Sample collection & delivery
Sonic Food and Water can provide a wide variety of sample collection vessels (at no charge) for all of your testing requirements. Please contact our laboratory to order supplies.
General sampling requirements
When submitting a sample for testing, the following information is important:
- the sample must be representative of the system under analysis
- the sample must be collected into a sterile, clean, dry container
- the sample size/volume must be sufficient for the analysis required
- the container must be labelled with the company name, date and time of collection, and sample description
Analyses required must be written on the container or on an accompanying document, along with your individual/company contact details and phone number.
Sample transportation
Sonic Healthcare operates pathology collection centres across the country. These centres are available to our Food & Water Testing clients as drop-off points for samples to be tested, and transported via our courier network.
Clients leaving samples at any of our collection centres by a nominated time on a day can be assured that testing will be undertaken within a 24-hour time frame. Please contact the individual collection centre for advice relating to drop-off times.
Our Australia-wide drop-off points and courier service are a point of difference and offer an advantage for all clients. Providing easy access to SFWT laboratory testing by allowing delivery to any one of a number of locations rather than a single designated point, our clients benefit from streamlined service, with time-efficient and cost-effective sample delivery.
To ensure your sample is received at the laboratory and suitable for testing, please note:
- samples must be packaged to minimise potential for breakage
- some samples require refrigeration following collection and during transport
- samples should reach the laboratory for processing within 24 hours of collection
- samples may be transported to our Penrith laboratory either on the day of collection, or overnight - from one of more than 500 collection centres in NSW and the ACT.