Thousands of metal analyses per man day: A reality in the U. S. EPA's central regional laboratory: Multielement (23) analysis by an inductively coupled argon plasma atomic emission system (ICAP-AES)

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977 · Natl. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Spec. Publ.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6434906

Ronan, R J; Kunselman, G

The U.S. EPA's first Inductively Coupled Argon Plasma (ICAP) multielement direct reader system has been in full operation for more than one and one-half years at the Central Regional Laboratory of Region V in Chicago. This ICAP system, described here, can analyze one sample every thirty seconds using a cycle time which includes sample rinse, 10 second integration and TTY printout of 23 elements. (This time period assumes concentrations typically found in surface waters and waste effluents). At this rate one might expect to produce 22,080 elemental results. Not included in this estimate are other considerations which limit actual output per man day of effort. The ICAP was investigated as a replacement for the U.S. EPA accepted method for the analysis of metals, flame atomic absorption, and as a viable means for the analysis of large numbers of environmental water samples. In accomplishing this, three principal areas were focused upon. These were: (1) Analysis of Sample; (2) Preparation of Sample; (3) Large Volume Data Handling. The product of the evaluation of these areas has been the generation of over 5000 high quality quantitative results reported for a typical man day of effort. More important than simply a large number of results reported is the high degree of quality control made possible by the introduction of automatic data handling.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Chicago, IL
• OSTI ID: 6434906
• Report Number(s): CONF-760985-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Natl. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Spec. Publ.; (United States) Journal Volume: 464
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALUMINIUM
AUTOMATION
BARIUM
BERYLLIUM
BORON
CADMIUM
CALCIUM
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHROMIUM
COBALT
COPPER
DATA PROCESSING
ELEMENTS
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IRON
LEAD
MAGNESIUM
MANGANESE
METALS
MOLYBDENUM
MONITORING
MULTI-ELEMENT ANALYSIS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NICKEL
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
PROCESSING
QUALITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
REFRACTORY METALS
SAMPLE PREPARATION
SEMIMETALS
SILVER
SODIUM
SPECTROSCOPY
TIN
TITANIUM
TRACE AMOUNTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
US EPA
US ORGANIZATIONS
VANADIUM
WATER
WATER POLLUTION
YTTRIUM
ZINC