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A novel approach for the determination of detection limits for metal analysis of environmental water samples

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Abstract

Despite the widespread use of the USEPA method (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 40 CFR 136 Appendix B) for the determination of method detection limit (MDL), criticisms have been raised that the method does not account for measurement bias and outliers that subsequently lead to a common misunderstanding of the requirement for the determination of MDL. This paper demonstrates that it is difficult to follow the USEPA method for verifying the MDL for analysis involving multiple metals and proposes a precision and bias criterion for determining the MDL. A multiple-point fitted profile, based on the correlation between relative standard deviation (RSD) and concentration, is used to derive a robust MDL value. Representative examples of As, Ca, Cr, and Cu are used to illustrate this procedure. A procedure for identifying outliers is also discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Forensics and Analytical Science, Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW), PO Box 29, Lidcombe 1825, Australia

    X Jin Yang, Gary K-C Low & Roy Foley

Authors
  1. X Jin Yang
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  2. Gary K-C Low
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  3. Roy Foley
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Correspondence to X Jin Yang.

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Yang, X.J., Low, G.KC. & Foley, R. A novel approach for the determination of detection limits for metal analysis of environmental water samples. Anal Bioanal Chem 381, 1253–1263 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-004-3019-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-004-3019-x

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