Application of ICP-MS to outlet water control in the Llobregat and Ter drinking water treatment plants

Abstract

Analytical characteristics of ICP-MS render this technique as suitable for drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) monitoring of those inorganic parameters usually included in the regulations relative to human drinking water quality (e.g., European Directive 98/83/EC), such as B, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, As, Se, Cd, Sb and Pb. Furthermore, ICP-MS multielemental capacity allows to perform an exhaustive monitoring of other elements of interest for the DWTP's themselves, e.g., treatment processes control, or since the point Bf view of the local regional hydrochemical features (natural or anthropogenic). This work demonstrates this application in terms of limits of;detection, precision and accuracy to the Llobregat and Ter DWTP's in north-eastern Spain, which supply water to more than four million inhabitants in the Barcelona and metropolitan area. The elements studied have been Ca, Mg, Na, K, Si, Li, Be, B, Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Te, I, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Cd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Hf, Ta, W, Pt, Au, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi,Th and U.