IAQ Test Labs

Indoor Air Quality Test Labs

Introduction

Threats to Indoor Air Quality - Stachybotrys colony - Click to zoom

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a complex issue, much more so than any single environmental issue. There are hundreds of pollutants that affect indoor air quality and thousands of sources. Research indicates that more than 900 different contaminants are present in indoor environments2, depending on the particular operations and activities which occur within the specific environments. The indoor environment in any building involves the interactions of a complex set of factors that are constantly changing.1

Therefore, testing, and the selection of the proper indoor air quality test lab can make the difference between remediation, and continued indoor air quality pollution.

Indoor Air Quality Test Lab Equipment Snapshot

Olympus BX51 Compound DIC Microscope

Olympus BX51 compound DIC microscope

  • UIS2 optics deliver bright, sharp, high-resolution images suitable for all observation methods: brightfield, darkfield, differential interference contrast, polarization, fluorescence, infra-red
  • Reflected light illuminators with field and highly functional aperture diaphragm compliments our higher magnification 150x objective. The pinhole feature provides extra high contrast observation with extended focus depth.
  • Brightfield illuminator
  • Brightfield/Darkfield illuminator
  • Universal BF/DF/DIC/POL/FL
  • New DIC (Nomarski) units

Olympus SZX9 Stereo Microscope

Olympus SZX9 stereo microscope

  • Magnification: Using the 0.5x and 1.6x objectives and 10x eyepieces on the SZX12 gives an effective zoom range of 3.5x to 144x, or a 41:1 ratio
  • Auxiliary Lens: SZX-AL20X lens attaches to the 1.0x objective, increasing total magnification by 2.5x while increasing resolution to 800 lines/mm
  • Transmitted Light Three transmitted light bases-basic, advanced and darkfield versions
  • Fluorescence: Stereo fluorescence is easily accomplished by a 100W mercury lamp and a choice of two fluorescence illuminators
  • Digital Imaging: Up to three cameras can image simultaneously in the proper configuration. In addition to a trinocular head with a photoport, a beamsplitter module is available that will split off both the left and right optical paths independently to cameras. This allows for imaging of either optical path, or both for stereo pairs.

Indoor Air Quality Test Lab Services

Air and surface testing and analysis by Bluepoint Environmental, an AIHA EMLAP Certified Laboratory:

AIHA Accredited Test Labs

“When a laboratory is accredited by AIHA, the laboratory and its clients have the assurance that the laboratory has met defined standards for performance based on examination of a variety of criteria. When a laboratory is accredited by AIHA, it becomes part of an elite group of laboratories achieving and maintaining a high level of professional performance.”

Find an AIHA certified indoor air quality test lab in your area:

More Information

For more information, or to request a professional indoor air quality consultation:

  1. Brooks, Bradford O., and David, William F., Understanding Indoor Air Quality, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 1992, p.19
  2. Meckler, Milton (1996) Improving Indoor Air Quality Through Design, Operation, and Maintenance. The Fairmont Press 1, vii