Chromium VI Analysis Revisited to Respond to Evolving Environmental Regulations

Metals Analysis
Oral Presentation

Prepared by Y. Jiang1, R. Marfil-Vega2, E. Barannikova2, E. Ando1, A. Tanabe1
1 - SHIMADZU CORPORATION, 1, Nishinokyo Kuwabara-cho, Nakagyo-ku,, Kyoto, Kyoto, 604-8511, Japan
2 - Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, 7102 Riverwood Drive, Columbia, MD 21046, U.S.A., , , United States


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ABSTRACT

Chromium is widely utilized metal in various industrial applications, such as steel production, chrome plating, and paint manufacturing. The most common forms of chromium are trivalent chromium (Cr III), hexavalent chromium (Cr VI), and the metallic chromium. Of those, Cr VI is known as a highly toxic carcinogen. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates total chromium in drinking water (Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): 0.1 mg/L) and industrial wastewater. Effluents from electroplating industries are regulated under the Effluent Guidelines and, within that group, Chrome Finishing Facilities are under currently under higher scrutiny because of their use of PFAS for removing Cr VI from their discharges. As the EPA is in the process of rulemaking for PFAS discharges potential changes in the specific PFAS compounds and their concentrations suitable for meeting upcoming regulation will impact the occurrence of Cr VI in these industrial effluents. The State of California is also in the process of finalizing updated regulation for Cr VI in drinking water, with proposed MCL and detection limit for purposes of reporting for Cr VI equal to 10 ppb and 0.1 ppb, respectively. To support industries and environmental laboratories in their response to future regulations impacting the monitoring of Cr VI, we revisited its analysis in accordance with method EPA 218.7 using the new Shimadzu Nexera Lite Inert System. This method is based on the use of an anion exchange column and the derivatization with 1,5-diphenylcarbazide in a post-column reactor. This presentation will provide the critical parameters to demonstrate that the method performance is suitable to meet future analytical demands.