Specialist laboratory analysis for air quality, renewables and occupational hygiene.
Marchwood is a leading UK Dioxin and Furans analysis laboratory and the UK’s leading specialist laboratory for independent occupational hygiene analysis, offering a range of services for the environmental, occupational and food/feed sectors. Our team of skilled experts provides high quality, accurate analytical testing services for energy generation, waste management and occupational hygiene. Our investment in state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation, alongside our decades of experience, also allows us to work closely with customers to develop cost-effective and timely solutions for specific requirements.
PFAS analysis for up-to-date compliance
On 3rd February 2026, the UK Government released its first ever national PFAS plan – a major milestone in chemical regulation and environmental protection. The plan establishes a coordinated, science-led framework to address PFAS contamination across water, soil, ecosystems, industry, and waste systems.
It also represents a significant policy shift: for the first time, the UK has committed to an expanded national monitoring programme, strengthened regulatory controls, updated permitting rules, and long-term assessment of PFAS in the environment.
Marchwood is fully equipped to support this national direction. The laboratory has validated methods for PFAS analysis across a wide range of liquid and solid matrices. Using state of the art LC/MS QQQ technology, Marchwood achieves low detection limits, making the platform the gold standard for PFAS quantification. This instrumentation enables highly selective detection of target analytes, even within complex environmental matrices, while delivering reliable, reproducible, and defensible quantitative data.
Brominated dioxins
Brominated and chlorinated dioxins are accidental by-products of the combustion process of household waste. They are highly toxic to humans and high levels in our environment could cause adverse health effects, including reproductive issues, developmental problems, and increased risk of cancer. EA legislation states that plants have to test stack emissions for brominated dioxins twice a year. Marchwood is the first UK laboratory to offer a brominated dioxins testing service, and will soon be UKAS accredited to help our customers maintain compliance with these regulations. Our extensive expertise enabled us to adapt an existing MCERTS accredited methodology for chlorinated dioxins and PCBs using state-of-the-art equipment for accurate and reliable results. This service helps customers obtain the necessary permits for commercial incineration, safeguard public health, and protect the environment.
Occupational hygiene
COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of clean air in the workplace, with people with lung-based conditions more vulnerable to complications. Businesses must work with occupational hygienists to help prevent ill-health in the workplace by monitoring, reviewing and managing the risks of chemical, physical, biological and ergonomics agents. Marchwood’s friendly, personalised services include dust and gravimetric, acid mist, metals, arsenic, fumes, VOCs and SVOCs, diesel exhaust emissions, isocyanates, ambient air, hexavalent chromium and aldehydes analysis, as well as specialised contract research projects. Our experienced team provides recommendations on which sampling media to use to ensure full sample capture for accurate, representative results. Routine tests are based on MDHS, OSHA and NIOSH methodologies for full compliance.
PFAS
Regional environmental protection agencies have brought out legislation around PFAS in environmental samples. We are now operating a targeted PFAS screen with 47 compounds for effluents, sewage, soils, fertiliser, and waste to help you meet the new legal requirements. To meet low detection limits, and to eliminate background noise and cross-contamination, we have dedicated our LC/MS QQQ instrumentation to solely carry out PFAS analysis. The team has modified the LC to meet this method detection limit and equipped it with PFC-free parts to eliminate any environmental contamination. Our methodology is based on the most recent version of the US EPA method for full compliance and incorporates the PFAS listed on the new Drinking Water Inspectorate guidance. These tests will help you comply with upcoming legislation, safeguard public health, and protect the environment.
Dioxins, furans and stack emissions
Stack emissions testing is required for UK industrial sites regulated by the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC), including energy from waste plants/incinerators, cement kilns, and smelting plants. Marchwood is fully accredited to both UK and International standards to test for dioxins, furans and PCBs in stack residues and emissions, as well as for Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). We also provide isokinetic sampling train components for the dioxin and furan sampling process and prepared PUF filters for ambient air sampling upon request.
Food & feed contaminants
Food, feed, nutra, pharmaceutical ingredients and their respective products can contain contaminants that naturally occur in the environment and are present at low levels. Alternatively, they may contain process contaminants that are introduced either during, or as a consequence of, treatment, carriage, manufacture and storage. Marchwood carries out regulated and non-regulated contaminants analysis to confirm product safety. Food and feedstuffs that contain contaminant levels above the relevant Maximum Permitted Levels (MPL) are deemed to be unsafe and must then be withdrawn and disposed of outside the food and feed chains.
