Through our global network of testing experts and analytical equipment including chromatography (HPLC, GC, GC/MS) and atomic
absorption spectroscopy (AAS, GFA, FIAS), Our goal is to provide test services as efficiently
as possible to maximize our customers' profits. For more information about our services,
contact one of our experts today.
Note: this service is for Research Use Only and Not intended for clinical use.
Drinking water is the link between natural water and wastewater. After water is used for basic human needs, industrial application, livestock and agriculture, or fire control, it is then considered as waste and discharged in water bodies (rivers, lakes, sea, etc.). Alfa Chemistry is committed to providing residents with safe and reliable supply of high-quality drinking water. Your water is tested using sophisticated equipment and advanced procedures. Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife. Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, can be naturally-occurring or result from urban storm runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming. Pesticides and herbicides may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, storm water runoff, and residential uses. Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organics, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, can also come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff and septic systems. Radioactive contaminants can be naturally-occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.
An appreciable number of serious health concerns may occur as a result of the chemical contamination of drinking water. The great majority of evident water-related health problems are the result of microbial (bacterial, viral, protozoan or other biological) contamination. Adverse health effects due to exposure to microbial hazards may be acute or chronic. Therefore, it is important to know where drinking water comes from, how it has been treated, and whether it's safe to drink.
Generally, the water quality is tested according to national standards. The total hardness, chloride, dissolved total solids, nitrate, chemical oxygen consumption, volatile phenol, anionic synthetic detergent, chromium (VI), are measured by classical chemical methods. Fluoride is tested by fluorine ion selective electrode. Trace elements are measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer and atomic fluorescence spectrophotometer. The specific indicators and methods of our tests are as follows:
Our company has tests for:
Coliform bacteria
pH, lead, copper
Radon
Corrosion
Nitrate, nitrite, pesticides
Metals
Chloride, sodium, barium, strontium
Volatile organic compounds, total dissolved solids, sulfate
Semi-Volatile organic compounds
Hydrogen sulfide
Iron, manganese
Hardness
Color, detergents
Parameter
Method
Anions
EPA 300.0
Bromide
EPA 300.0
Chloride
EPA 300.0
Fluoride
EPA 300.0
Nitrate
EPA 300.0
Nitrite
EPA 300.0
Nitrate + Nitrite
EPA 300.0
Orthophosphate
EPA 300.0
Sulfate
EPA 300.0
Metals (Ag, Al, Sb, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni, Se, Tl, Zn)
EPA 200.8/ 245.1
Total Coliform (Coliform + E.Coli)
SM 9222D
Total Cyanide
SM 4500-CN E
Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC)
SM 5310 C
Hardness
EPA 200.8 / SM 2340 B
Total Organic Carbon (TOC)
SM 5310 C
Turbidity
EPA 30%.1
Langelier Index (Alk, Ca, pH, TDS) / Corrosivity
SM 2330 B
Alfa Chemistry also has advanced analytical instruments that can measure several parameters at the same time such as gas (GC) and liquid (LC) chromatographies with different detectors such as flame ionization detector (FID), electron capture detector (ECD), mass spectrometry (MS), and ultraviolet detector (UV). They are used to analyze water for specialized chemicals such as pesticides, perfluorinated organic compounds (PFCs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These chemicals are usually present at low concentrations in water and they are usually toxic. Special pretreatment is usually needed for concentrating these chemicals in an organic solvent or on a solid phase that can be used to thermally release the chemicals in the injection port of the analytical instruments. When it comes to identify unknown organic compounds in water, more specialized techniques are needed such as GC MS/MS and LC MS/MS. There are also advanced techniques that allow simultaneous analysis of several metals (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, ICP-MS, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, ICP-OES) or ions (ion chromatography, IC) at rather low concentrations.
Alfa Chemistry has advanced analytical instruments to help you test your water. Our experienced environmental/ analytical scientists have both university training and many years of experience providing professional services in water testing. We can provide accurate and reliable tests results using ASTM, EPA, CWA, ISO analytical method standards within the time constraint. Please feel free to contact us if you have any concern or would like us to perform any water quality testing. Check our instruments list to see our capabilities.