On-site environmental water analyses by ICP-MS

ICP-MS analyses on drinking and vadose waters were performed on-site at a disused industrial/mining site in the former DDR. The results indicate the viability of performing on-site analyses of matrix samples for heavy metals while maintaining precision and accuracy better than other conventional techniques such as potentiometric stripping analysis (PSA). The precision, on a NIST 1643c water standard run frequently during the campaign, is better than 2% in most cases. Duplicate and triplicate runs performed on three samples prove precision comparable with, if not better, than conventional techniques and home-based laboratories. ‘Hot spot’ identification of heavy metal anomalies were located quickly and the environmental assessment report was accomplished within hours of the first sample being analysed. Polluted water samples are notable for their high Zn (maximum 12000 ppb), Mn (maximum 656 ppb), Ni (maximum 126 ppb), Co (29.8 ppb), As (maximum 22.5 ppb), Sb (maximum 54.9 ppb) and Pb (maximum 184 ppb).