Eliminating the chlorite interference in US Environmental Protection Agency Method 317.0 permits analysis of trace bromate levels in all drinking water matrices

A post-column reagent (PCR) method for bromate analysis in drinking water w ith a method detection limit (MDL) and method reporting limit (MRL) of 0.1 and 0.5 mu g/l, respectively, has been developed by the United States Envir onmental Protection Agency (EPA) for future publication as EPA Method 317.0 . The PCR method provides comparable results to the EPA's Selective Anion C oncentration (SAC) method used to support the laboratory analysis of inform ation Collection Rule (ICR) low-level bromate samples and offers a simple, rugged, direct injection method with potential to be utilized as a complian ce monitoring technique for all inorganic Disinfectants/Disinfection By-Pro ducts (D/DBPs). It has superior sensitivity for bromate compared to EPA Met hod 300.1, which was promulgated as the compliance monitoring method for br omate under Stage 1 of the D/DBP rule. This paper addresses elimination of the chlorite interference that was previously reported in finished waters f rom public water systems (PWSs) that employ chlorine dioxide as the disinfe ctant. An evaluation of Method 317.0 for the analysis of bromate in commerc ial bottled waters is also reported. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rig hts reserved.