Geology topics
Marvin J. Fishman
Publications and source records attributed to Marvin J. Fishman.
U.S. Geological Survey approved inorganic and organic methods for the analysis of water and fluvial sediment, 1954-94
All inorganic and organic methods for analyzing samples of water and fluvial sediment, which have been approved for use by the U.S. Geological Survey from 1954 to the present (1994), are listed. Descriptive method names include references to published reports for easy retrieval of methodology. The year each method was approved is listed as well as the year the method was discontinued. Inorganic and organic methods are listed separately by sample type (dissolved, whole water, bottom material, suspended sediment, or fish tissue) and by mode of analysis (manual or automated, or both).
Methods for determination of inorganic substances in water and fluvial sediments
Chapter Al of the laboratory manual contains methods used by the U.S. Geological Survey to analyze samples of water, suspended sediments, and bottom material for their content of inorganic constituents. Included are methods for determining the concentration of dissolved constituents in water, the total recoverable and total of constituents in water-suspended sediment samples, and the recoverable and total concentrations of constituents in samples of bottom material. The introduction to the manual includes essential definitions and a brief discussion of the use of significant figures in calculating and reporting analytical results. Quality control in the water-analysis laboratory is discussed, including the accuracy and precision of analyses, the use of standard-reference water samples, and the operation of an effective quality-assurance program. Methods for sample preparation and pretreatment are given also. A brief discussion of the principles of the analytical techniques involved and their particular application to water and sediment analysis is presented. The analytical methods of these techniques are arranged alphabetically by constituent. For each method, the general topics covered are the application, the principle of the method, the interferences, the apparatus and reagents required, a detailed description of the analytical procedure, reporting results, units and significant figures, and analytical precision data, when available. More than 126 methods are given for the determination of 70 inorganic constituents and physical properties of water, suspended sediment, and bottom material.
Evaluation of methods used from 1965 through 1982 to determine inorganic constituents in water samples
Since 1962, the U.S. Geological Survey has prepared and distributed Standard Reference Water Samples (SRWS) to participating laboratories in order to alert them to possible analytical deficiencies. This report marks the first time that a concentrated effort has been made to examine and compare the SRWS data for each constituent by the analytical method that was used to obtain the data. Unlike laboratories that participate in interlaboratory studies that are designed to determine the precision and accuracy of a particular analytical method, laboratories that participate in the SRWS program are allowed to select the method used to analyze a reference sample and are requested to report the method used. Data for a particular method could not be compared with a 'true' value because the data were obtained from analyses of reference samples that were prepared using natural waters; however, where possible a comparison was made between the mean concentrations obtained by the various analytical methods that were used to determine each constituent. Where enough information is available, models for predicting the precisions of the methods have been developed, and the precisions have been compared. In addition to the data presented in the reports, this evaluation provides a good indication of methods that were used routinely to analyze water samples during the 18 years of study.
A standard-reference water-suspended sediment sample for total recoverable metals
The U.S. Geological Survey has been preparing and maintaining a library of standard-reference water samples for dissolved inorganic constituents for 19 years. Recently, the reference-sample program was expanded to include a water-suspended sediment mixture for the determination of total recoverable metals. An interlaboratory round-robin study was conducted. Digestion procedures used by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were used to solubilize the metals before their measurement. The data indicate the both digestion procedures for total recoverable metals are essentially equivalent. Precision data are comparable to those data obtained in standard-reference water samples for dissolved metals.
Automation of an ion chromatograph for precipitation analysis with computerized data reduction
Interconnection of an ion chromatograph, an autosampler, and a computing integrator to form an analytical system for simultaneous determination of fluoride, chloride, orthophosphate, bromide, nitrate, and sulfate in precipitation samples is described. Computer programs provided with the integrator are modified to implement ionchromatographic data reduction and data storage. The liquid-flow scheme for the ion chromatograph is changed by addition of a second suppressor column for greater analytical capacity. An additional vave enables selection of either suppressor column for analysis, as the other column is regenerated and stabilized with concentrated eluent. Minimum limits of detection and quantitation for each anion are calculated; these limits are a function of suppressor exhaustion. Precision for replicate analyses of six precipitation samples for fluoride, chloride, orthophosphate, nitrate, and sulfate ranged from 0.003 to 0.027 milligrams per liter. To determine accuracy of results, the same samples were spiked with known concentrations of the above mentioned anions. Average recovery was 108 percent.
