Environment Quality Monitoring Department

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Soil Quality Monitoring Center

         The Soil Quality Monitoring Centre (SQMC) activates for 30 years. It is accredited by the national accreditation system of Republic of Moldova and corresponds to the requirements SR SM EN 17025:2006, accreditation certificate № SNA MD CAECP LÎ 01 220 220 of 23 February 2010 best before 22 February 2014.

         SQMC is responsible for soil quality monitoring and is provided with Republican observational network for the agricultural lands, the registered lands from the cities, lands situated close to the agglomerated roads, background pollution lands that has not been polluted by men yet, the soils situated close to the pesticide storages, lands adjacent to power stations that are contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyl – PCB, the aquatic alluviums, as well as for the migration of the pollutants.

         The monitoring is carried out in periods of 4-5 years in order to determinate:

• Organic pollutants – organic chlorine compounds, organic phosphorus compounds, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds etc.;

• Inorganic pollutants – total and mobile forms of heavy metals, nitrates, phosphates, sulphates etc.;

• Electrical conductivity (salinity) and soil acidity;

• Soil fertility characteristics, that include the analysis of the following parameters: agro-chemical (pH, organic compounds, exchange acidity); macro-elements (nitric azote, ammonia azote, mobile and total phosphor, mobile potassium, exchange calcium and magnesium, total azote), micro-elements - mobile cuprum, mobile zinc, mobile manganese.

         SQMC is provided with up-to-date equipment that allows the use of modern analysis methods:

• HP 6890 – chromatograph than can be used with multiple detectors: Electron Capture Detector (ECD), Nitrogen Phosphor Detector (NPD) and Flame Ionization Detector (FID);

• AT 7890 A – chromatograph provided with Mass Selective Detector;

• AT 1200 – liquid chromatography with Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy;

• SOLAAR 969, SOLAAR 969Z – atomic absorption spectrometers and graphite oven.

         The research of all parameters is carried out according to the in force laws (ISO, EPA, ÌÓ, ÃÎÑÒ etc.). The high qualification of the personnel that was trained at European relevant institutes, as well as the up-to-date equipment assured a high reliability and accuracy of data.

         To ensure the obtained data authenticity, the Centre participates in the intercomparison in determination of organochlorurates in the frame of UNEP’s Regional Seas Programme.

         According to the Government Resolution No. 81 of 2 February 2009 and the Regulation on the BPC, approved by this resolution, at present there is carried out the inventarisation of BPC and the Soil Quality Monitoring Centre is taking part in this process. .

         More than 10 years the Centre participates in different projects such as:

• 1997 - 1998 – EU TACIS project “Accident Emergency Warning System and Monitoring Laboratory and Information Management for the Ukrainian and Moldavian Parts of the Danube River Basin”

• 1999 - 2000 – EU TACIS Project EnvReg 9701 “Prut River Water Management”

• 1999 – 2000 – EU TACIS Project EnvReg 9705 “Vulcanesti Pesticide Dump Site Investigation”, Component 2.

• 2000 –2001 - EU TACIS Project “Prut River Tributaries”

• 2002 – 2004 - GEF-PPG Project TF051208 “Enabling Activities Related to the Implementation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in the Republic of Moldova”

• 2005 – 2007 – GEF Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Stockpiles Management and Distraction Project, Moldova

         According to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants SQMC carried out the centre carries out the monitoring of Persistent Organic Pollutants.