Analytical Sections

Water Chemistry Section

Water Chemistry lab conducts annually around 49000 analyses on 8500 samples. The section is concerned in measurement of chemical constituents including inorganic and organic compounds, which might present in drinking and surface water.

The analysis of inorganic parameters which covers physical and chemical properties of water includes:

pH, EC, Turbidity, major anions and cations, heavy and trace metals. Using automated systems such performs these tests:

UV/VIS Spectrophotometer.
Flame Photometer.
Ion Chromatograph
Flame Atomic Absorption.
Inductively Coupled Plasma.

The analysis of organic compounds includes measurement of kheldahl nitrogen, total organic carbon, phenols, organo-chlorine pesticides, trihalomethanes, volatile organic compounds, and Herbicides. These tests are performed by using the following sophisticated instruments:

Total Organic Carbon Analyzer.
Kheldahl Nitrogen Analyzer.
Gas Chromatographs.
Gas Chromatograph/ mass Spectrometer.
High Performance Liquid Chromatograph.

Wastewater Chemistry Section

Wastewater Chemistry Section conducts annually around 10000 analyses on 3000 wastewater samples. The section is concerned in measurement of chemical constituents including inorganic & organic compounds, which might be present in surface, domestic & industrial wastewater. The section consists the following Labs:

Oxygen Demand & Solids Lab

Chemical Oxygen Demand, Bio–Chemical Oxygen Demand, Total Dissolved Solids, Total Suspended Solids, Total Fixed & Volatile Solids, Settable Solids, Sludge Volume Index and Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids.

Nutrients & Chemical Tests Lab

pH, Turbidity, Alkalinity, Sulfate, Nitrate, Nitrite, Total Nitrogen, Phosphate, Total phosphate, Ammonium, Chloride, Boron, SAR (Sodium Adsorption Ratio), Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Kjeldahl Nitrogen.

Heavy & Trace Elements Lab

Lead, Zinc, Vanadium, Mercury, Cyanide, Hexane Chrome, Total Chrome, Arsenic, Selenium Silver, etc.

Organic Pollutants Lab

Oil & Grease, Anionic Surfactants (ABS), and Phenol.

These types of analysis are performed by well trained & qualified staff using the following advanced instrumentation:

Inductively Coupled Plasma ▪ Titroprocessors
Ion Chromatography ▪ Polarographs
Flow Injection System ▪ Spectrophotometer
Flame Atomic Absorption ▪ Total Nitrogen Analyzer
Gas Chromatography/ FID

Microbiology section

The microbiology lab conducts annually around 30000 analyses on 25000 water and wastewater sample analyses include the following:

Bacterial indicators: Coliforms, Escherishia col , thermotoleran group, Total Heterotrophic Plate Count , Psuedomonas aeruginosa ,Fecal Streptococcus& Enterococcus , Clostridium per fringe, Free living organisms : Nematodes Pathogenic Bacteria : Salmonella and shigella .
Identification of Bacteria Using the API system
Pathogenic Protozoa: Giardia and Cryptosporidium
Intestinal Nematode Eggs (Counting and Identification)
Fungus
Algae Counting and Identification & Chlorophyll-a
Sulfur and Iron Bacteria

Environmental Isotope Section

The environmental isotopes lab has specialized in the isotope hydrology analyses: Oxygen-18, Deuterium, Carbon-13, Carbon-14 and Tritium, Radioactive Elements of Natural Origin: Radium, Radon, Uranium, Gross- α & β and other relevant daughters of significance.

The lab shares a strong collaboration with IAEA as a regional lab and provides high quality data for research projects for internal and external customers.

For the integrity of the analytical results, state -of the- art technical procedures incorporating Quality assurance/Quality control (ISO/IES 17025) guidelines are rigorously followed.

The lab is equipped with advanced instrumentations:

Two Liquid Scintillation analyzers (TRI-CARB 2250CA and 3100TR, Packard).
Two Mass Spectrometers (Thermo finnigan-DELTA plus XP and finnigan mat DELTA).
Alpha spectrometer.
Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry.
Equipments needed for sample preparation.

Quality Assurance Section

The Quality Assurance Section has the responsibility to monitor and enforce the Quality Management System, which is in compliance with ISO/IEC 17025 through the following missions:

Ensuring that all technical and management activities are conducted in accordance with the Quality System, which is reviewed annually.
Setting up the proficiency testing policy.
Compiling and evaluating the Quality Control Data of all analyses included in the Scope of Accreditation.
Reviewing, approving and tracking the proposed corrective actions to resolve non-conforming works.

Monitoring Sections

The laboratories & quality department sets and implements the following programs through the drinking water monitoring section and environmental monitoring of assessment section:

Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Program: That Monitor Drinking Water Quality In Pumping Stations, Main Public Reservoirs, Distribution Networks, treatment plants, desalination plants, springs and wells.
Water Resources Quality Monitoring Program: that trace any changes and trends in physical, chemical, radiological and microbiological quality of the raw water resources.
Water Quality Complaints Program: that identifies causes and solutions for any complaints concerned with the drinking water quality.
Domestic Wastewater Quality Monitoring Program: that ensures compliance of the wastewater discharged from the public and private wastewater discharged from public and private wastewater quality standard No.893.
Industrial Wastewater Quality Monitoring Program that ensures compliance of the wastewater discharged from industrial institutions to the Jordanian industrial wastewater quality standard No.202.
Industrial And Commercial Wastewater Discharged To The Public Sewers Monitoring Program: that ensures compliance of wastewater quality discharged to the public sewer system to the regulation issued by the minister of water and irrigation for the year 1998.
Surface Water Quality Monitoring Program: that monitors the quality of water in streams, wadis and dams in order to trace point and non-point sources of pollution.
Irrigation Water Quality Monitoring Program that monitors the quality of water to be used for irrigation purposes at the Jordan valley.

Mobile Labs

The department is using two modern mobile labs that are supervised by qualified crew and are equipped with the needed equipment to run the basic microbiological, chemical, and physical tests on site. The mobile labs are supporting the routine monitoring programs in remote areas besides following up any complaints water quality in the Kingdom.

Information Section

The information section receives annually around (35,000) samples including around (120,000) different analysis conducted, samples are from different national and international governmental and private institutions. The information section is using the latest advances in receiving and handling of samples and test items and related laboratory Data management technology where ‘LIMS’ software is being used to ensure the validity and security of the water and wastewater quality data.