ETR Laboratories Adds Arsenic III & V Speciation

Environmental Testing and Research Laboratories, Inc. is pleased to announce that they are now offering a new level of testing regarding Arsenic in drinking water.  ETR Laboratories will be able to provide interested clients speciation of Arsenic.  What that means is that we are able to tell our client the level of Arsenic III and Arsenic V in their sample.  

Most private well water has either undetectable or extremely low levels of Arsenic.  That is, the level or Arsenic is well below the 10 parts per billion that the EPA standards require for Public Drinking Water.  However, in those circumstances when the level exceeds acceptable amounts, speciation of the Arsenic assists water treatment experts to more completely removal the contamination.

"We are excited to be able to provide this expanded service to our clients” shared ETR Laboratories Eric Koslowski, Lab Director.  Koslowski’s partner Terry Barter expanded on this by noting that "clients having some level of Arsenic will now have the information they need to work with filtration experts. This information gives qualified water treatment professionals the knowledge they need to install the most cost effective systems for the specific circumstances that exist.”

Arsenic occurs in drinking water from two sources.  In many case it occurs naturally in the

minerals from the rocks and soil surrounding the aquifer from which the water is drawn. 

Additionally Arsenic has been used widely for a number of industrial and farming purposes so there are often residuals on the surface from those applications.  As we have learned more about the effects of this metal, the uses of Arsenic have gone out of favor so this source of contamination has been come less of a concern.

Removal of Arsenic from drinking water is a challenge.  There are a number of known solutions, but some work well only for Arsenic V, some are relatively expensive, some don’t work so well if there are other types of contaminants (e.g. iron, manganese, TDS, sulfate and more), some require a certain level of attention to maintenance to ensure their safe and reliable application.  

Learning if Arsenic or other contaminants are a concern is a pretty simple process. First have a thorough water quality test performed by an independent laboratory.  Then if the level of Arsenic is a concern, a follow up test determining the speciation of the Arsenic is ordered and performed. Following that work, the well owner would be well served to consult with a qualified water treatment professional to determine the exact filtration system that is ideal for the circumstance in the specific situation. 

ETR Laboratories is a full service analytic laboratory located in Leominster, MA.  Best known for testing private well water, ETR Laboratories also does extensive work with Radon testing as well as creating solutions for a wide variety of industrial applications.  For more information on Arsenic and other service contact Greg Aldrich, Director, Sales and Marketing (800) 344-9977 or galdrich@etrlabs.com.