title: Total arsenic, lead, cadmium, copper, and zinc in some salt rivers in the northern Andes of Antofagasta, Chile.
abstract: The pre-Andes water in the region of Antofagasta is the main drinking and irrigation water source for approximately 3000 Atacameña (indigenous) people. The concentration for soluble elements (filtration in field through a 0.45-microm filter) was: Cd < 0.1 ng/ml; Pb < 0.5 ng/ml; and Zn and Cu between 1 and 10 ng/ml. In particulate material the concentrations were: for Cd < 0.1 ng/ml; for Pb < 0.3 ng/ml; and for Zn and Cu less than 1 ng/ml. The total content of these elements is far below the international recommendations (WHO) and the national standards (N. Ch. 1333 mod. 1987 and 409-1 of 1984). On the other hand, in some rivers a very high arsenic concentration was found (up to 3000 ng/ml) which exceed more than 50 times the national standard. In order to verify the analytical results, inter-laboratory and comparison with different determination methods have been done.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Universidad Catolica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Queirolo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stegen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mondaca
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cortés
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Contreras
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Munoz
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Schwuger
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ostapczuk
mesh_terms: D002677:Chile; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014131:Trace Elements