How can soil and water be tested for arsenic?
If you suspect that your soil and/or water has been contaminated with arsenic, the only way to know for sure is to have it tested. A colorimetric test kit for water is available commercially. This test kit can be modified for soil (Thomas 1998). The arsenic colorimetric test involves converting the arsenic in the soil or water into a volatile gas that reacts with a color strip. The color strip changes from original white to light yellow, to orange-tan, to dark chocolate brown, depending on the amount of arsenical gas generated. Arsenic testing can be done by commercial laboratories as well. Commercial labs typically do not use colorimetric methods for trace metal analysis. Instead, the analytical techniques involve atomic absorption spectrometry, neutron activation or inductively coupled argon plasma spectrometry. These methods require sophisticated laboratory equipment. If you wish to submit your samples to a commercial laboratory, the first step is to contact the lab and receive spec
