–    Basic and applied research and development in the following areas:

Occupational Health and Safety;
Environment protection;
Explosions of Combustible Gases/Vapours/ Dust;
Explosive and/or toxic due to dangerous chemical substances environments;
Civil use explosives.

–     Environmental factors physico-chemical analysis,  solid, liquid and gaseous combustibles, mineral substances, wastes, chemical fertilizer, civil use explosives; dangerous chemical substances;

–     Determination of chemical occupational hazards (gases and vapors) at working places;

–          Simulation/experimentation/modeling of physical and chemical processes;

–          Technical assistance / consultancy in the fields of activity;

–          Training and certification in mining, gas analyses;

–          Technical expertise for accidents in the industrial and civil areas, generated by explosions and / or fire;

–          Expertise of chemicals involved in accidents;

–          Reduced scale simulation of accidents, determining the causes and favoring circumstances;

–          Development of the Romanian version of European ATEX standards;

–          Ex Zoning Projects approval.

• TESTING IN VOLUNTARY REGIME:

–         Toxicological determinations regarding the working environment;

–         Determination of the chemical oxygen demand;

–         Analysis of quality and soil fertility;

–         Determination of permeability to gases of rubberized materials;

–         Determination of burning behavior of vertical test specimens in contact with an ignition source in the form of low flame;

–         Determination of the permeation of protective clothing against chemical agents action;

–         Determination of the limiting oxygen concentration, maximum explosion pressure and rate of pressure rise for combustible gases.

• SPECIFIC TECHNICAL STUDIES:

–         The forming conditions research for potentially explosive atmospheres and their characterization for traders that processes, manipulates, transports and stores flammable / combustible substance;

–         Risk assessment of hazardous chemical substances;

–         Explosion Risk Assessment for traders that operates in hazardous explosive atmospheres;

–         Ex Zoning Projects development.

–         Developing Explosion Protection Document for traders.

• ACCREDITED TESTING:

 

Test type	Material / product
Determination of suspended matter, residues calcinations losses and ashes	Surface waters, Underground water, waste water Soil Sludges Wastes Mineral substances
Determination of dry matter and water content	Soil Sludges Wastes Mineral substances
Determination of free silicon dioxide content	Sedimented particles Soil Sludges Wastes Mineral substances
Determination of solvent extractable substances	Surface waters, Underground water, waste water
Determination of particle size	Chemical fertilizers ammonium nitrate based
Determination of oil retention	Chemical fertilizers ammonium nitrate based
Determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)	Ambient air Workplace atmosphere
Determination of the gaseous components of the atmosphere: – Hydrogen sulfide – Sulfur dioxide, – Carbon dioxide – Nitrogen oxides	Ambient air Workplace atmosphere
Determination of the metals Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Zn, Be, Bi, As, Ca, Li, Mg, Na, Sr, Sb, Ti, V, Se,TI)	Surface waters, Underground water, waste water Soil Sludges Wastes Mineral substances
Determination of saturated and unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, hydrogen and carbon oxide	Natural gases Ambient air Workplace atmosphere
Determination of dissolved ions (bromide, chloride, fluoride, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, sulfate, lithium, sodium, ammonium, potassium, magnesium and calcium)	Surface waters, Underground water, waste water
Determination of carbon dioxide, oxygen and methane.	Ambient air Workplace atmosphere
Determination of water content and dry matter, volatile substances, calcination loss and carbonate residues by thermal analysis method	Soil Sludges Wastes Mineral substances
Determination of methane	Methane-air mixtures
Determination of pH and electrical conductivity (pH 2 ¸ 12)	Surface waters, Underground water, waste water Soil Sludges Wastes Chemical fertilizers
Determination of biochemical oxygen demand – (CBOn) for undiluted samples. Electrochemical probe method.	Surface waters, Underground water, waste water
Determination of turbidity (quantitative method)	Surface waters, Underground water, waste water
Determination of chemical composition	Explosives
Determination of moisture	Explosives
Determination of the chemical stability	Explosives
Determination of thermal stability	Explosives
	Detonating cords and safety fuses
Determination of density	Explosives
Determination of flammability parameters (ignition temperature, flash point, explosi limits)	Gases, vapors and flammable liquid

Technical and scientific services

Ex zoning projects verifying

 

Ex Zoning consists of establishing the category and the expansion of the hazardous area, based on the presence probability in the technological area of the hazardous substances, in normal and abnormal but foreseeable functioning of the technological equipment. Ex Zoning is performed in order to select the suitable electrical equipment and for taking the optimal security measures for their safe use in such dangerous area.

 

Ex Zoning verifying consists of:

–          Evaluation of the documentation provided by the beneficiary;

–          Verifying report elaboration;

–          Consultancy.

 

 

Explosion risk assessment

 

Explosion risk assessment is an estimation process of the risk that appear in the case of explosion danger, with the purpose of giving a qualitative-quantitative dimension of this element.

The employer has the obligation to assess the risk of explosion in order ensure the health and safety of workers and the protection of material assets and the environment.

The purpose of knowing and assessing the explosion risk is to substantiate the following:

 

• establishing the technical and / or organizational measures to explosion prevention and protection, according to the following principles:
  • prevention of the explosive atmospheres formation,

or where the nature of the activity does not allow it,

• avoiding the ignition of the explosive atmosphere,

and

• limiting the effects of explosion to ensure the health and safety of employees;
• classification of workplaces where explosive atmospheres may occur;
• selecting, according to official regulations, equipment and protective systems intended for use in explosive atmospheres

 

Explosion risk assessment consists of:

 

–       In situ evaluation;

–       Explosion risk assessment study development;

–       Consultancy.

 

 

Material safety data sheet developing

 

Physico-chemical analysis laboratory team develops material safety data sheets that fit the form and content requirements prescribed by the relevant regulations (REACH and other relevant legislation).

 

The laboratory has approved procedures for determining the physico-chemical properties of substances (auto ignition temperature liquid / vapour flammable, flash point of flammable liquids, gas explosion parameters / combustible dust etc.)

 

It may be necessary to establish a safety data sheet for:

 

• Substances / mixtures for which for some reason is not available the material safety data sheet
• Substances / mixtures from self- production.

 

Training of laboratory technician for gas analysis in extractive industry

The chemical composition of mine gases analysis through gas-volumetric and chromatographic method is very important for the extractive industry, in order to ensure both the security of the workers and workplace protection..

Following the course the laboratory technicians will gain theoretical information regarding the physical and chemical properties of gases, sampling methods, methods for preparing the solutions used for physico-chemical analysis and practical skills for analysing the chemical composition of mine air by gas-volumetric and chromatographic method, the calculation of gases concentration after the analysis.

Head of Laboratory

Constantin Lupu Phd. Eng. Scientific researcher I – Head of Department;

Tel. 0254/541621; 0254/541622; 0727/200770 (int. 102);

email: constantin.lupu@insemex.ro

Maria Prodan Phd student – Scientific researcher III – Head of laboratory;

Tel. 0254/541621; 0254/541622; 0727/200770 (int. 117);

email: maria.prodan@insemex.ro