Trace metals in aquatic environments
The level of trace metals in aquatic environments must be reliably and regularly monitored. This is done to protect fresh and marine waters.
The Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality has proposed trigger values for a range of trace metals and metalloids.
Our testing services
We can accurately measure trace metals in complex matrices.
We have high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR ICP-MS) facilities that can offer the following:
- A signal-to-noise ratio 10 to 1000 times greater than ICP-MS C/R. ICP-MS C/R sensitivity will be enhanced or suppressed depending upon the cell conditions This sensitivity may need to be compromised when multiple elements are determined.
- Resolution up to 0.001 mass units. This is up to 500 times greater than ICP-MS C/R. IT also allows separation of most common interferences.
- Visual evidence (spectra) of the presence of interferences and allows characterisation of interference and analyte signal for each individual sample
- Consistently reliable analysis of trace elements in complex matrices. This is due to its sensitivity and unique capability to resolve interferences from trace elements in complex sample types.
Most laboratories use quadrupole ICP-MS that frequently gives false positive results much higher than the true concentrations in the sample.
Our reporting limits
These are our limits of reporting for each trace metal.
| Element |
Standard limit of reporting (µg/L) |
Low limit of reporting (fresh water only) (µg/L) |
Instrument |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ag | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Al | 5 | 1 | ICP-MS/ICP-AES |
| As | 1 | 0.2 | HR ICP-MS |
| Au | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| B | 5 | 1 | ICP-MS/ICP-AES |
| Ba | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS/ICP-AES |
| Be | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Bi | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Br | 5 | 5 | ICP-MS |
| Ca | 5 | 1 | ICP-AES |
| Cd | 0.1 | 0.05 | ICP-MS |
| Ce | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Co | 1 | 0.1 | HR ICP-MS |
| Cr | 1 | 0.2 | HR ICP-MS |
| Cr III | 5 | 1 | not applicable |
| Cr VI | 5 | 1 | discrete analyser |
| Cs | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Cu | 1 | 0.1 | HR ICP-MS |
| Dy | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Er | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Eu | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Fe | 5 | 5 | ICP-AES |
| Ga | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Gd | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Ge | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Hf | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Hg | 0.1 | 0.05 | ICP-MS/CVAAS |
| Ho | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| I | 5 | 5 | ICP-MS |
| In | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Ir | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| K | 50 | 20 | ICP-AES |
| La | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Li | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Lu | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Mg | 5 | 1 | ICP-AES |
| Mn | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Mo | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Na | 50 | 20 | ICP-AES |
| Nb | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Nd | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Ni | 1 | 0.1 | HR ICP-MS |
| Os | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| P | 50 | — | ICP-AES |
| P (low) | 2 | — | HR ICP-MS |
| Pb | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Pd | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Pr | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Pt | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Re | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Rb | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Rh | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Ru | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| S | 50 | 50 | ICP-AES |
| Sb | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Sc | 1 | 0.2 | ICP-MS |
| Se | 1 | 0.2 | HR ICP-MS |
| Si | 50 | 50 | ICP-AES |
| Sm | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Sn | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Sr | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Ta | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Tb | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Te | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Th | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Tl | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Ti | 1 | 1 | ICP-MS/ICP-AES |
| Tm | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| U | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| V | 1 | 0.2 | HR ICP-MS |
| W | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Y | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Yb | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Zn | 1 | 0.1 | HR ICP-MS |
| Zr | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Limits of reporting against trigger values
These are our limits of reporting against the Australian and New Zealand Environment Conservation Council (ANZECC) trigger values for fresh and marine water.
| Element | Standard limit of reporting (µg/L) | Low limit of reporting (fresh water only) (µg/L) | ANZECC trigger values for fresh water (µg/L) Level of protection (99% species) | ANZECC trigger values for fresh water (µg/L) Level of protection (95% species) | ANZECC trigger values for marine water (µg/L) Level of protection (99% species) | ANZECC trigger values for marine water (µg/L) Level of protection (95% species) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ag | 1 | 0.1 | 0.02 | 0.05 | 0.8 | 1.4 |
| Al | 5 | 1 | 27 | 55 | — | — |
| B | 5 | 1 | 90 | 370 | — | — |
| Cd | 0.1 | 0.05 | 0.06 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 5.5 |
| Co | 1 | 0.1 | — | — | 0.005 | 1 |
| Cr III | 5 | 1 | — | — | 7.7 | 27.4 |
| Cr VI | 5 | 1 | 0.01 | 1 | 0.14 | 4.4 |
| Cu | 1 | 0.1 | 1 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1.3 |
| Hg | 0.1 | 0.05 | 0.06 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.4 |
| Mn | 1 | 0.1 | 1200 | 1900 | — | — |
| Ni | 1 | 0.1 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 70 |
| Pb | 1 | 0.1 | 1 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 4.4 |
| Se | 1 | 0.2 | 5 | 11 | — | — |
| V | 1 | 0.2 | — | — | 50 | 100 |
| Zn | 1 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 8 | 7 | 15 |
Trace metals in aquatic environments
The level of trace metals in aquatic environments must be reliably and regularly monitored. This is done to protect fresh and marine waters.
The Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality has proposed trigger values for a range of trace metals and metalloids.
Our testing services
We can accurately measure trace metals in complex matrices.
We have high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR ICP-MS) facilities that can offer the following: