Trace Level Elemental Analysis of Metals in Drinking Water by ICP-MS According to Directive (EU) 2020/2184

Industrial activity such as mining and metallurgy can cause significant groundwater contamination due to metals leaching into the land and waterways. Therefore, monitoring the aquatic environment and drinking water supplying chain is a fundamental prerequisite for protecting the public at large.

To address this requirement, the new European Union Drinking Water Directive (EU) 2020/2184, includes maximum concentration limits for metals ranging from sub-ppb to 1.0 μg/L for most elements. ICP-MS technology is the Gold Standard for this analysis since it offers trace level, multi-element quantitation capability with high specificity and short analysis times over a wide dynamic range.

We present a complete workflow from sample introduction to the final reporting highlighting exemplary results showing how the mandated LOQs detailed in the EU 2020/2184 regulation can be routinely met by modern analytical laboratories