AWWA WQTC60700

The performance of several commercially available field test kits for arsenic was evaluated and compared to standard graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry (GFAA). Performance was determined by precision, accuracy, linearity, operator bias, matrix effects and "ease of use". Precision and accuracy were determined for arsenic III, arsenic V, and a combination of species. Precision was relatively good for all test kits as determined by standard deviation. Accuracy however, calculated through percent recoveries, varied greatly among test kits. Three test kits produced percent recoveries of greater than 75%. However, the other four test kits produced poor percent recoveries as defined by the authors (50 to 66%). Matrix effects were evaluated using additions of known interferences of sulfide and antimony in reagent water. Field samples were also tested at various concentrations to determine performance throughout the working range of the field test kits, defined as linearity. All field kits were relatively free from operator bias. Four test kits were determined to be relatively easy to use, or have a high "ease of use" score. Two of the field test kits met all the following criteria; easy to use, no operator bias, inexpensive, accurate and precise. Includes 12 references, tables, figures.