Automated Nitrate Analysis

Revised and Updated: 01/21/2010                                                                 1.888.NITRATE  www.nitrate.com

      The Nitrate Elimination Co., Inc.
    Green Chemistry for Nitrate Detection
                              Biotechnology People Can Use

Nitrate Analysis
Now Including NEW Lachat Analyzer Method

Replace your cadmium column with NECi's reliable, selective, and environmentally benign enzyme reagents. Nitrate analytical methods are frequently employed in water characterization.  This is because nitrate pollution of water presents a significant health risk for humans and animals. Most US EPA-certified nitrate analysis methods use the heavy metal cadmium to reduce nitrate in the process of nitrate analysis. Cadmium is a toxic chemical that is regulated by the US EPA under the Clean Water Act.  Thus, nitrate analysis with automated equipment using cadmium puts the person running the analysis at risk of being exposed to a toxic chemical. The waste generated during automated nitrate analysis puts the environment at risk of pollution with a toxic chemical.  While proper waste disposal can reduce risk of environmental pollution, only an alternative method will eliminate the risk for the person doing nitrate analysis.

NECi has developed an alternative, the Nitrate Reductase Nitrate Analysis Method (Reference 1 - see list below) based on Superior Stock Nitrate Reductase (NaR).  The NECi Method is a "Green Chemistry" approach, which is sustainable, and  involves no toxic chemicals. The NECi Method also generates no toxic waste that requires special disposal procedures in most circumstances. 

Recent studies have shown that the Nitrate Reductase Nitrate Analysis Method (Reference 1 - see list below) is equivalent to cadmium-based nitrate testing when using an automated analyzer or manual nitrate analysis (1-6).  NECi Autoanalyzer Reagent Kits (ARK) for continuous flow analyzers (CFA) and Flow Injection Analyzers (FIA) -- including Lachat Automated Reagent Kit (LA-ARK) -- are now available.

Method proven to work with precision equal to cadmium reduction method using CFA automated nitrate analysis (3, 4).

Linear regression of surface- and ground-water samples determined by automated air-segmented continuous flow analysis at the USGS NWQL using cadmium reduction (CdR, x-axis) and nitrate reductase reduction (YNaR1, y-axis) methods as described (1), except that nitrate reductase purified from corn-leaves (NaR) was replaced by double the amount of Superior Stock Nitrate Reductase (YNaR1).  EDTA concentration was 750 times greater than used in (1).
 

Why not try the NECi Method in your autoanalyzer equipment and make all your nitrate testing safe for the analysts and the environment?

Is the NECi Nitrate Analysis Method "Certified"?

References:

1. Campbell, Wilbur H., GG Barbier, P Song (2006) Nitrate Reductase for Nitrate Analysis in Water. Environmental Chemistry Letters, in press. Available soon....

2. Campbell, WH, T Kinnunen-Skidmore, MJ Brodeur-Campbell & ER Campbell (2004) New and improved nitrate reductase for enzymatic nitrate analysis.  American Laboratory 22(10): 12.

3. Patton, Charles J., Anne E. Fischer, Wilbur H. Campbell, and  Ellen R. Campbell (2002) Corn leaf nitrate reductase: A nontoxic alternative to cadmium for photometric nitrate determinations in water samples by air-segmented continuous-flow analysis. Environmental Science and Technology, 36: 729-35.

4. Patton, CJ, J Kryskalla, ER Campbell & WH Campbell (2004) Replacing Toxic Cadmium with Environmentally Benign Nitrate Reductase in Automated Continuous Flow and Batch Determinations of Nitrate in Environmental Water Samples:  An Overview.  PittCon2004, Chicago, IL, March 9, 2004. Abstract: 12000 – 200.

5. Campbell, Wilbur H., Ellen R. Campbell, Lynn Egan (2006) Green Chemistry Nitrate Determination: An Alternative Nitrate Analysis Method. American Laboratory, February, 2006. http://www.americanlaboratory.com/

6. Patton, Charles J., et al. (2006) Discrete Analyzer Nitrate Analysis with Nitrate Reductase. See ACS