Advances in ICP-MS for EPA Method 200.8

This webinar explores how modern ICP-MS workflows are helping environmental laboratories meet stricter drinking water regulations with faster, more sensitive, and defensible trace metals analysis.

Register Free: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/spec_w/EPA-method

Event Overview:

A critical job of an environmental testing laboratory is analyzing and ensuring the quality of drinking water. The detection of trace levels of highly toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury is a key to providing safe drinking water to communities. Advances in ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) provide laboratory professionals with higher sensitivity, lower detection limits, and increased speed of analysis for a wide range of elements.

The focus is on what laboratories, utilities, and QA staff are most concerned about right now: tighter regulations, data defensibility, interferences, and operational efficiency.

EPA Method 200.8 remains the primary compliance method for trace metals in drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act, covering 21 regulated elements.

Two regulatory developments are significantly increasing scrutiny and sample volume:

• Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) finalized in October 2024 lowered the lead action level to 0.010 mg/L and strengthened tap sampling and public notification requirements, with compliance milestones running through 2027.
• Continued enforcement of low MCLs for arsenic (10 µg/L), cadmium (5 µg/L), thallium (2 µg/L), and uranium (30 µg/L) requires sub ppb detection capability, solid QC performance, and defensible MDLs—making ICP MS indispensable.

Demonstrating reliable performance at or below action levels is important, not just detecting presence. Being able to provide a reliable audit trial and increased speed of analysis to handle increasing workflow is also of high importance. This webinar will cover these important issues faced in the modern environmental laboratory.

Key Learning Objectives

• Understand recent advancements in ICP MS technology that impact Method 200.8 performance.
• Learn how to apply updated interference control strategies, audit control and data integrity.
• Learn best practices for lower detection limits while maintaining method compliance.

Who Should Attend

• Lab managers, QC/QA managers, plant managers, chemists, and regulatory and compliance professionals and supervisors associated with environmental analysis
• Environmental lab managers in municipalities, state labs, contract testing labs, and private labs

Speaker:

Janel Dempsey, PhD
Applications Specialist
SPECTRO Analytical Instruments

Janel Dempsey, PhD, is from Cleveland, Ohio, and obtained her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from John Carroll University. She received her PhD in physical organic chemistry from the University of Notre Dame. Dempsey then completed a postdoctoral appointment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. She now works at SPECTRO Analytical Instruments in Wilmington, Mass, as an ICP-OES and ICP-MS applications specialist, providing support for both product lines.

Register Free: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/spec_w/EPA-method