Determination of Lead in Drinking Water What

Determination of Lead in Drinking Water

What Is Lead? • Lead is one of the heavy metals that puts enormous risk to human health and is a major determinant for non-infectious diseases, those illnesses associated with toxic chemical pollution.

Where Is Lead Found? • Lead can be found in natural deposit, and is commonly used in household plumbing and water service lines. Lead enters tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials.

What Is the Limited Concentration of Lead in Potable Water? • The amount of lead concentration limited in drinking water is 15 ppb (parts per billion) or 15 g/l of water.

Who Regulates the Concentration Limits? • Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) – through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Experimental Apparatus

• Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer

Hallow Cathode Lamp

Pyrocoated Graphite Furnace (Tube)

Sample Carousel

Motor Driven Sampling Arm

The Instrument Is Computercontrolled and Provides Automation to Most Steps of the Analysis.

The method to identify the experiment is called 239_2_pb. A_100 and is the standard method used for the GFAAS. This method is approved by the EPA and regulated by the SDWA.

Method and Procedure Data Book

Water Samples & Calibrated Standards

Absorbance vs Time = ppb Concentration (peak area)

Water Samples Lead Concentration 1 st Draw = 12. 0 ppb Mean = 11. 7 ppb or g/L 11. 4 ppb 2 nd Draw = 0. 119 ppb Mean = 0. 265 ppb or g/L 0. 412 ppb

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