Arsenic Analysis In Water

Arsenic has no smell taste or color when dissolved in water even in high concentrations so only laboratory analysis can detect its presence and concentration.

Arsenic analysis in water. High arsenic levels in private wells may come from certain arsenic containing fertilizers used in the past or industrial waste. Arsenic is removed from the air by rain snow and gradual settling. Arsenic is tasteless and colorless a chemical water analysis is necessary to detect its presence. Arsenic ingestion can result in both chronic long term and acute short term health effects.

Once on the ground or in surface water arsenic can slowly enter ground water. The chapter is divided into four sections. How can arsenic affect my health. In drinking water supplies arsenic poses a problem because it is toxic at low levels and is a known carcinogen.

Arsenic occurs in large quantities in the earth s crust and in trace quantities in rocks soil water and air. Environmental protection agency office of water engineering and analysis division 4303 401 m street s w. Once released arsenic remains in the environment for a long time. Exposure to high levels of arsenic can cause cancers and other disorders.

A 2007 study found that over 137 million people in more. The first section arsenic compounds in water and food provides the reader with general information on the various arsenic species that. Visit our all about arsenic page for general information on arsenic its properties and how it impacts on the environment. Chemical speciation of arsenic in water and tissue by hydride generation quartz furnace atomic absorption spectrometry revision a august 1998.

Prior to the analysis the water samples were filtered firstly using whatman grade 1 filter paper and secondly with sterile 0 2 μm syringe filters. The different water matrices were then spiked with arsenic 0 03 20 µg ml 1 and appropriate dilutions were made. Cogent environmental products for arsenic analysis. Products manufactured by cogent environmental and distributed in north america by asa analytics are used for portable arsenic analysis in field applicatons such as screening and testing of individual water supplies on line analysis of samples from arsenic removal processes including raw treated and blended water.

Higher levels of arsenic tend to be found more in ground water sources than in surface water sources lakes and rivers of drinking water. Arsenic also can be released into groundwater as a result of human activities such as mining and from its various uses in industry in animal feed as a wood preservative and as a pesticide.