The Analyzer Source: Sensitive photoionization (PID) method for the measurement of ppb levels of inorganic arsenic in well water

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Sensitive photoionization (PID) method for the measurement of ppb levels of inorganic arsenic in well water

This research paper is part of the Arsenic Contamination in Food and Water symposium Agricultural & Food Chemistry Poster Session which precedes the two day oral symposium at #ACSNOLA.

166 - Sensitive photoionization (PID) method for the measurement of ppb
levels of inorganic arsenic in well water

Jack Driscoll¹, Jennifer Maclachlan¹, Janet B. Foley²,
Tim B Schroeder². (1) PID Analyzers, LLC, Sandwich, MA 02563, United States,
(2) Bennington College, Bennington, VT 05210, United States

Bennington College is located in southwestern Vermont, an area that has recorded many
bedrock wells with arsenic levels near and above the 10 ppb limit. We are interested in
exploring the geochemical conditions and redox chemistry that contributes to the
solubilization of As(III), the more toxic form of arsenic. We plan to set up some model
systems in the lab as well as test conditions with samples of local bedrock. We would have
chosen the older colorimetric method rather than the AA or ICP-MS because the cost of
these types of spectrometers is outside our price range. We decided to try the hydride
generation (HG)-PID method for arsenic in water analysis at ppb levels (1) because it is
more sensitive and more accurate than the colorimetric method and the system cost is a
fraction of the $200K spectrometer price. We will compare some of our HG-PID results
with ICP-MS to confirm the accuracy of these tests.[ol][li]Driscoll, JN and GA Cutter,
“Total and Speciated Arsenic Compounds in Water by Photoionization and Gas