Comprehensive tap water analysis inclusively oxygenated halides with TitrIC 2

Importance of the Topic

Ensuring the safety and compliance of tap water requires reliable detection of a wide range of ionic species and oxygenated halides. Automated methods that combine ion chromatography with titration and direct measurements increase throughput and reduce manual effort, supporting routine monitoring and regulatory compliance.

Objectives and Study Overview

This study demonstrates the use of the TitrIC 2 system for fully automated, parallel analysis of anions, cations, oxygenated halides, pH, conductivity, temperature, and alkalinity in tap water samples. Two real-world tap water sources were evaluated to assess reproducibility, accuracy, and detection limits.

Methodology

Anion separation was performed using a Metrosep SUPP 7 – 250 column with a carbonate/tartaric acid–dipicolinic acid eluent and chemical suppression. Cations were separated on a Metrosep C2 – 250 column after automatic acidification with HCl. Sample loops of 20 µL for anions and 10 µL for cations were injected by Dosino pumps. Titrations to pH 4.3 (m-value) and pH 8.2 (p-value) were integrated into the run. Direct measurements of pH, conductivity, and temperature were recorded before and after IC analysis.

Instrumentation

• TitrIC 2 system
• 861 Advanced Compact IC with Metrosep columns
• 855 Robotic Titrosampler
• 712 Conductometer with Aquatrode plus
• 800 Dosino units

Main Results and Discussion

Reproducibility for major ions showed RSD values below 5%, with detection of oxyhalides down to 5 µg/L. Recoveries ranged from 90% to 113% for most species; phosphate recovery was lower due to matrix interferences. Ionic balance deviations were under 1%, confirming method accuracy. Calibration curves exhibited correlation coefficients above 0.999 for all analytes.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The method enables high-throughput routine monitoring of drinking water with minimal sample preparation and full automation. It supports QA/QC in environmental and water treatment laboratories, delivering comprehensive ionic profiles in a single run.

Future Trends and Applications

Advances may include integration of preconcentration steps for lower detection limits, coupling with mass spectrometry for speciation, and data processing with cloud-based analytics. Modular expansions could further extend analyte coverage.

Conclusion

The TitrIC 2 workflow provides a robust, efficient, and accurate solution for comprehensive tap water analysis, combining IC, titration, and direct measurements in an automated platform.

Reference

Metrohm Application Bulletin 303 e, 2006-04-05