ULTRA-TRACE ANALYSIS OF WATER AND WASTEWATER

IONICS RESEARCH INC. (IRI) HAS DETERMINED THAT UNCOATED CAPILLARY COLUMNS CAN BE USED TO CONCENTRATE ORGANICS FROM WATER. THE METHOD IS EXCEEDINGLY SIMPLE AND RAPID (10 MINUTES PER 100 ML), YET EFFECTIVE. IRI PLANS TO INVESTIGATE THE POTENTIAL OF THIS TECHNIQUE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INSTRUMENT SUITABLE FOR THA NALYSIS OF ORGANICS AT THE PART-PER-TRILLION LEVEL IN WATER AND WASTEWATER. SUCH AN INSTRUMENT WOULD BECOME STANDARD IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY, SUPPLANTING THE MORE COMPLEX METHODS CURRENTLY IN USE AND PROPOSED FOR THE NEAR FUTURE. MOREOVER, BY IMPROVING UPON THE DETECTION LIMIT FOR POLLUTANTS IN WATER, THE PROMULGATION OF MORE STRINGENT REGULATION CONCERNING THE ENVIRONMENTAL RELEASE OF CARCINOGENS (AND OTHER PARTI- CULARLY TOXIC SUBSTANCES) WOULD BE FACILITATED. THE INSTRUMEMENT WOULD BE EQUALLY USEFUL FOR THE ANALYSIS OF OTHER AQUEOUS MEDIA (BODY FLUIDS, BEVERAGES, ETC.). POTENTIAL SPINOFFS INCLUDE DEVICES FOR WATER PURIFICATION AND FOR THE PREPARATION OF ULTRA-PURE SOLVENTS FOR ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL SYNTHESIS.