Comparison of Dissolved and Leachable Trace Metals in Los Alamos Drinking Water Supply and Distribution System Specimens

摘要

We determined leachable and dissolved priority pollutant trace-metal concentrations in a subset of specimens from the Los Alamos Drinking Water Supply and Distribution System. Leachable lead concentrations obtained, although below the Environmental Protection Agency's Maximium Contaminant Level, averaged 10 ug/L compared with the <1 ug/L for the dissolved species. We also observed differences between leachable and dissolved concentrations for arsenic, barium, chromium and cadmium, but these may be due to a lack of analytical precision. Those observed differences in concentrations between leachable and dissolved metals support an expanded analytical program to include all the specimens collected from the Los Alamos Drinking Water Supply and Distribution System. The expanded program should also include analysis for the secondary pollutant metals copper, iron, manganese, and zinc and a comparison of leachable, total suspended solids and total metals to determine if the differences in concentrations are due to inadequate sample preservation or the presence of nondissolved species. (ERA citation 12:039644)