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 Computer-controlled and Provides Automation

to Most Steps of the Analysis.

The method to identify the experiment is called 239_2_pbA_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

1st Draw = 12.0 ppb Mean = 11.7 ppb or g/L

11.4 ppb

2nd Draw = 0.119 ppb Mean = 0.265ppb or g/L

0.412 ppb

The end