Soil, Dust & Compost | Heavy Metal and Mineral Analysis

Investigation of Heavy Metals & Minerals with Innovative Result Visualisations
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  • TEST NAME: SOIL, DUST or COMPOST | Toxic Metal Analysis

    • DUST | Toxic Metals & Mineral Analysis | DOWNLOAD Order Form
    SOIL | Toxic Metals & Mineral Analysis |DOWNLOAD Order Form
    COMPOST | Toxic Metals & Mineral Analysis |DOWNLOAD Order Form
  • DESCRIPTION: Toxtest is collaborating with EAL to bring to the public a means to test soil. Most importantly we are presenting the results using creative visualisation techniques that enable you to get the most from the results.

    Soil: High levels of metals, metalloids and asbestos can be associated with ore bodies. Soils in mining areas may contain elevated levels of these materials due to natural mineralisation. Some urban areas may be affected by asbestos and various elements including lead, copper, zinc, cadmium and arsenic from the ore bodies, as well as activities associated with historical build up, mining, smelting and metallurgical industries.

    Public information about preventing exposure to mineralised or contaminated soil is an essential component of public health programs to minimise community exposure to these contaminants.

    Health investigation levels (HILs) have been developed for a broad range of metals and organic substances. The HILs are applicable for assessing human health risk via all relevant pathways of exposure. The HILs are generic to all soil types and apply generally to a depth of 3 m below the surface for residential use. Site-specific conditions should determine the depth to which HILs apply for other land uses.

    HILs are scientifically based, generic assessment criteria designed to be used in the first stage of an assessment of potential risks to human health from chronic exposure to contaminants. They are intentionally conservative and are based on a reasonable worst-case scenario for four generic land use settings:

    HIL A residential with garden/accessible soil - home grown produce - 10 percent fruit and vegetable intake, (no poultry), also includes childrens day care centres, preschools and primary schools

    HIL B residential with minimal opportunities for soil access includes dwellings with fully and permanently paved yard space such as high-rise buildings and flats

    HIL C public open space such as parks, playgrounds, playing fields (e.g. ovals), secondary schools and footpaths. It does not include undeveloped public open space (such as urban bushland and reserves) which should be subject to a site-specific assessment where appropriate

    HIL D commercial/industrial such as shops, offices, factories and industrial sites.

    From National Environment Protection (Assessment of site contamination) Measure 1999, Schedule B1, Guideline on Investigation levels for Soil and Groundwater, Federal Register of Legislative Instruments F2013C00288

    Dust: Dust can be sampled in several ways. We provide order forms for two great evidence based methods. Children are particularly susceptible.

    See our Dust Testing Article
    Compost: Compost can contain all sorts of nasties. If you are growing a large part of the food you eat or sell and you buy in compost - then get that compost tested.


  • "Visualization is critical to data analysis. While tables are necessary to record the data, it is usually very difficult to distinguish pattern in tables of numbers, particularly for large data sets. Graphs, however, allow the reader to see complex data sets simply and concisely. Plots can reveal hidden structure in the data, and outlying or unusual results, and they enable preconceived ideas to be challenged."
    National Water Quality Management Strategy, Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 6, 2011, Version 3.1 Updated March 2015
  • COST
    EAL LABORATORY TEST and TOXTEST INTERACTIVE ONLINE REPORT $108 AU

    NOTE: All test fees are paid directly to Environmental Analysis Laboratory (EAL) at Southern Cross University, Australia with details on order form below

    • DUST | Toxic Metals & Mineral Analysis | DOWNLOAD Order Form
    SOIL | Toxic Metals & Mineral Analysis |DOWNLOAD Order Form
    COMPOST | Toxic Metals & Mineral Analysis |DOWNLOAD Order Form
  • All SUPPORT via TOXTEST:
    Founder: Hartmut Gunther
    214 Beardy Street, Armidale, NSW, Australia, 2350
    Phone: 0439 54 7788, EMAIL
  • LAB DETAILS: Environmental Analysis Laboratory (EAL); SOUTHERN CROSS UNIVERSITY; PO BOX 157, LISMORE NSW 2480; Phone: 02 6620 3678
  • TOXNO Heavy Metal Exposures and Health Effects
  • Extensive LIST of published Hair, Water, Soil and Dust results

  Stay Informed

Tests are being updated regularly to include new exposures and their toxic substances. And NEW tests are introduced. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Metals and metalloids included in this test that are potentailly toxic to humans.

These are active links that take you to a full substance profile on Toxno. From there you can also see many healthy associations and known toxic effects. Note that chromium and manganese are also human nutrients.

Aluminium Antimony Arsenic Barium Beryllium Bismuth Cadmium Cobalt Chromium Lead Manganese Mercury Nickel Silver Strontium Thorium Uranium

Additional minerals also included in this test. These are also, all, human nutrients.

Note that high intake or exposure to levels of nutrients that go beyond the recommended upper intake levels can also be toxic and as such have adverse health consequences. Small children are especially vulnerable as they play in soil, often putting hand to mouth.

Calcium Boron Copper Iron Lithium Magnesium Molybdenum Phosphorus Potassium Selenium Sodium Sulphur Vanadium Zinc
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State-of-the-art testing facilities used

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