Organic Pollutants Testing

Identify organic contaminants. Understand environmental conditions. Support informed treatment and remediation decisions.

Environmental Testing and Laboratories Company (ETLCO) provides organic pollutants testing for water, wastewater, soil, and solid samples to support industrial facilities, environmental consultants, contractors, and municipal projects across Saudi Arabia.

Our Environmental Laboratory analyzes organic compounds associated with fuels, solvents, industrial chemicals, pesticides, and other potential contamination sources. Results support environmental monitoring, contamination investigations, treatment assessments, and site remediation projects.

Whether you require a defined list of compounds or screening to investigate unexpected contamination, we tailor the analytical scope to your sample type and project objectives.

Why Test for Organic Pollutants?

Organic contaminants differ in their toxicity, persistence, volatility, and movement through the environment. Identifying the relevant compounds and measuring their concentrations helps establish the nature of contamination and determine appropriate next steps.

Organic pollutants testing helps clients:

• Investigate contamination associated with spills, leaks, and industrial activities.

• Assess water, wastewater, soil, and solid sample quality.

• Compare results with applicable project criteria.

• Evaluate changes before and after treatment.

• Support contaminated site investigations and remediation verification.

• Establish baseline conditions and monitor trends.

• Investigate compounds beyond a routine target list, where appropriate.

Our Organic Pollutant Testing Capabilities

Volatile Organic Compounds — VOCs

ETLCO provides VOC analysis to investigate selected compounds that readily transfer into the gas phase, including substances associated with fuels and industrial solvents.

Testing supports contamination investigations and routine monitoring. The target compound list, reporting limits, and sample handling requirements are defined before analysis.

Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds — SVOCs

SVOC analysis evaluates selected organic compounds with lower volatility than typical VOCs. These compounds may be associated with industrial chemicals, petroleum-related contamination, and other environmental sources.

The analytical scope is selected according to the sample matrix, suspected contaminants, and assessment requirements.

BTEX Analysis

BTEX testing measures benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes—compounds commonly included in investigations involving petroleum fuels and certain solvents.

This analysis supports assessments of suspected contamination in water, soil, and other suitable matrices.

Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons — TPH

TPH analysis helps assess petroleum-related contamination in water, soil, and solid samples.

ETLCO offers aggregate and fractionated TPH testing, with the reporting approach defined according to the selected method and project requirements. This may include reporting within agreed hydrocarbon ranges.

Because TPH results depend on the analytical method and the range measured, these details are established before testing to support meaningful interpretation and comparison.

Organic Solvents

Targeted solvent analysis helps investigate compounds associated with cleaning, degreasing, manufacturing, and chemical processing.

Testing can focus on specific suspected solvents or an agreed group of compounds, depending on the information available about the contamination source.

Phenols

Phenol testing supports the investigation of selected phenolic compounds in environmental and industrial samples. The required scope may involve individual compounds or a method-defined group parameter, depending on the assessment objective.

Pesticides and Herbicides

ETLCO provides analysis for selected pesticides and herbicides relevant to the sample source and project requirements.

The requested compounds and reporting limits are reviewed before testing to ensure that the analytical program addresses the intended investigation.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls — PCBs

PCB testing supports investigations involving potentially contaminated materials and environmental samples.

The reporting basis and target scope are agreed in advance, as different analytical approaches provide different types of PCB information.

Trihalomethanes — THMs

THM analysis measures selected compounds that can form during the disinfection of water containing organic matter.

Testing supports water quality assessments and investigations into disinfection by-products, using methods appropriate to the sample and intended purpose.

Total Organic Carbon — TOC

TOC measures organic carbon as an overall indicator of organic content. It can support water quality monitoring, treatment assessment, and process investigations.

TOC complements compound-specific testing; it does not identify individual pollutants or establish their toxicity.

Investigation of Tentatively Identified Compounds — TICs

Additional Insight Beyond the Target List

Where requested and suitable for the analysis, ETLCO performs GC-MS mass spectral library searches to investigate non-target peaks observed during VOC and SVOC analysis.

This screening can provide tentative identifications that help guide further investigation when the contamination source is uncertain.

TIC results are reported as tentative identifications, with estimated concentrations where appropriate. Confirmation may require reference standards and additional targeted testing.

Analytical Instrumentation

ETLCO’s organic analysis capabilities include:

• Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS): For the separation and identification of suitable organic compounds.

• Purge-and-trap sample introduction (P&T): For applicable volatile organic analyses.

• Gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID): For suitable hydrocarbon and non-halogenated organic measurements.

• Headspace sample introduction (HS): For applicable volatile compound testing.

• Automated samplers: To support consistent sample introduction and efficient analytical workflows.

The instrument configuration and preparation technique are selected according to the sample and target analytes.

Recognized Analytical Methods

ETLCO uses recognized methodologies appropriate to the requested compounds and sample matrix.

Key method references include:

• US EPA SW-846 Method 8260: Volatile organic compounds by GC-MS.

• US EPA SW-846 Method 8270: Semi-volatile organic compounds by GC-MS.

• US EPA SW-846 Method 8015: Selected non-halogenated organic compounds by gas chromatography.

TPH, TOC, pesticides, herbicides, PCBs, and other requested parameters are assigned suitable methods and preparation procedures according to the agreed scope. The applicable method revision and reporting limits are confirmed during technical review.

Testing Support for Your Project

Environmental Baseline and Routine Monitoring

Establish initial conditions and track selected organic contaminants through planned monitoring programs.

Spill and Contamination Investigations

Assess samples from areas affected by suspected fuel, solvent, or chemical releases to help define the nature and extent of contamination.

Wastewater Treatment Assessment

Compare relevant organic parameters before and after treatment to evaluate changes in the tested constituents.

Soil Investigation and Remediation Verification

Provide analytical data to support contaminated soil assessments and verification against agreed remediation criteria.

Industrial Troubleshooting

Investigate unexpected organic contamination in process-related water, wastewater, or other submitted materials.

Clear Reporting and Agreed Turnaround Times

ETLCO works with clients to establish reporting requirements and turnaround expectations before testing begins.

Depending on the scope, reports can include sample details, analytical results, units, method references, reporting limits, and relevant qualifiers. TIC findings are clearly distinguished from confirmed target-compound results.

Project-specific formats can be discussed to support monitoring schedules, technical reviews, and environmental reporting.