The NEL performs a number of physicochemical and mi​crobiological analyses to assess surface and groundwater quality and collaborates with other laboratories for monitoring, analysis and reporting. As an accredited laboratory (MS ISO/IEC 17025), the NEL also develops analytical methods.As per the MS ISO/IEC 17025 international standards, the NEL’s analytical results can be used as evidence in court cases.
 

The National Environmental Laboratory (NEL) has two fixed ambient air monitoring stations. Fine Particulate Matter (PM-10) is being continuously monitored at two urban background regions. One urban background station has been set-up in Vacoas (within premises of Mauritius Meteorological Services) and another in Port Louis (within premises of Islamic Cultural Centre) to measure parameter PM-10. Monitoring is being continuously done since August 2015.

The annual average PM-10 value for Port Louis was 13.1 µg/m3 (micrograms per meter cube) for the year 2016 and the annual average PM-10 value for Vacoas was 15.2µg/m3 for that year. The results showed that neither the Mauritian Ambient Air Quality standard prescribed limit for PM-10 (100 µg/m3 – 24-hour average) nor the PM-10 WHO guidelines (50 µg/m3 – 24-hour average) was exceeded during the monitoring period. The WHO standards limit for PM-10 annual average is 20 µg/m3.

 

For this year, an urban roadside fixed ambient air monitoring station is being set up at Rose-Hill to monitor PM-10 near one of the major road in Rose-Hill. Gaseous pollutants like Oxides of Nitrogen, Sulphur Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide have also been included in this project. This will help assess air pollutants level at a heavy traffic roadside. The data obtained will help the government in policy decision with regards to road traffic decongestion.​


The NEL is also equipped with mobile air quality monitoring stations (to measure Particulate Matter Total Suspended Particlesand gaseous pollutants such as Oxides of Nitrogen, Sulphur Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide) ​

 
Air quality monitoring is carried outacross the island by the NEL in response to public complaints on air pollution through the Pollution Prevention and Control Division.
 
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Contact:
National Environmental Laboratory
Tel: 466 1080​​​​