Laboratory analytics services
Our chemical analysis services include the determination of elements and organic substances from different types of environmental samples, as well as the physical-chemical analysis of water. Our chemical methods are suitable for environmental sample matrices such as water, soil, sediment, sludge, fish, plants, and particulates. Our biological analysis services cover a wide range of ecotoxicological tests and the handling of biological samples.
The laboratory of the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke) has been accredited as a testing laboratory (T003) by FINAS accreditation services since 1992. Our operations meet the requirements of the SFS-EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard. In addition, our expert staff and modern equipment ensure reliable analysis results. We continuously develop our operations to meet the needs of environmental research and monitoring. Up-to-date information on our accredited competence area can be found on the website T003 (FINAS).
We serve government agencies, research institutes, universities, and companies by providing solutions for environmental research and monitoring activities. Our analysis services are primarily aimed at various collaborative projects, but we also offer services to external clients. The analysis of individual samples is agreed upon on a case-by-case basis.
We ask private individuals to turn to municipal and private laboratories for analysis services.
Physico-chemical analysis
At the water laboratory in Oulu, we offer services tailored to customer needs and high-quality, accredited analytics for natural, wastewater and brackish water. Our analytics in Oulu meet the recommendations regarding the quality of data entered into the environmental administration's water quality registers, and if necessary, the results can be stored in the water quality registers.
Our physico-chemical analysis services include:
Natural water, wastewater, brackish water:
- Absorbance, 254 nm
- Absorption coefficient, 400 nm and 750 nm
- Chlorophyll a
- Alkalinity
- Ammonium nitrogen
- Acidity
- Fluoride
- Oxygen saturation
- Dissolved oxygen
- Chemical oxygen demand, CODMn
- Total solids
- Loss on ignition of total solids
- Chloride
- Total inorganic carbon (TIC)
- Total phosphorus
- Total organic carbon (TOC)
- Total nitrogen
- Nitrate and nitrite as nitrogen
- Nitrate as nitrogen
- Nitrite as nitrogen
- Dissolved organic carbon
- pH
- Silica
- Turbidity
- Sulfate
- Electrical conductivity
- Color
Elemental analysis
The elemental Laboratory in Helsinki has long experience in high-quality analytics and today we also operate as a calibration laboratory. Therefore our quality assurance is of the highest international standard. We regularly participate in international inter-calibration comparison measurements for calibration laboratories. To produce high-quality analytics, the laboratory's equipment include:
- inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers (ICP-MS and ICP-MS/MS)
- X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (TXRF)
Our elemental analyses include:
Natural water and waste water
- ICP-MS: Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Pd, Pt, Rb, S, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, Th, Ti, Tl, U, V, Zn
- CV-ICP-MS: Hg
Soil, sediment, sludge
- ICP-MS: Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg*, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, S, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, Tl, U, V, Zn
- CV-AAS: Hg*
Biological tissue samples (liver and muscle)
- ICP-MS: Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg*, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, S, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, Tl, U, V, Zn
- CV-ICP-MS: Hg*
- CV-AAS: Hg*
Plant samples (plants, mosses, lichens)
- ICP-MS: Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg*, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, S, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, Tl, U, V, Zn
- CV-ICP-MS: Hg*
Particulate samples
ICP-MS: Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, Zn
*Mercury can be determined using several different measurement techniques. The choice of technique depends on the concentration, sample matrix, and the available sample amount.
