testing local drinking waters for trace metals · excessive lead (pb) in drinking water has...

1
Testing Local Drinking Waters For Trace Metals Bradford, Stephen D .; Johansen, Anne*. Chemistry, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington, 98926. Abstract The toxicity of many trace metals is well established and depends in large part on dosage and the specific mode of action. Despite the fact that trace metal concentrations in drinking water is strictly regulated, monitoring at point of use is not common practice due to the financial burden and analytical complexity. The recent crisis in Flint, MI, of excessive lead (Pb) in drinking water has provided motivation to investigate our local drinking water for trace metals with a new state-of-the-art instrument, the Agilent 8900 Inductively Coupled Plasma Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (ICP-QQQ or ICP- MS). Samples were collected using a systematic approach. Once three samples were collected from each location, they were acidified using concentrated nitric acid then analyzed. The Agilent 8900 ICP-MS was run with helium in MS/MS mode to remove any potential polyatomic ion interferences. The amounts of trace metals present in the water varied from sample location to sample location. Methods Conclusions Acid Cleaning and Sample Collection Filled sample bottles with 5% nitric acid and allowed to sit for 24 hours. Rinsed bottles with 18.2 MΩ water three times. Collected water from sample source after allowing water to run for 30 seconds. Analyzed samples for Na, Mg, K, Ca, Fe, Cr, V, Co, Ni, Ag, Cd, Ti, As, Se, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ba, Pb, As, Mo, Th, U. Agilent 8900 ICP-QQQ The amount of trace metals found in the drinking water in Ellensburg, WA, varied somewhat from sampling location to sampling location. Concentrations of tested elements were well below EPA drinking water standards and WHO guidelines (see Tables to the left). Significant variations were found for copper, zinc, manganese, iron, and lead. Barge Hall, one of the oldest buildings located on campus had the highest concentrations of copper, zinc, and iron. A small, yet significant amount of lead was found in one of three water samples collected from Stephen-Whitney Hall, a residence hall on campus. The same sample also contained high nickel. Concentrations for most other elements were relatively consistent from sample to sample. Data 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 24 Mg ] 24 Mg [ He ] 27 Al 27 Al [ He ] 45 Sc 45 Sc [ He ] 52 Cr 52 Cr [ He ] 53 Cr 53 Cr [ He ] 55 Mn 55 Mn [ He ] 118 Sn 118 Sn [ He ] 137 Ba 137 Ba [ He ] 206 Pb 206 Pb [ He ] 207 Pb 207 Pb [ He ] 208 Pb 208 Pb [ He ] 232 Th 232 Th [ He ] ppb Minor Components H20 Wash Acid Wash 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 9 Be 47 Ti 51 V 60 Ni 62 Ni 63 Cu 65 Cu 71 Ga 72 Ge 75 As 85 Rb 88 Sr 90 Zr 95 Mo 118 Sn 133 Cs 139 La 140 Ce 146 Nd 147 Sm 172 Yb 178 Hf 238 U ppb Trace Components H20 Wash Acid Wash MCLG = Maximum Contaminant Level Goal MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level EPA: National Primary Drinking Water Regulations World Health Organization Guideline Values Contaminant MCLG (ppb) MCL (ppb) Arsenic 0 10 Barium 2000 2000 Beryllium 4 4 Cadmium 5 5 Chromium 100 100 Copper 1300 1300 Lead 0 15 Selenium 50 50 Thallium (Tl) 0.5 2 Chemical Guideline Value (ppb) Arsenic 10 Barium 700 Cadmium 3 Chromium 50 Copper 2000 Lead 10 Manganese 400 Molybdenum 70 Selenium 10 Nickel 70 Uranium 15 Guideline values for naturally occurring inorganic chemicals that are of health significance in drinking-water Effect of Acid Cleaning on Sampling Vials *to whom correspondence should be sent: [email protected] 0 5000 10000 15000 20000 Na Mg K Ca ppb Major Components Public Library Police Station Barge Hall Dean Hall Stephen-Whitney Hall North Hall Mcconnell Hall Public Safety Building City Hall Hebeler Hall Grove Shaw Smyser Kittitas Courthouse Brooks Library 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 Cr Mn Fe Ni As Se Mo Ag Cd Pb Th U ppb Trace Components Public Library Police Station Barge Hall Dean Hall Stephen-Whitney Hall North Hall Mcconnell Hall Public Safety Building City Hall Hebeler Hall Grove Apartments Shaw Smyser Kittitas Courthouse Brooks Library 9.80 ppb 43.85 ppb 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 V Cu Zn Ba ppb Minor Components Public Library Police Station Barge Hall Dean Hall Stephen-Whitney Hall North Hall Mcconnell Public Safety Building City Hall Hebeler Hall Grove Apartments Shaw Smyser Kittitas Courthouse Brooks Library 88.89 ppb 6.23 ppb

Upload: others

Post on 10-Jul-2020

4 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Testing Local Drinking Waters For Trace Metals · excessive lead (Pb) in drinking water has provided motivation to investigate our local drinking water for trace metals with a new

Prin%ng: This poster is 48” wide by 36” high. It’s designed to be printed on a large-format printer.

Customizing the Content: The placeholders in this poster are formaFed for you. Type in the placeholders to add text, or click an icon to add a table, chart, SmartArt graphic, picture or mul%media file.

To add or remove bullet points from text, click the Bullets buFon on the Home tab.

