Disclaimer & Copyright Notices; Optimized for the MS Edge

A selection of tests performed by laboratories

Soil & Water Conservation Society of Metro Halifax (SWCSMH)

Revised: May 26, 2017

Source: Info sheets provided during January of 2002 by:

Tamara McFarland BSc., Assistant Project Manager
PSC Analytical Services
200 Bluewater Road
Bedford, Nova Scotia, B4B 1G9

phone: 902 420-0203, fax: 902 420-8612
toll free: 800 565-7227

RCAp Parameters

The RCAp is designed to analyse thirty standard water quality variables which, when viewed collectively, give a broad and complete inorganic profile of the water.

The RCAp is performed using highly automated instrumentation and advanced robotics which ensures fast turnaround time and high quality analyses at low cost:

robotic sample aliquoting and analysis for pH, conductivity and turbidity.

Hitachi and Cobas Fara centrifugal analysers.

Automated total organic carbon analyser.

ICP/emission spectrometer.

ICP/mass spectrometer.

Computerized sample tracking, data collection, data evaluation and reporting.

Methods used are those defined by the American Public Health Association and/or the U.S. EPA.

Sampling

The RCAp requires a polyethylene bottle for general water chemistry and a nitric acid preserved polyethylene bottle for trace metals. To prevent losses of ammonia, a sulphuric acid preserved bottle is recommended.

Quality Assurance

Precision and accuracy are assured through the evaluation of Certified Reference Materials, method blanks, duplicates and spikes. Secondary QC involves validating the results based on the anion and cation balance.

Parameter	Symbol and ionic valence	EQL (Estimated Quantification Limits)	Atomic Number	Atomic Weight/ Molecular Weight
Sodium	Na⁺	0.1 mg/L	11	22.98977
Potassium	K⁺	0.1 mg/L	19	39.0983
Calcium	Ca²⁺	0.1 mg/L	20	40.08
Magnesium	Mg²⁺	0.1 mg/L	12	24.305
Hardness as CaCO₃		0.1 mg/L
Iron	Fe	0.2 mg/L	26	55.847
Manganese	Mn	0.01 mg/L	25	54.9380
Copper	Cu	0.01 mg/L	29	63.546
Zinc	Zn²⁺	0.05 mg/L	30	65.38
Alkalinity as CaCO₃		1 mg/L
Sulphate	SO₄^2-	2 mg/L		96.058
Chloride	Cl^-	1 mg/L	17	35.453
Reactive Silica as SiO₂		0.5 mg/L
Nitrate + Nitrite as N	NO₃^-/ NO₂^-1	0.05 mg/L		62.005
Ammonia as N	NH₃	0.05 mg/L		17.030
o-Phosphate as P	PO₄^3-	0.01 mg/L		94.971
Dissolved Organic Carbon as C	DOC	0.5 mg/l
pH	pH	-
Conductivity (25^oC		1 ľmho/cm
Colour		5 TCU
Turbidity		0.1 NTU
Bicarbonate as CaCO₃		1 mg/L
Carbonate as CaCO₃		1 mg/L
Saturation pH (4^oC, 20^oC)		-
Langelier Index (4^oC, 20^oC)		-
Cation Sum		0.1 meq/L
Anion Sum		0.1 meq/L
Ion Balance %		-
Total Dissolved Solids (calc'd)		1 mg/L

RCAp-MS Parameters includes the RCAp parameters plus:

For intro, see RCAp parameters!

Parameter	Symbol and ionic valence	EQL (Estimated Quantification Limits)	Atomic Number	Atomic Weight/ Molecular Weight
This includes the RCAp parameters plus:
Nitrate and Nitrite breakdown		-
Aluminum	Al³⁺	0.01 mg/L	13	26.98154
Antimony	Sb	0.002 mg/L	51	121.75
Arsenic	As	0.002 mg/L	33	74.9216
Barium	Ba	0.005 mg/L	56	137.33
Beryllium	Be	0.005 mg/L	4	9.01218
Bismuth	Bi	0.002 mg/L	83	208.9804
Boron	B	0.005 mg/L	5	10.81
Cadmium	Cd	0.0003 mg/L	48	112.41
Chromium	Cr	0.002 mg/L	24	51.996
Cobalt	Co	0.001 mg/L	27	58.9332
Lead	Pb	0.0005 mg/L	82	207.2
Molybdenum	Mo	0.002 mg/L	42	95.94
Nickel	Ni	0.002 mg/L	28	58.70
Phosphorus	P	0.1 mg/L	15	30.97
Selenium	Se	0.002 mg/L	34	78.96
Silver	Ag	0.0003 mg/L	47	107.868
Strontium	Sr	0.005 mg/L	38	87.62
Thallium	Tl	0.0001 mg/L	81	204.37
Tin	Sn	0.002 mg/L	50	118.69
Titanium	Ti	0.002 mg/L	22	47.90
Uranium	U	0.0001 mg/L	92	238.029
Vanadium	V	0.002 mg/L	23	50.9414

