Evaluation of a New Field Measurement Method for Arsenic in Drinking Water Samples
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 134, Issue 5
Abstract
The recently lowered arsenic maximum contaminant level will require numerous U.S. water utilities and agencies to monitor and treat for arsenic. This paper describes a new method that measures arsenic in drinking water samples by generating arsine gas from the water and detecting the arsine using a paper-tape instrument. Laboratory tests indicated the method is capable of accurately detecting arsenic in water samples at the microgram per liter level (method detection limit of and practical quantification limit of ). The only significant interferences were hydrogen sulfide and antimony. Using the paper-tape instrument, it is also possible to detect and that have been separated by either selective arsine generation or ion exchange. While the method proved accurate in the lab, difficulties were encountered during preliminary field testing on 18 different real samples. This technique of converting aqueous arsenic to arsine gas for analysis shows great promise, but the method needs to be refined for use in the field.
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Acknowledgments
The writers would like to thank the following: California Water Service Company, California; City of Delta, Utah; City of Hanford, California: Eagle Mountain Water Systems, Utah; Mesa Utilities Department, Arizona; Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake and Sandy, Utah; Taylorsville-Bennion Improvement District, Utah; Town of Gilbert, Arizona; Truckee Water Authority, Nevada; United Water of Idaho, Idaho; Jason Davis, Jake Rennecker, Amando Garza, Brad Jeppson and Dan Lopez (Carollo Engineers), Philip Brandhuber (HDR), Zaid Chowdhury (Malcom Pirnie), Robert Hollander (City of Phoenix), Darren Lytle (USEPA), and Kim Linton, Kenan Ozekin, and Misha Hasan (AWWARF). This project was jointly funded by the AWWA Research Foundation (AWWARF) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Any comments and views detailed herein may not necessarily reflect the views of the AWWARF, its officers, directors, affiliates or agents, or the views of the U.S. Federal Government.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 134 • Issue 5 • May 2008
Pages: 382 - 388
Copyright
© 2008 ASCE.
History
Received: Sep 16, 2005
Accepted: Nov 5, 2007
Published online: May 1, 2008
Published in print: May 2008
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