ALS Environmental is pleased to announce that following revalidation our reporting limit for method WAS031, Hexavalent Chromium, will be lowered to 0.003mg/l.

Hexavalent Chromium (Cr VI) is a toxic form of the element Chromium. Cr VI is rarely found in nature and is generally man-made, with wide use in pigments, metal finishing (electroplating), wood preservatives and fungicides, and in chemical synthesis as an ingredient and catalyst. Cr VI may also be present in fumes generated during the production or welding of chrome alloys.

The ALS Environmental method for the determination of Hexavalent Chromium uses an automated colorimetric method (discrete analyser) and is applicable to effluents, leachates, surface waters, ground waters and wastewaters. Hexavalent Chromium reacts with diphenylcarbazide in acidic conditions to produce a red violet colour of unknown composition in acid solution, which is determined colorimetrically at 540nm. The intensity of the colour is directly proportional to the concentration of hexavalent chromium present within the sample. The colorimetric end-point is determined using a discrete analyser, by comparing the colour of the unknown with the colour produced using a range of standards with known hexavalent chromium concentrations.

Inorganics Manager at ALS Environmental, Christopher Law, comments:

“We are always striving to improve the quality of the data that we report. By reducing the limit of detection for Hexavalent Chromium in waters we are helping clients meet the ever more stringent requirements of the Environment Agency and Local Authorities. ”

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If you have any queries about this, or any other analytical offering, please contact us or call 02476 421213.