Environmental Testing
MiCRA delivers science‑driven environmental testing solutions that help industry protect water quality, monitor pollution, and meet regulatory expectations. Building on our long‑standing expertise in chemical and biological diagnostics, we support companies in the aquatic, drinking water, environmental monitoring, and sustainability sectors with high‑resolution analytical tools and rapid on‑site testing methodologies.
Our multidisciplinary team has contributed to several successful industry collaborations in the water‑testing space, advancing technologies for inorganic and organic pollutant detection, toxicity assessment, and rapid microbial enumeration, including alert‑system development for pollution events.
Our Capabilities
Chemical Pollutant Detection
MiCRA develops and validates rapid testing strategies for identifying inorganic and organic contaminants in water, wastewater, soil, and process streams.
We leverage:
- Ion Chromatography – Dionex ICS‑6000 for quantifying anions, cations, and trace ionic species in water, supporting pollution monitoring and compliance testing.
- TGA‑IR‑GC/MS Suite – PerkinElmer for profiling volatile organic compounds (VOCs), decomposition products, and environmental contaminants.
- FTIR & FT‑Raman Spectroscopy – Bruker Alpha II / MultiRAM for chemical fingerprinting of pollutants, microplastics, and residue contaminants.
- Electrochemical Platforms – Multichannel Potentiostat for developing and characterising electronic chemical sensors designed for rapid, on‑site pollutant detection.
These capabilities support real‑time monitoring solutions for nitrates, phosphates, heavy metals, organic pollutants, and process‑related contaminants.
Microbial Detection & Toxicity Testing
Rapid detection of microbial contamination is critical for environmental monitoring, potable water safety, and pollution alert systems. MiCRA supports this through:
- Flow Cytometry – CytoFlex S for fast microbial enumeration, viability profiling, and pollution‑related microbial assessments.
- Multiplate Reader – Synergy H1 for biochemical and enzymatic toxicity assays, microbial activity monitoring, and rapid screening of biological indicators.
MiCRA also develops rapid point‑of‑site microbial testing workflows, enabling near‑real‑time detection of contamination and improving response times during pollution events.
Soil & Material Surface Analysis
Environmental challenges often require detailed understanding of contaminants within solids, soils, or particulate matter. MiCRA employs:
- Scanning Electron Microscopy – SEM Phenom XL for visualising surface structures, particle morphology, and contaminant deposition.
- Spectroscopy & Thermal Profiling (FTIR, Raman, TGA‑IR‑GC/MS) for compositional and structural assessment of soil contaminants and environmental residues.
These tools help diagnose contamination events, track sources, and support remediation strategies.
End‑to‑End Environmental R&D Support
MiCRA provides environmental clients with:
- Sensor development for water and soil quality monitoring
- Rapid detection systems for pollutants and microbial contamination
- Toxicity assays for chemical and biological risk assessment
- Laboratory‑based and point‑of‑site testing
- Data‑driven insights for compliance, sustainability reporting, and operational decision‑making
Our combination of state‑of‑the‑art equipment, technical expertise, and industry‑focused R&D makes MiCRA a trusted partner for solving complex environmental challenges.