U.S. Geological Survey standard reference water samples for pesticides
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Determination of selected anions in water by ion chromatography
Ion chromatography is a rapid, sensitive, precise, and accurate method for the determination of major anions in rain water and surface waters. Simultaneous analyses of a single sample for bromide, chloride, fluoride, nitrate, nitrite, orthophosphate, and sulfate require approximately 20 minutes to obtain a chromatogram. Minimum detection limits range from 0.01 milligrams per liter for fluoride to 0.20 milligrams per liter for chloride and sulfate. Percent relative standard deviations were less than nine percent for all anions except nitrite in Standard Reference Water Samples. Only one reference sample contained nitrite and its concentration was near the minimum level of detection. Similar precision was found for chloride, nitrate, and sulfate at concentrations less than 5 milligrams per liter in rainfall samples. Precision for fluoride ranged from 12 to 22 percent, but is attributed to the low concentrations in these samples. The other anions were not detected. To determine accuracy of results, several samples were spiked with known concentrations of fluoride, chloride, nitrate, and sulfate; recoveries ranged from 96 to 103 percent. Known amounts of bromide and phosphate were added, separately, to several other waters, which contained bromide or phosphate. Recovery of added bromide and phosphate ranged from approximately 95 to 104 percent. No recovery data were obtained for nitrite. Chloride, nitrate, nitrite, orthophosphate, and sulfate, in several samples, were also determined independently by automated colorimetric procedures. An automated ion-selective electrode method was used to determine fluoride. Results are in agreement with results obtained by ion chromatography.
Selected methods of the U.S. Geological Survey for the analyses of wastewaters
No abstract available.
Determination of selenium in water
The determination of selenium by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrophotometry using zinc is widely used. Very little is mentioned, however, on possible interferences. In an attempt to use this technique for the determination of selenium in natural waters, interferences were found. The most serious interference occurred when arsenic was present. As little as 5 μg of arsenic/l suppressed the formation of selenium hydride. Because arsenic may be present with selenium in natural waters, the above method was abandoned in favor of the following atomic absorption spectrophotometric method for the determination of both inorganic and organically bound selenium. Organic selenium compounds, if present, are first decomposed by digestion with potassium permanganate in hot acid solution. The solution is then made basic and the solution evaporated to dryness in the presence of calcium chloride which prevents the loss of selenate during the evaporation. Hydrochloric acid is added to the residue to reduce the selenate to selenite. Quantitative reduction is obtained without loss of selenium by controlling the temperature, time, and acid concentration. It should be emphasized that the selenium must be in the selenite form prior to its final reduction. The selenium is finally liberated from 6M hydrochloric acid solution with stannous chloride and the selenium hydride vapor subsequently removed from solution by aeration and swept by a flow of nitrogen into a hydrogen flame where it is determined by atomic absorption at 196.0 nm. The method may be used to analyze water samples containing at least 2 μg/l of selenium.
Methods for collection and analysis of water samples for dissolved minerals and gases
No abstract available.
Methods for analysis of selected metals in water by atomic absorption
This manual describes atomic-absorption-spectroscopy methods for determining calcium, copper, lithium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium, strontium and zinc in atmospheric precipitation, fresh waters, and brines. The procedures are intended to be used by water quality laboratories of the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey. Detailed procedures, calculations, and methods for the preparation of reagents are given for each element along with data on accuracy, precision, and sensitivity. Other topics discussed briefly are the principle of atomic absorption, instrumentation used, and special analytical techniques.
Adsorption of cesium on clay minerals
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