prepFAST IC – Total Elemental Analysis & Speciation

Chromium exists in the environment in several forms which differ in their effects upon organisms. Chromium enters the air, water and soil as Cr(III) and Cr(VI) through natural processes and human activities. At certain levels, Cr(III) is an essential nutrient for humans. On the other hand, Cr(VI) is detrimental to human health and is considered carcinogenic.

For this reason, there is an interest in knowing the level of Cr(VI) in drinking water. Elemental Scientific’s prepFAST IC is a robust, speciation system that utilizes autocalibration and a low-pressure anion exchange column to separate, detect, and quantify Cr(III) and Cr(VI) species in water samples.

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element in the earth’s crust and is found in soil around the world at varying amounts. Arsenic is or has been used in pesticides, herbicides, food additives, drugs, poisons, and chemical weapons. Arsenic can be found in many different chemical forms. The inorganic forms, As(III) or As(V), are more toxic due to their higher bioavailability within the human body. Some organic forms DMA and MMA are less toxic due to a lower bioavailability, while other organic forms such as AsB or AsC are considered non-toxic.

Mercury (Hg) exists in the environment in several forms, all of which are toxic to humans to some degree. Obtaining precise, timely measurements of Hg in environmental samples—especially methylmercury (MeHg) in water samples—is essential to monitoring potential toxicity issues. However, detecting trace amounts of the element is an obstacle that can prevent accurate analysis of Hg and MeHg levels. The following method allows for a simple technique to detect mercury and/or methylmercury in under 3 minutes for water, seawater, or fish digest.

Selenium is a naturally occurring element that is widely distributed throughout the environment and is a part of many industrial applications. For example, selenium is a component in the manufacturing of photovoltaic cells, metal alloys, and medical therapeutic agents, as well as an oxidizing agent in drug and chemical manufacturing. Selenium is usually found as a compound with other elements such as copper, silver, lead and nickel and the mining/refining processes for these elements yields a buildup of selenium residue through accidental mobilization. Certain species of selenium have greater toxic effects in higher concentrations, so determination of individual species is of critical importance.

The treatment of water or wastewater commonly involves the process of ozonation. Ozone is a powerful oxidation technique that can be done onsite, at a low cost, and leaves no residue behind. When included in drinking water treatment it effectively destroys bacteria and/or viruses, degrades organic compounds, eliminates odors or unwanted flavors. However, during the ozonation process bromide can be oxidized leaving the brominated form present in water. This process should be monitored to verify that the bromate species are not being formed (e.g. the by-product bromate is harmful to humans). When disinfectants are used to treat drinking water instead of ozone, chlorine or iodine can be converted to the by-products chlorate or iodate.