Testing of potable waters for properties such as: color, odor, taste, pH, total dissolved solids,, turbidity etc. Waters may also be tested for specific chemical determinands such as chloride, sulphate, carbonate & bi-carbonate, nitrate, sodium, calcium, manganese, iron etc. Organic contaminats are also often of interest such as volatile and semi-volatile materials includingpolynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), polychlorinated biphenyls(PCB) and pesticides.

Food and agricultural produce may undergo testing for proximate parameters suc asmoisture (water) content, ash, acid insoluble ash, fat, protein, carbohydrate, crude and dietary fibers and mineral content. Specific materials or groups of similar substances may also need to be measured. These include fatty acid profiling, vitamin profile, amino acid profile Specific contaminant analysis may also be carried out to determine such things as levels of toxic heavy metals, micotoxins and residual pesticides. Other tests might include package integrity, tests on packaging materials for potential to contaminate food and shelf life evaluation.

Particular types of products may have their own appropriate testing regimes.
edible oils are typically tested for for color, refractive index, iodine value, peroxide value, saponification value, Unsaponifiable matter, adulterants, anto-oxidents fatty acid profile etc.

Pharmaceuticals and Drugs will be subject to tests to determine, identification especially of active principal, moisture, ash, purity, properties of preparation such as tablets, capsules, syrups and presence of specific impurities. There may also be tests specific to particular preparations and actives as delineated in pharmacopoeias.

Petroleum products and fuels will undergo tests such calorifi value , moisture content, ash content and relevant physical properties such as viscosity and volatility. Screening for damaging impurities will also be carried out.