ChemCentre
ChemCentre (formerly Chemistry Centre W.A.) is an analytical chemistry facility in Perth, Western Australia. It has an extensive history and delivers analytical, consultative and investigative chemical services to a range of government agency, industry and research clients. Its role includes the provision of forensic scientific services to the Police Service and the State Coroner, scientific information and advice relating to agriculture, the environment, natural resources and health to government agencies, industry and research groups, and an emergency response facility for incidents such as chemical spills, terrorism, food safety or export incidents and health or environment concerns.
The Centre is the oldest NATA accredited facility in Australia and were established in the 1890s, originally formed to enforce the then recently declared Explosives Act.
The centre was situated for many years in the inner city suburb of East Perth, but in 2009 it moved into a new building in the Resources and Chemistry Precinct at Curtin University.
Laboratories
- The Investigative Chemistry Laboratory has expertise in organic analytical chemistry, occupational health and synthetic organic chemistry. The Laboratory supports the State's agricultural, fisheries and food processing industries, including export industries.
- The Forensic Science Laboratory supports law enforcement in Western Australia through provision of forensic chemistry services to the Western Australian Police Service, the State and District Coroners and to other government departments and agencies involved in justice administration.
- The Natural Resources Chemistry Laboratory provides services to government agencies concerned with agriculture, mining and protection of the environment. This group has expertise in analytical inorganic chemistry. Staff assist clients with investigation of problems associated with air, water and soil contamination by chemicals and industry.
Further reading
- Chemistry Centre (W.A.) (1992) Making chemistry work for Western Australia : Chemistry Centre (W.A.) directions 1992-1996.East Perth, W.A.The Centre