Metals in Soils and Sediments

Metal contamination of soils and sediments can result from a variety of activities including mining, smelting and fertilizer operations, combustion of fossil fuels (automobiles, thermal power plants), battery production and foundries. The main route to the environment is via atmospheric emissions and subsequent fallout, effluent discharges and run-off. Certain metals such as cadmium and lead can bioaccumulate and act as a cumulative poison.

The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) guidelines provide remediation criteria for toxic metals. For instance, the following concentrations have been established for commercial or industrial sites: arsenic - 50 mg/kg; cadmium - 20 mg/kg; lead - 1000 mg/kg (PSC- Technical Data Sheet, February 1999).

Two digestion procedures are commonly used to bring the trace metals into solution prior to analysis:

An "available metals" digest which excludes the fraction bound in siliceous materials, as provided by EPA Method 3050A.

A "total metals" digest (based upon Environment Canada methodology and EPA method 3052) releases the trace metals from siliceous materials, providing a complete breakdown of the soil or sediment

Analysis

Metals in soils and sediments are routinely determined as "available metals" based upon the digestion technique provided in EPA Method 3050A. Alternative digestion procedures, such as the "total metals" digest are available upon request. Samples are digested with concentrated nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide. The digestate is then diluted to volume and centrifuged in order to segregate any remaining solids. The supernatant is further diluted and analysed using an inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) and on inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). Results (in mg/kg) are provided for a 22 element suite based upon the original dry weight of the sample.

Precision and accuracy are ensured through the evaluation of Certified Reference Materials, method blanks, method duplicates method spikes. Complete quality assurance data will be provided with sample results upon request.

Sampling

A minimum of 100 grams of a representative soil or sediment sample should be collected in a clean glass soil jar. Clean sample containers can be supplied upon request.

The Table below illustrates results obtained when a reference sample is analysed using a "total metals" digest and an "available metals" digest.

**Analysis of MESS-2³ (mg/kg)**
Analyte	"Total"	"Available"	Reporting Limit^*
Aluminum	85,000	12,000	10
Antimony	<2	<2^**	2
Arsenic	19	18	2
Barium	960	290	5
Beryllium	<5	<5	5
Boron⁴	N/A	19	5
Cadmium	0.21	0.23	0.3
Chromium	87	23	2
Cobalt	14	12	1
Copper	34	33	2
Iron	43,000	31,000^**	20
Lead	22	19	0.5
Manganese	340	310	2
Molybdenum	2.7	<2	2
Nickel	44	40	2
Selenium	<2	<2	2
Silver	N/A	0.5	0.5
Strontium	110	48	5
Thallium	1.0	0.2	0.1
Tin⁵	2	N/A	2
Uranium	2.9	1.3	0.1
Vanadium	210	42	2
Zinc	160	130	2

^* = It may be possible to attain lower reporting limits as required. Contact the laboratory for more information.

^** = Low recoveries are probable for these elements. Alternate digest is available upon request to obtain full recoveries.

N/A = not available

Note: The actual amount of variation that is observed for an individual sample will be dependent upon the sample matrix.

Comparable results are observed for many of the trace metals that have particular environmental significance (e.g. arsenic, cadmium, lead). Other elements such as molybdenum and chromium show greater variation. When planning long range monitoring studies, specify the digest that is most suitable for your specific application.

Eaton, P.B., et. al.. Environmental Quality in the Atlantic Region, Environment Canada, Environmental Protection Service, Atlantic Region. 1985.

Review and Recommendations for Canadian Interim Environmental Quality Criteria for Contaminated Sites. Environment Canada Scientific Series No. 197, Inland Waters Directorate, Water Quality Branch, Ottawa, Ont. 1991.

Marine sediment available from NRC Institute for National Measurement Standards, Chemical Metrology Group.

CCME cites jot water extractable boron as the parameter of concern. Boron by other techniques may still be useful for comparative studies.

Tin is not currently included in the suite of "available metals" and must be requested separately.

Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons

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A selection of tests performed by laboratories

Contents:

RCAp Parameters

RCAp-MS Parameters includes the RCAp parameters plus:

Metals in Soils and Sediments

Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons