Ivars Jaunakais of Industrial Test Systems, Inc. recently announced that he had successfully used one of his company’s EPA/ETV Test Verified Field Arsenic Test Kits to detect inorganic arsenic in undiluted ocean water.
According to the statement we received, Ivars spiked a sample of undiluted ocean water with 50ppb inorganic arsenic and recovered 100% during testing with both an electronic meter system (Arsenic Scan) and a visual test method (Arsenic Econo-Quick II).
Ivars went on to make comments about testing for arsenic in brackish water that contains suspended solids. He suggested that the solids have time to settle in the sample prior to testing and/or that samples get filtered before testing.
Additionally, he remarked that samples ought not sit for too long before testing as the organics in ocean water have the abilty to convert inorganic arsenic into organic arsenic. The QuickTM series of arsenic test kits cannot detect organic arsenic.
