ICP testing accuracy

[mwilk19]

Since the majority of ICP testing seems to be done in Europe, for those of us living in the US it can take as long as two weeks for test results. I'm guess actual shipping take a week to 10 days. Does that period between when the sample was taken and when the actual test is performed have any effect on the results? For example, would the time lag effect alkalinity readings?

 

[Pete_the_Puma]

I dont know about other ICP tests but the standard Triton test does not report alkalinity. It just reports amounts of different elements, and I guess it doesnt matter if they react with each other in some way, the amounts overall remain the same in the sample.

 

[mwilk19]

I dont know about other ICP tests but the standard Triton test does not report alkalinity. It just reports amounts of different elements, and I guess it doesnt matter if they react with each other in some way, the amounts overall remain the same in the sample.

I just checked my past triton test results and you are correct about Alkalinity. ATI does report carbonate hardness as part of their testing. I don't know about any of the others.

 

[rkpetersen]

Two weeks should have no effect on alkalinity.
Note that they're not measuring alk by ICPOES; has to be some other technique.
Definitely no effect on any of the ICPOES elemental measurements they perform.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Since the majority of ICP testing seems to be done in Europe, for those of us living in the US it can take as long as two weeks for test results. I'm guess actual shipping take a week to 10 days. Does that period between when the sample was taken and when the actual test is performed have any effect on the results? For example, would the time lag effect alkalinity readings?

Alkalinity is not done by ICP, and probably isn't impacted appreciably be storing in a closed container for a few days.