars: opportunities for Australian businesses
- Prime Minister's Prizes for Science
- Research and Development Tax Incentive
- Supporting advanced manufacturing
- Supporting business and innovation
- Supporting space infrastructure growth
- Transitioning Australia’s automotive manufacturing industry
- Venture capital
Resources
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COVID-19
Jobs
Who we are
- Our Ministers
- Our Executive team
- Organisation chart
- Our portfolio agencies
- Overseas engagement
- Anti-Dumping Commission
- Anti-Dumping Review Panel
- Australian Radioactive Waste Agency
- Australian SKA Office
- Australian Space Agency
- Critical Minerals Facilitation Office
- National Measurement Institute
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- Office of Northern Australia
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- Office of the Chief Scientist
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- Assurance and Audit Committee
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- Dioxins, furans, polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers
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Dioxins, furans, polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are organic chemical substances that are a serious, global threat to human health and ecosystems.
Dioxins and furans
Dioxins and furans are POP by-products of industrial processes involving chlorine such as:
- waste incineration
- chemical and pesticide manufacturing
- smelting
- pulp and paper bleaching
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
PCBs are commercially produced and used in industrial applications including:
- insulating fluids or resins in transformers and capacitors
- heat transfer fluids
- hydraulic fluids
- solvent extenders
- flame retardants
- dielectric fluids
Despite Australia banning the production or importing of PCBs in the late 1970s they still persist widely in the environment.
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)
PBDEs are brominated flame retardants produced in three commercial formulations based on the amount of bromination in the mixture.
PBDEs are usually not chemically bound to consumer products and are released to the environment through:
- indoor air
- household dust
- and during e-waste and textile recycling
Once in the environment, PBDEs bioaccumulate in the food chain and can be detected in humans.
Why choose us
The National Measurement Institute (NMI) is Australia’s peak measurement body and offers:
- personalised service
- dedicated state-of-the-art instruments to reduce the risk of contamination
- technical expertise as a leader in the Australian analytical market
- support to trade and industry, environment and public health sectors
- competitive pricing
- full analytical reports tailored to meet your requirements
We have National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accreditation for:
Dioxins & dioxin-like PCBs in
- emissions from stationary sources, ambient air, and fly ash
- potable, drinking, ground, and saline waters
- mineral oils and silicate materials
- sediments, soils, sewage, and trade wastes
- milk and dairy products
- meat and meat products
- fat, fish, and food oils
PBDEs in
- potable, drinking, ground, and saline waters
- sediments, soils, and bio solids
- animal feeds
- milk and dairy products, eggs and egg products
- animal tissue, meat and meat products
- fat, fish, and shellfish
- cereal, grains, food oils, and vegetation
Our service
We analyse dioxins, furans, PCBs, PBDEs and other POPs in a range of materials at ultra-trace levels.
We can import soil, sludge, sediment, rock, sand, gravel, dust and waters from all countries with approval by the Department of Agriculture.
Turnaround times
Our standard turnaround time is 20-30 days.
We also offer 2, 5 and 10 working day turnaround times where agreed.
Submitting samples
Find out how to submit your environmental testing samples.
Request a quote or discuss your requirements
Contact us for a quote or to discuss how we can tailor our services to meet your analysis requirements.
- Email customerservice@measurement.gov.au
- Read our analytical services terms and conditions
- For general enquiries phone: +61 2 9449 0111
Read more
See our full list of environmental testing and analysis services.
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- Join us on Facebook @NMIAustralia
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Contact us
- Email customerservice@measurement.gov.au
- For general enquiries or updates on your work order phone 1300 722 845
Related news

- National Measurement Institute
Last updated: 8 December 2020
Content ID: 64576