Does bottle type and acid-washing influence trace element analyses by ICP-MS on water samples? A test covering 62 elements and four bottle types high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropene (PP), fluorinated ethene propene copolymer (FEP) and perfluoralkoxy polymer (PFA)

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 1999-01, Vol.239 (1-3), p.111-130
• Main Authors: Reimann, C, Siewers, U, Skarphagen, H, Banks, D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0048-9697

The potential influences of sample container on sample composition during storage are outlined. Water samples from 15 groundwater boreholes in Norway were collected in bottles made of 4 different plastic materials high density polyethylene (HDPE); polypropene (PP); fluorinated ethene propene copolymer (FEP); and perfluoralkoxy polymer (PFA). The PP bottles were obtained from Norwegian and German suppliers. Duplicate samples were taken in factory-new unwashed and factory-new acid-washed PP and PE bottles. The samples were analysed for major and trace elements by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry . Most elements were not influenced by the bottle type or by using acid-washing. Aluminium, chromium, hafnium, mercury, lead and tin were very slightly influenced by bottle type. The most pronounced effect was observed for chromium, for which FEP and PFA bottles were preferred.