Arsenic contamination in groundwater : some analytical considerations

For countries such as Bangladesh with a significant groundwater arsenic problem, there is an urgent need for the arsenic-contaminated wells to be identified as soon as possible and for appropriate action to be taken. This will involve the testing of a large number of wells, potentially up to 11 million in Bangladesh alone. Field-test kits offer the only practical way forward in the timescale required. The classic field method for detecting arsenic (the ‘Gutzeit’ method) is based on the reaction of arsine gas with mercuric bromide and remains the best practical approach. It can in principle achieve a detection limit of about 10 μg l−1 by visual comparison of the coloured stain against a colour calibration chart. A more objective result can be achieved when the colour is measured by an electronic instrument. Attention has to be paid to interferences mainly from hydrogen sulfide. Due to analytical errors, both from the field-test kits and from laboratory analysis, some misclassification of wells is inevitable, even under ideal conditions. The extent of misclassification depends on the magnitude of the errors of analysis and the frequency distribution of arsenic observed, but is in principle predictable before an extensive survey is undertaken. For a country with an arsenic distribution similar to that of Bangladesh, providing care is taken to avoid sources of bias during testing, modern field-test kits should be able to reduce this misclassification to under 5% overall

Annual variability of ozone along alpine hillsides

Over a period of more than two years (March 1989 till June 1991) ozone and nitrogen dioxide have been monitored along twelve alpine hillsides in the Austrian alps. The profiles had a height-resolution of 100 m and cover a range between 400 m and 1800 m asl, that is 100 m to 1100 m above the bottom of the valleys. They were situated in remote rural areas as well as in the vicinity of polluted urban and industrial areas. Both trace gases were monitored by means of integral chemical (SAM-surface active monitor) methods with a measuring cycle of two weeks. The concentration of ozone exhibits a substantial annual variation over the entire height range. In summer, highest ozone levels are observed near the ground and at the top of the mountains, whereas in winter the maxima are found mainly in the crest regions. The overall ozone burden shows a relative maximum near the temperature inversion layer in the valleys and an absolute maximum at the crest

Analytical considerations of arsenic contamination in water

The high concentrations of arsenic now being found in ground water in many parts of the world pose an important analytical challenge because of the large number of wells that must be tested. This is particularly true in Bangladesh and other Asian hotspots. Cheap but robust methods of analysis are needed. Training and quality control are also important particularly when the majority of wells are privately owned and testing may be carried out by the private sector. Here, using Bangladesh as an example, we review some of the methods of testing drinking water for arsenic in the field

Analytical considerations of arsenic contamination in water

The high concentrations of arsenic now being found in ground water in many parts of the world pose an important analytical challenge because of the large number of wells that must be tested. This is particularly true in Bangladesh and other Asian hotspots. Cheap but robust methods of analysis are needed. Training and quality control are also important particularly when the majority of wells are privately owned and testing may be carried out by the private sector. Here, using Bangladesh as an example, we review some of the methods of testing drinking water for arsenic in the field