If you need more placeholders for %tles, content or body text, make a copy of what you need and drag it into place. PowerPoint’s Smart Guides will help you align it with everything else.

Want to use your own pictures instead of ours? No problem! Just click a picture, press the Delete key, then click the icon to add your picture.

Testing Local Drinking Waters For Trace Metals Bradford, Stephen D.; Johansen, Anne*. Chemistry, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington, 98926.

Abstract The toxicity of many trace metals is well established and depends in large part on dosage and the specific mode of action. Despite the fact that trace metal concentrations in drinking water is strictly regulated, monitoring at point of use is not common practice due to the financial burden and analytical complexity. The recent crisis in Flint, MI, of excessive lead (Pb) in drinking water has provided motivation to investigate our local drinking water for trace metals with a new state-of-the-art instrument, the Agilent 8900 Inductively Coupled Plasma Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (ICP-QQQ or ICP-MS). Samples were collected using a systematic approach. Once three samples were collected from each location, they were acidified using concentrated nitric acid then analyzed. The Agilent 8900 ICP-MS was run with helium in MS/MS mode to remove any potential polyatomic ion interferences. The amounts of trace metals present in the water varied from sample location to sample location.

Methods

Conclusions

Acid Cleaning and Sample Collection •  Filled sample bottles with 5% nitric acid and allowed to sit for 24 hours. •  Rinsed bottles with 18.2 MΩ water three times.

•  Collected water from sample source after allowing water to run for 30 seconds. •  Analyzed samples for Na, Mg, K, Ca, Fe, Cr, V, Co, Ni, Ag, Cd, Ti, As, Se, Zn, Cu, Mn,

Ba, Pb, As, Mo, Th, U.

Agilent 8900 ICP-QQQ

The amount of trace metals found in the drinking water in Ellensburg, WA, varied somewhat from sampling location to sampling location. Concentrations of tested elements were well below EPA drinking water standards and WHO guidelines (see Tables to the left). Significant variations were found for copper, zinc, manganese, iron, and lead. Barge Hall, one of the oldest buildings located on campus had the highest concentrations of copper, zinc, and iron. A small, yet significant amount of lead was found in one of three water samples collected from Stephen-Whitney Hall, a residence hall on campus. The same sample also contained high nickel. Concentrations for most other elements were relatively consistent from sample to sample.

Data

0 0.05

0.1 0.15

0.2 0.25

0.3 0.35

24 M

g ]

24

Mg

[ He

] 27

Al

27

Al [

He

] 45

Sc

4

5 S

c [ H

e ]

52 C

r

52

Cr [

He

] 53

Cr

53 C

r [ H

e ]

55 M

n

55

Mn

[ He

] 11

8 S

n

118

Sn

[ He

] 13

7 B

a

137

Ba

[ He

] 20

6 P

b

206

Pb

[ He

] 20

7 P

b

207

Pb

[ He

] 20

8 P

b

208

Pb

[ He

] 23

2 Th

2

32 T

h [ H

e ]

ppb

Minor Components

H20 Wash Acid Wash

0 0.05

0.1 0.15

0.2 0.25

0.3 0.35 0.4

9 B

e

47 T

i

51 V

60

Ni

62

Ni

63

Cu

65

Cu

71

Ga

72

Ge

75

As

85

Rb

88

Sr

90

Zr

95 M

o

118

Sn

133

Cs

13

9 L

a

140

Ce

14

6 N

d 14

7 S

m

172

Yb

17

8 H

f

238

U

ppb

Trace Components

H20 Wash Acid Wash MCLG = Maximum Contaminant Level Goal MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level

EPA: National Primary Drinking Water Regulations

World Health Organization Guideline Values

Contaminant MCLG (ppb) MCL (ppb)

Arsenic 0 10

Barium 2000 2000

Beryllium 4 4

Cadmium 5 5

Chromium 100 100

Copper 1300 1300

Lead 0 15

Selenium 50 50

Thallium (Tl) 0.5 2

Chemical Guideline Value (ppb)

Arsenic 10

Barium 700

Cadmium 3

Chromium 50

Copper 2000

Lead 10

Manganese 400

Molybdenum 70

Selenium 10

Nickel 70

Uranium 15

Guideline values for naturally occurring inorganic chemicals that are of health significance in drinking-water

Effect of Acid Cleaning on Sampling Vials

*to whom correspondence should be sent: [email protected]

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

Na Mg K Ca

ppb

Major Components

Public Library Police Station Barge Hall Dean Hall Stephen-Whitney Hall North Hall Mcconnell Hall Public Safety Building City Hall Hebeler Hall Grove Shaw Smyser Kittitas Courthouse Brooks Library

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Cr Mn Fe Ni As Se Mo Ag Cd Pb Th U

ppb

Trace Components

Public Library Police Station Barge Hall Dean Hall Stephen-Whitney Hall North Hall Mcconnell Hall Public Safety Building City Hall Hebeler Hall Grove Apartments Shaw Smyser Kittitas Courthouse Brooks Library

9.80 ppb 43.85 ppb

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

V Cu Zn Ba

ppb

Minor Components

Public Library Police Station Barge Hall Dean Hall Stephen-Whitney Hall North Hall Mcconnell Public Safety Building City Hall Hebeler Hall Grove Apartments Shaw Smyser Kittitas Courthouse Brooks Library

88.89 ppb

6.23 ppb