Question
Asked 27th Aug, 2020

How long can water sample containing "heavy metal" be conserved until further analysis?

Hello everyone,
I am actually dealing with heavy metal in shark meat and vertebrae, water and sediment. I intend to collect these samples for one year before to process to the appropriate analyses. The analyses will be carried out in France using ICP-MS and by the way lead (Pb) isotope signature will be measuring. Due to shipping cost, I might not be able to be sending after each campaign the samples directly to the lab, this challenges my work. Therefore, I am seeking a protocol to store the samples until they be analyzed.
Can someone suggest a protocol for such storage?
For how long can I keep my samples even if I apply a known protocol for sample preservation on the field (adding of nitric acid to deplete the pH<2)?
The samples are to be sampled in five countries.

Most recent answer

Virendra Kumar Saxena
National Geophysical Research Institute
add acid and store in cool and dark place maximum one month. otherwise within a week.
1 Recommendation

Popular answers (1)

Mathias Chia
University of Brasília
In metal analysis, contamination is the main source of errors. Avoid using glass containers to store your samples, use containers made from polyethylene or other inert material like teflon. Prior to use, the washing of these containers must be done with nonionic detergents (sulfate-free) followed by thorough rinsing. As a practice, rinse ten times (10x) with deionised water.
Acidify your samples to pH 2 with HNO3 and store in Teflon material. This will be stable for 6 months.
3 Recommendations

All Answers (8)

Mathias Chia
University of Brasília
In metal analysis, contamination is the main source of errors. Avoid using glass containers to store your samples, use containers made from polyethylene or other inert material like teflon. Prior to use, the washing of these containers must be done with nonionic detergents (sulfate-free) followed by thorough rinsing. As a practice, rinse ten times (10x) with deionised water.
Acidify your samples to pH 2 with HNO3 and store in Teflon material. This will be stable for 6 months.
3 Recommendations
K. Shahzad Baig
Pak-Austria Fachhochschule Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology
Store your samples at 4 OC, in teflon container and at a pH value of less than 2.
3 Recommendations
Joseph Stroud
Bond University
Thank you for sharing your knowledge
Abhijit Mitra
University of Calcutta
With a pH at 4.00 using nitric acid - it can be stored for a month
1 Recommendation
Ajay Kumar Meena
Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences
am agreed with Mathias Chia
for more details of water sampling you can refer APHA Book, Standard methods for water and waste water analysis
1 Recommendation
Hello everyone,
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. It really appreciated.
I'm still expecting something about the storage and conservation of Heavy metals in sharks' tissue and vertebrae and, the sediment.
Many thanks.
1 Recommendation
Virendra Kumar Saxena
National Geophysical Research Institute
add acid and store in cool and dark place maximum one month. otherwise within a week.
1 Recommendation

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