Beijing Center for Physical and Chemical Analysis (BCPCA) was established in 1979, subordinated to Beijing Academy of Science and Technology. BCPCA has built up the development thought of "being based on public services, supporting scientific and technological innovation" during its growing up of about 30 years. It has become an active unit in regional innovation system and test platform of Beijing public services. BCPCA is a non-profit research institution with power on comprehensive physical and chemical analysis.
    BCPCA has achieved a sustainable rapid growth relying on innovation. It occupies about 10,000 square meters with numerous advanced research instruments and experienced experts, based on which BCPCA has launched an all-encompassing and multi-layer analysis services. There are six divisions with 125 employees, including 30 senior experts, 18 doctors and more than 20 masters. 15 employees have been supported by provincial and ministerial level backbone fund.
    BCPCA has gained important qualifications on analysis and measurement to provide public service. It has held China Metrology Accreditation (CMA) for 18 years and municipal measurement agency for technological certification for 15 years. In 2001, it gained authority certification for Chinese environment label products. It also gained admission in 2002 by Chinese National Accreditation Services for Conformity (CNAS) for nearly 600 detection parameters according to ISO/IEC 17025. It was recognized as food safety testing laboratory for food used in the Olympic Games in 2006. These qualifications imply that BCPCA has stepped on a new ladder in regular and standard measurement services.
    BCPCA has set up measurement technology platform with a complete function. There are varies of advanced physical and chemical analysis equipments, including GC-MS, LC-MS, ICP-MS, AAS, ICP-OES, HPLC, GC, IC, TEM, SEM, X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, laser particle analyzer, climate chamber, etc., more than 100 sets in the unit.

Main detection areas:
    At present, BCPCA has acquired its own advantages and characteristics in test services of food, environment and materials. It can analyze samples under in macro and microcosm, combining the technology of composition and structure analysis, physical and chemical analysis, inorganic and organic analysis integration.
    Regard to detection and analysis for food safety, all indicators of food quality and safety have been actively carried out in BCPCA, such as microbes, organic pesticides, heavy metals and food additives. In recent years, it has expanded microbial detection laboratory and large-size instruments, which has improved the ability and method of detection, so it can meet the needs of detection for food quality.
    With reference to environmental testing, BCPCA has been recognized as the certified environmental testing organization by China Environmental Label Product Certification Commission. It provides technology researches and test services mainly for indoor and outdoor environmental detection and remediation. The center can provide the services for detecting formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene, VOCs, radon, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfate dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, heavy metals, inhalable particular matters, microbes, etc.
    In materials testing field, BCPCA has pay more attention on material structure and composition analysis of applicable materials, including inorganic non-metal materials, multiplex materials, nano-materials, metal materials and protective materials.

Main Business:
    With the reformation of scientific academy system, BCPCA has experienced in many areas. It has formed self-development model in the practice of “service to the capital and contribution to the society”. As the scientific support of government departments, the work of BCPCA has been greatly supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, and Inspection Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China, etc. It has developed close relationship with Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce, Beijing Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision. The food safety laboratory set up by BCPCA , combining Beijing Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision, is regarded as a national laboratory in the area of product supervision from source to market. It plays an important role in food safety from farm to fork.
    According to the demand given by government, society and enterprises, BCPCA has constructed an emergency response team with the support of local government for quick test. Through united laboratories composed by BCPCA and Beijing Big Agricultural Food Wholesale Markets, test stations have been set up in large markets to forward test and supervision, which gradually became an authoritative test network and has shown good social and economic effects. It has realized a good development model on both sides. BCPCA has moved forward to secure the quality and safety of agricultural food products transported to Beijing. The professional test stations have been built up at Xinfadi Market, Dayanglu Market, Shimen Market, Baliqiao Market, and Maliandao Tea City Market. The trade size occupies 90% of the capital agricultural market. It has realized authoritative test for more than 300 products, on which a food safety channel of innocouous agricultural products has been established from farmland to tables. It accelerates the project of “Beijing Qualified Food” by providing food test data to government. BCPCA is proud of effective service in the process of guarding Beijing people’s life and health.
    BCPCA also plays a role of the third-party in tests. It services production and sales directly. By the end of 2007, BCPCA has been an appointed test center for many international big sales enterprises and more than 200 companies in Beijing. To protect the reputation of those customers, BCPCA is providing technique warranty for the public to consume safe goods.
    To facilitate the regional innovation work, BCPCA proposed to form Bohai Ring Test Union, together with Tianjin Test Center, Liaoning Provincial Academy of Analytical Science and Shandong Center for Physical and Chemical Analysis on March 1st, 2006. An agreement has been signed based on friendly negotiation among three sides. It admits that Beijing plays a leading role, relying on Tianjin and Liaoning and driving Hebei, Shandong and Shanxi, to accelerate the system of analysis and test in Bohai ring. BCPCA becomes coordinator in Bohai Ring Test Union, providing network platform sharing, which will realize corresponding emergency monitoring, timely information so that the test union could provide powerful technical support to guarantee the government’s correct emergency countermeasures, play an important role in the economy development and stable society of the whole Bohai ring area.

Main achievements:
    BCPCA pays attention to the cooperation and communication with other national and international agencies. For example, it has maintained a long-term close cooperation with universities including Peiking University, Tsinghua University, etc.; with research institutes including Chinese Academy of Sciences, Academy of Military Medical Sciences; with Industry associations including China Association for instrumental analysis, China Instrument and Control Society, and with high-tech companies including HORIBA, China-Excel Technology Corp., PGENERAL etc.. Meanwhile, BCPCA has organized national and international high-level academic conferences, such as 1st China Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) Forum, the international seminar on nano-materials, Summit Forum for municipal public safety.
    During SARS disaster in 2003, BCPCA significantly carried out quantities of random sampling and measurement tasks, as well as measurement of "protective masks" and "wet sterilization tissue". It helped Beijing Bureau of Quality and Technological Supervision to successfully destroyed "SARS pneumonia makers" by providing them with accurate experiment data. The excellent work gained the award by the municipal government.
    As a scientific research institute, BCPCA has engaged in research of various test methods and participated in establishing and revising the national standards and the industrial standards and has completed a number of research tasks from National and the Beijing Natural Science Foundation, 863, 973, Climbing Plan, and Innovation Plan of Small & Medium Enterprises. BCPCA has won the awards of science and technology on provincial level.
    The fast development of BCPCA has attracted the attention of leaders at all levels, such as the Central Member of the Political Bureau, Minister of Science and Technology Department of China. The leaders have visited BCPCA and given high appraise for the work. They pointed out that BCPCA, as an innovative and active unit of Beijing regional area, should provide not only scientific and technological condition platform but also technology support.
    BCPCA will insist on the guidelines of “impartial conduct, scientific method, accurate data and standard services”. It will promote coordinated economic and social development by taking advantage of scientific and technological innovation, management system innovation. BCPCA has definitely grown into a first-class public services laboratory.