Organic analysis
Syke's organic chemistry laboratory specializes in the analysis of various types of challenging environmental and circular economy samples. To produce high-quality analytics, the laboratory's equipment includes:
- gas chromatography-mass spectrometers (GC-FID/MS, GC-MS/MS)
- liquid chromatography-mass spectrometers (LC-MS/MS)
- gas chromatograph-high resolution mass spectrometer (GC-Orbitrap-HRMS)
Our organic analyses include:
- Phthalates
- Volatile organic compounds (VOC)
- Hormones
- Pharmaceuticals
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)
- Triclosan and methyltriclosan
- Hydrocarbons (>C10-C40, >C10-C21, >C21-C40)
Ecotoxicological tests
Our laboratory offers services for assessing the biological effects of various samples. In addition to environmental samples, we can study the effects of chemicals and various extracts and assess the ecological risk they pose. Some of the ecotoxicological tests are accredited. Tests can be tailored to different environments (e.g. local conditions in research projects or the use of local species). We also work closely with the University of Jyväskylä. Our test selection includes:
- Water and sediment tests
- Soil tests
- Estrogen activity test
- Genotoxicity and cytotoxicity tests
Read more in TUFRA gallery:
Our ecotoxicological test selection include:
Freshwater Tests
- Algal growth inhibition test using green algae (Raphidocelis subcapitata) (Modified SFS-EN ISO 8692:2012, ISO/TR 11044:2008)
- Luminescent bacteria test (Modified SFS-EN ISO 11348-3:2007)
- Kinetic luminescent bacteria test for turbid and colored samples (SFS ISO 21338:2010)
- Acute toxicity test with Daphnia magnaM or D. longispina M (SFS-EN ISO 6341:2012)
- Chronic toxicity test with D. magna or D. longispina (OECD 211)
- Growth inhibition test with the great pond snail (Lymnaea stagnalis) M (OECD 243)
- Acute mobility inhibition test with the non-biting midge (Chironomus riparius) M (OECD 235)
- Growth inhibition test with the non-biting midge (C. riparius) M (OECD 218/219)
- Emergence inhibition test with the non-biting midge (C. riparius) (OECD 218/219/233)
- Morphological damage assessment in C. riparius larvae M
- Morphological damage assessment in caddisfly larvae M
- Behavioural changes in invertebrates: MFB device M
- Acute toxicity test with earthworms (ISO 11268-1)
- Earthworm reproduction test (ISO 11268-2)
- Growth and reproduction inhibition test with the oligochaete worm (Lumbriculus variegatus) (OECD 225)
- Bioaccumulation test with oligochaete worms (Lumbriculus variegatus or Tubifex tubifex) M (OECD 315)
- Growth and reproduction test with the nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans) (ISO 10872:2020)
- Acute toxicity test with the rotifer (Brachionus calyciflorus) (ISO 19827:2016)
- Fish embryo toxicity test (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
- Nitrification test (ISO 15685:2012)
- Inhibition of reproduction of Collembola (Folsomia candida) (ISO 11267:2023)
- Growth inhibition test with common duckweed (Lemna minor) (ISO 20079:2005)
- Seed germination test (Modified ISO 17126, ISO 11269-2 and US EPA 600/3-88-029)
- Growth inhibition test with the aquatic moss (Fontinalis antipyretica)
- Plant leaf photosynthesis measurements (PAM-fluorometry)
Marine Tests
- Growth inhibition test with diatom (Phaeodactylum tricornutum) (ISO 10253:2024)
- Growth inhibition test with green algae (Monoraphidium)
- Growth inhibition test with cyanobacteria (Synechococcus)
- Development test with the harpacticoid copepod (Nitocra spinipes) (ISO/TS 18220:2016)
- Acute toxicity test with the rotifer (Brachionus plicatilis) (ISO 19820:2016)
NAM Methods (New Approach Methodologies)
- Estrogenic potential test A-YES: Arxula adeninivorans (ISO 19040-2:2018)
- Genotoxicity test, Umu test: Salmonella typhimurium (ISO 13829:2000)
- Cytotoxicity test, NRR (neutral red retention)
- Photosynthesis inhibition test with green algae (Raphidocelis subcapitata)
M Test is suitable for performing on research sites
Handling of biological samples
Our laboratory service range includes the following biological sample handling:
- Preparation of fish
- Preparation of plants
- Preparation of diatoms
- Picking of benthic animals
- Identification of algae
Contact information:
- palvelu@syke.fi
[palvelu = asiakaspalvelu.sykelab] - Suomen ympäristökeskus (Syke),
Tutkimusinfra, Näytteiden vastaanotto,
Mustialankatu 3, 00790 Helsinki - Physico-chemical and Elemental analysis: Group Manager Mika Sarkkinen
- Organic analysis: Group Manager Katarina Björklöf
- Ecotoxicological analysis: Group Manager Katarina Björklöf