USGS-NWQL: I-7270: Copper, suspended recoverable from water; by FLAA.
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Official Method Name
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Copper, atomic absorption spectrometric, direct |
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Current Revision
| 1985 |
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Media
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WATER |
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Instrumentation
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Flame Atomic Absorption |
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Method Subcategory
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Inorganic |
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Method Source
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Citation
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Methods for the Determination of Inorganic Substances in Water and Fluvial Sediments, Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations of the United States Geological Survey, Book 5, Chapter A1 Edited by Marvin J. Fishman and Linda C. Friedman |
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Brief Method Summary
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Copper is determined by atomic absorption spectrometry by direct aspiration of the sample solution into an air-acetylene flame (Fishman and Downs, 1966). The procedure may be automated by the addition of a sampler and either a strip-chart recorder or a printer or both. |
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Scope and Application
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This method may be used to analyze water and water-suspended sediment containing at least 10 ug/L of copper. Sample solutions containing more than 1,000 ug/L need either to be diluted or to be read on a less expanded scale. Brines need to be analyzed by the atomic absorption spectrometric chelation-extraction method, providing that the interference limits discussed in that method are not exceeded. Suspended recoverable copper is calculated by subtracting dissolved copper from total recoverable copper. |
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Applicable Concentration Range
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10 - 1,000 ug/L |
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Interferences
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Individual concentrations of sodium (9,000 mg/L), potassium (9,000 mg/L), calcium (4,000mg/L), magnesium (4,000 mg/L), sulfate (9,000 mg/L), chloride (9,000 mg/L), nitrate (2,000 mg/L), iron (4 X 106ug/L), lead, cadmium, zinc, and chromium (10,000 ug/L each) do not interfere. Higher concentrations of each constituent were not investigated. Nickel and cobalt concentrations greater than 8,000 ug/L suppress the copper absorption. |
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Quality Control Requirements
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Calibrate instrument using calibration standards (CAL). Quality control samples (QCS) and laboratory blanks (LB) analyzed at a minimum of I each after every 10 samples |
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Sample Handling
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Container Descriptions: 250 mL Polyethylene bottles, acid-rinsed. Treatment and Preservation: Use unfiltered sample to rinse bottle, then acidify collected sample with HNO3 to pH <2. For second sample, filter through 0.45-um filter, use filtered sample to rinse containers and acidify sample with HNO3 to pH < 2. |
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Maximum Holding Time
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180 days |
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Relative Cost
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Less than $50 |
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Sample Preparation Methods
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