Arsenic is present in some well waters, and can be particularly prevelant in central and northern Massachusetts. Analysis is typically performed for “Total” Arsenic where a single value will be reported. As most waters will not exceed the MCL (EPA limit) of 0.010 mg/L, the total arsenic value is sufficient. If the MCL is exceeded and treatment is required, the arsenic value should be broken down into its 2 different forms or “species”, those being +3 and +5. The type of arsenic present may have a profound impact on the type of treatment system that may be required. To determine the two species, called “speciation”, the water sample is passed through a special resin which will separate the two forms, both forms are analyzed and the three results reported as total, +3, and +5.
The cost of this speciation analysis is $65.00 per sample. We will send out a specially preserved bottle for sample collection which is then returned to us for analysis. Please call the lab or email us at info@nashobaanalytical.com to have a sample bottle sent to you.