Trace Level Analysis of Perchlorate and Bromate in Various Water Matrices using Suppressed Ion Chromatography
Perchlorate salts are used as “rocket fuel” in electroplating and other industries; yet, in 1999 (C&EN article) it was scientifically proven to inhibit the human thyroid gland’s absorption of iodine — which, in turn, may cause thyroid-related diseases. Perchlorate detection/analysis in varying water matrices can be a challenge. How do we overcome the obstacles?
Bromide is ubiquitously found in drinking water. It is introduced into source water either by contact with bromide-containing soils or seawater having a high bromide content. Bromide converts into bromate during water disinfection, for example by ozonation. Bromate can also enter drinking water when sodium hypochlorite is used as disinfectant, as it is a common impurity in sodium hypochlorite production. The International Agency for the Research of Cancer has determined that bromate is a possible carcinogen. Therefore, monitoring of bromate and its precursor bromide in drinking water is required.
While much research has been done to develop methods to analyze for bromate and bromide including several Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) methods, most of this work requires specialized instrumentation such as two-dimensional ion chromatography, expensive sample preparation or post-column reactions techniques.
This work describes a method for determining the concentration of bromate and bromide ions at ppb levels in drinking water using a simple isocratic IC with loop injection. Bottled water and tap water samples were used to validate the method. Spiked water samples were used to verify quantification.
Bromide is ubiquitously found in drinking water. It is introduced into source water either by contact with bromide-containing soils or seawater having a high bromide content. Bromide converts into bromate during water disinfection, for example by ozonation. Bromate can also enter drinking water when sodium hypochlorite is used as disinfectant, as it is a common impurity in sodium hypochlorite production. The International Agency for the Research of Cancer has determined that bromate is a possible carcinogen. Therefore, monitoring of bromate and its precursor bromide in drinking water is required.
While much research has been done to develop methods to analyze for bromate and bromide including several Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) methods, most of this work requires specialized instrumentation such as two-dimensional ion chromatography, expensive sample preparation or post-column reactions techniques.
This work describes a method for determining the concentration of bromate and bromide ions at ppb levels in drinking water using a simple isocratic IC with loop injection. Bottled water and tap water samples were used to validate the method. Spiked water samples were used to verify quantification.
