The Laboratory was approved through the Resolution Nº 459-00-2012 (S.L. 14/09/2012).“By which it is resolved to record the creation of the Water Quality Laboratory of the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences of the National University of Asunción.”
The Laboratory of Water Quality is a part of FACEN through the Services Department. It provides services to private persons, and public and private companies from inside the country and abroad.
The Laboratory was formed in 1980 due to a request from the Paraguayan-Argentinian Joint Commission (COMIP) to be a part of the binational endeavor for the exploitation of the Parana River –Corpus Project, as the Paraguayan counterpart within the agreement in place dedicated to water quality monitoring, from 1982 to 1987. Despite the suspension of monitoring activities due to the culmination of the construction of the Yacyreta Power Station, the Laboratory of Water Quality is still active to this date. With the same philosophy, in 1993 an agreement was signed with Yacyreta to perform joint studies on the water quality of the dam reservoir and sub-reservoirs, and on the rivers of the city of Encarnacion that were affected by the flood.
Accomplishments
The Laboratory has earned an NP-ISO/IEC 17025:2006 certification for compliance with the “General requisites for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories,” granted by the National Accreditation Body (ONA), on October 6th, 2014; certificate Nº ONA-CA/LE022.
Currently, the Laboratory is considered by international organisms as a standard for the oversight of environmental impact studies developed by the various consulting companies selected in calls for tender.
Assays Performed
The Laboratory performs physicochemical, biological, and bacteriological assays, as well as assays for the detection of heavy metals in water and bottom sediment. In addition, it offers the service of taking samples at clients’ request, in order to guarantee sample representativity and precision of the results.
In soil, bottom sediment, salt, and plant samples, the laboratory performs some physicochemical, heavy metal, and granulometry assays.
Assays performed on a water matrix
Basic analysis for potability
- Total akalinity and phenolphthalein content
- Appearance
- Chlorhide content
- Color
- Electrical conductivity
- Total hardness
- Nitrate content
- Nitrite content
- Ammoniacal nitrogen content
- Odor
- Organic material content (OC)
- pH
- Total solid content
- Sulphate content
- Turbidity
- Calcium content
- Total iron content
- Magnesium content
- Faecal coliform content
- Total coliform content
Total cost of the Basic Analysis: Gs. 483.000.-
Full analysis for potability
- Total akalinity and phenolphthalein content
- Appearance
- Bicarbonate content
- Chlorhide content
- Color
- Electrical conductivity
- Total hardness
- Total phosphorus content
- Nitrate content
- Nitrite content
- Ammoniacal nitrogen content
- Odor
- Organic material content (OC)
- pH
- Total dissolved solid content
- Suspended solid content
- Total solid content
- Sulphate content
- Turbidity
- Calcium content
- Total chromium content
- Total iron content
- Magnesium content
- Manganese content
- Potassium content
- Sodium content
- Faecal coliform content
- Total coliform content
Total cost of the Full Analysis: Gs. 965.000.-
Other Metals
- Cadmium
- Cobalt
- Copper
- Hexavalent and total chromium
- Soluble iron
- Total iron
- Manganese
- Mercury
- Nickel
- Silver
- Lead
- Zinc
Other Assays
- Arsenic
- Bromine
- BOD5
- COD
- Cyanide
- Chlorophyll a
- AggressiveCO2
- Detergents (MBAS)
- Phytoplancton
- Fats and oils
- Total hydrocarbons
- Total Kjeldhal Nitrogen (TNK)
- Total and dissolved organic nitrogen content
- Orthophosphate content
- Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
- Silicon dioxide
- Water temperature
Contact: Lic. Estanislaa Acosta – Jefatura de Laboratorio
Email: labagua@facen.una.py
Address: Ruta Mcal. Estigarribia, Km 11, Campus Universitario UNA – San Lorenzo, Paraguay.
Phone: +59521-585602 ext. 209
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, from 08:00 am to 02:00 pm