Nitrate Analysis Methods for Water

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

Nitrate analysis of water is one of the most common tests done by individuals, commercial laboratories and government regulatory laboratories, like public health departments.  This is because nitrate pollution of water presents a significant health risk for humans and animals. Many commercial nitrate test kits and most US EPA certified nitrate analysis methods use the heavy metal cadmium to reduce nitrate in the process of nitrate testing. Cadmium is a toxic chemical that is regulated by the US EPA under the Clean Water Act.  Thus, nitrate testing and nitrate analysis with automated equipment using cadmium puts the person running the test at risk of being exposed to a toxic chemical. The waste generated during automated nitrate analysis and in manual nitrate testing, 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 the nitrate testing and 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 which requires special disposal procedures in most circumstances.  Recent studies have shown that Enzymatic Nitrate Testing is equivalent to cadmium based nitrate testing when using an automated analyzer or manual nitrate analysis (1-6).  Thus NECI Nitrate Test Kits (NTK) are a safe and effective alternative to cadmium based testing.  Why not try the NECi Method and make all your nitrate testing safe for the testers and the environment?

Using Autoanalyzer for Nitrate Analysis: CFA/FIA or Discrete Analyzer

Is the NECi Nitrate Analysis Method "Certified"?

References:

1. Campbell, Wilbur H., P Song, GG Barbier (2006) Nitrate Reductase for Nitrate Analysis in Water. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 4: 69-73. Download PDF.

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.  read it

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.  Read this publication

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: http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-a/40/i03/html/020106news4.html