The Analysis of Drinking Waters by U.S. EPA Method 200.8 Using the NexION 300D/350D ICP-MS in Standard, Collision and Reaction Modes

Method 200.8 is a well-established method promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the analysis of ground waters, surface waters, drinking waters, and wastewaters by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The method was first published in 1990 to support the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR), which specified maximum contaminant levels (MCL) for 12 primary elemental contaminants in public water systems as part of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1986. There have been many iterations of Method 200.8, including the addition of 9 secondary contaminants under the National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations (NSDWR). These 21 elements, along with suggested analytical masses, are shown in Table 1. The version in use today is Revision 5.4 of the Method, which was approved for drinking water in 1994 and became effective in January, 1995.3 In addition, Method 200.8 was also recommended in 1992 for the monitoring of wastewaters under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program to control the discharge of pollutants into navigable water systems, as part of the amended Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1977.4 It was approved on a nation-wide basis for this matrix in 2007. ICP Mass Spectrometry A P P L I C A T I O N N O T E