EPA actions boost instrument prospects.

Growing public health concerns about three environmental contaminants--arsenic, mercury and perchlorate--continue to make headlines. The EPA's actions related to these three contaminants for this year and nextwill determine environmental market opportunities for analytical and process instrumentation. Although the market effects will vary, the EPA's actions and its designation of specific analytical techniques for measuring these contaminants are expected to influence product introductions and market dynamics.

Arsenic

In January 2006, the new standard for arsenic in drinking water will take effect, reducing the allowable maximum contaminant level of arsenic in drinking water from 10 ppb (10 [micro]g/L) to 5 ppb (5 [micro]g/L). The new EPA guidance, which was adopted in 2001, specifies that all current analytical methodologies approved for compliance monitoring are acceptable, except inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), whose detection limits are too high, The EPA's accepted analytical methods utilize inductively couple plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and three atomic absorption (AA) techniques: stabilized temperature platform graphite furnace AA, graphite furnace AA and gaseous hydride AA.

However, even lower limits are on the way. Earlier this year, New Jersey adopted an arsenic standard for drinking water of 5 ppb (0.5 [micro] g/L), the strictest in the US, that will go effect in January 2006. In 2003, California published a Public Health Goal (PHG) of 4 ppt (0.004 [micro] g/L) for arsenic levels in drinking water, requiting the state's new standard to be as dose as possible to the PHG. According to the National Environmental Methods Index, EPA method 200.9 for graphite flLrnace AA is capable of a detection level of 0.5 [micro]g/ L. Standard Methods 3125 for ICP-MS sets a detection limit of 0.02 [micro]g/L.

Low level arsenic detection outside the lab can be more problematic. The new EPA rule required increased monitoring, making such analysis more important. As described in a 2004 report from the EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, current available techniques for portable arsenic detection in liquids include colormetric test kits. Kit makers include Hach, LaMotte and WagTech International. But TraceDetect has just introduced an automated at-line arsenic monitor, the TraceDetect SafeGuard, which it claims can detect arsenic down to 1 ppb in drinking water for total arsenic and arsenite. The SafeGuard uses anodic stripping voltammetry. Metrohm's 746 VA Trace Analyzer uses anodic stripping voltammetry for laboratory-based trace arsenic analysis down to 0.5 [micro]g/L.

Mercury

Following controversial changes and heated public debate, the EPA released the Clean Air Mercury Rule in March, Using a market-based cap-and-trade program, the new rule specifies standards of performance for coal-fired power plants. The first phase, scheduled to take effect in 2010, caps emissions at 38 tons per year. The second phase, which becomes effective in 2018, caps them at 15 tons per year.

As specified by the rule, stack mercury emissions are measured using a continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS) or the long-term method of sorbent trap monitoring systems. Only the measurement of total vapor phase mercury is required. However, the EPA noted that when adequate technologies are available, it will consider rulemaking for the measurement of speciated mercury emission. The rule also finalizes performance specifications for total vapor phase mercury CEMS In stationary sources, stating the systems must be able to measure "the total concentration In [micro]g/ [m.sup.3] (regardless of speciation) of vapor phase Hg."

CEMS typically utilize cold vapor AA or cold vapor atomic fluorescence. Makers of AA mercury CEMS include EcoChem Analytics, Durag, Forney, Nippon Instruments, Opsis and Sick. PS Analytical and Tekran sell atomic fluorescence mercury CEMS. Cooper Environmental has developed a x-ray fluorescence-based CEMS, the Xact multimetal analyzer, which monitors mercury as well as 24 other metals. Envimetrics recently released the Argus-Hg CEM, based on plasma emission spectroscopy.

Last year, Horiba Instruments announced a purchase order from PSEG Fossil for its DM6 Mercury CEMS. The DM6 is made by Nippon Instruments and exclusively sold in the US by Horiba. In May, Thermo Electron introduced the Mercury Freedom System atomic fluorescence system mercury, which was developed in partnership with ADA Environmental Solutions (see IBO 7/31/04).

Currently, testing is underway on several mercury CEMs. The EPA's Office of R&D and Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards's Emissions Measurement Center are evaluating mercury CEMS from six vendors: Durag, Forney Horiba, Opsis AB, Tekran and Thermo Electron. A final report is expected in October. Two Horiba Instruments' mercury CEMS are being tested by the EPA's Environmental Technology Verification Advanced Monitoring Systems. The Electric Power Research Institute is also evaluating technologies.

Unlike the real-time CEMs, sorbent trap monitoring systems collect mercury samples on a sorbent media for later lab analysis. EPA methodology specifies the use of cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectroscopy or cold vapor AA for lab analysis.

Perchlorate

Although no new regulatory action has been taken for perchlorate this year, the EPA adopted in February a new reference dose for perchlorate that sets the Drinking Water equivalent level at 24.5 ppb. In addition, two new EPA methods were published earlier this year for the detection of contaminant in drinking water. The new method addresses the insufficient selectivity and sensitivity of Method 314.0 for analysis by ion chromatography (IC) and a conductivity detector with a minimum reporting limit of 4 [micro]g/L. Developed in cooperation with Dionex, EPA Method 331.0 specifies the use of LC/MS/MS while 332.0 details the use of IC/MS or IC/MS/MS.

Dionex has been selling its IC systems coupled with a Thermo Electron mass selective detector and, last year, Agilent and Metrohm developed a method combining the Metrohm IC and the Agilent 1100 Series mass selective detector. With the new methods in place, Dionex and Applied Biosystems announced a partnership in June (see IBO 6/15/05) to bring together their respective IC and triple quadrupole MS system for MS/MS, enabling detection down to 1[micro]g/L.