Water Analysis

We have the capability of measuring over 40 different water quality parameters with the capacity to also create custom protocols for your specific needs. These tests can be performed both in the laboratory as well as at sea, aboard our research vessel, R/V Huntress.

Chemical Species & Water Parameters

It is advised you contact our scientific team (Dr. John A. Terschak: j.terschak@hfig.org.uk) to discuss your specific application.  We can provide you with the protocols we use, possible interferences, and a better description of the resolution and accuracy based on the expected range of data for your particular chemical species/water parameters. In some cases, alternative methods would be more appropriate. If your species of interest is not listed in the table below, we can explore and develop methods based on accepted, standard protocols in the literature.  

Values presented in the table are for measurements in seawater; the methods can also be applied to freshwater, but often with larger ranges, better resolutions, and better accuracies. For freshwater applications, contact us and we can provide the information regarding those protocols.

ParameterRange Resolution Accuracy
ABSORBANCE0.000 to 4.000 Abs0.001 Abs+/-0.003Abs @ 1.000 Abs 
ALKALINITY0 to 300 mg/L (as CaCO3)1 mg/L ±5 mg/L ±5% of reading 
ALUMINIUM0.00 to 1.00 mg/L (as Al3+)0.01 mg/L ±0.04 mg/L ±4% of reading 
AMMONIA0.0 to 100.0 mg/L (as NH3-N)0.01 to 0.1 mg/L ±0.04 to ±0.5 mg/L (range dependent)
ANIONIC SURFACTANTS0.00 to 3.50 mg/L (as SDBS)0.01 mg/L ±0.04 mg/L ±3% of reading 
BROMINE0.00 to 8.00 mg/L (as Br2)0.01 mg/L ±0.08 mg/L ±3% of reading 
CALCIUM200 to 600 mg/L (as Ca2+)1 mg/L ±6% of reading
CHLORIDE0.0 to 20.0 mg/L (as Cl⁻)0.1 mg/L ±0.5 mg/L ±6% of reading at 25 °C
CHLORINE DIOXIDE0.00 to 2.00 mg/L (as ClO2)0.01 mg/L ±0.10 mg/L ±5% of reading 
CHLORINE (FREE)0.000 to 5.00 mg/L (as Cl2)0.001 to 1 mg/L±0.020 to ±0.03 mg/L (range dependent)
CHLORINE (TOTAL)0.000 to 500 mg/L (as Cl2)0.001 to 1 mg/L±0.020 to ±3 mg/L (range dependent)
CHLOROPHYLL0 to 500 μg/L0.01 μg/L±2% of reading 
CHROMIUM, HEXAVALENT0 to 1000 μg/L (as Cr6+)1 μg/L±1 to ±5μg/L ±4% of reading (range dependent) 
COLOUR, WATER0 to 500 PCU (Platinum Cobalt Units)1 PCU ±10 PCU ±5% of reading 
COPPER0.000 to 5.00 mg/L (as Cu2+)0.001 mg/L; 0.01 mg/L ±0.01 mg/L to ±0.02 mg/L (range dependent)
CYANURIC ACID0 to 80 mg/L (as CYA)1 mg/L ±1 mg/L ±15% of reading 
FLUORIDE0.00 to 20.0 mg/L (as F-)0.01 mg/L; 0.1 mg/L ±0.03 to ±0.5 mg/L (range dependent)
HARDNESS, CALCIUM0.00 to 2.70 mg/L (as CaCO3)0.01 mg/L ±0.11 mg/L ±5% of reading 
HARDNESS, MAGNESIUM0.00 to 2.00 mg/L (as CaCO3)0.01 mg/L ±0.11 mg/L ±5% of reading 
HARDNESS, TOTAL0 to 750 mg/L (as CaCO3)1 mg/L ±5 to ±10 mg/L (range dependent)
HYDRAZINE0 to 400 μg/L (as N2H4)1 μg/L ±4% of full scale reading 
IODINE0.0 to 12.5 mg/L (as I2)0.1 mg/L ±0.1 mg/L ±5% of reading 
IRON0.000 to 5.00 mg/L (as Fe)0.001 mg/L; 0.01 mg/L ±0.01 to ±0.04 mg/L (range dependent)
MAGNESIUM0 to 150 mg/L (as Mg2+)1 mg/L ±5 mg/L ±3% of reading 
MANGANESE0.0 to 20.0 mg/L (as Mn)1 µg/L; 0.1 mg/L ±0.02 to ±0.3 mg/L (range dependent)
MOLYBDENUM0.0 to 40.0 mg/L (as Mo6+)0.1 mg/L ±0.3 mg/L ±5% of reading 
NICKEL0.000 to 7.00 g/L (as Ni)0.001 mg/L; 0.01 g/L±0.010 mg/L to ±0.07 g/L (range dependent)
NITRATE0.0 to 30.0 mg/L (as NO3-- N)0.1 mg/L ±0.5 mg/L ±10% of reading 
NITRITE0 to 200 μg/L (as NO2--N)1 μg/L ±10 μg/L ±4% of reading 
OXYGEN, DISSOLVED0.0 to 10.0 mg/L (as O2)0.1 mg/L ±0.4 mg/L ±3% of reading 
OXYGEN, SCAVENGER0 to 1000 μg/L (as DEHA)
0.00 to 1.50 mg/L (as Carbohydrazide)
0.00 to 2.50 mg/L (as Hydroquinone)
0.00 to 4.50 mg/L (as ISO-ascorbic acid)
1 μg/L (DEHA); 0.01 mg/L ±5 μg/L ±5% of reading (DEHA)
OZONE0.00 to 2.00 mg/L (as O3)0.01 mg/L ±0.02 mg/L ±3% of reading 
pHPhotometer: 6.5 to 8.5 pH
pH electrode: -2.00 to 16.00 pH 
0.1 pH Photometer: ±0.1 pH
pH electrode: ±0.01 pH 
PHOSPHATE0 to 200 μg/L (as P)1 μg/L ±5 μg/L ±5% of reading
POTASSIUM0.0 to 20.0 mg/L (as K)0.1 mg/L ±3.0 mg/L ±7% of reading 
SALINITY0 to 50 PSU
0 to 150 ppt
1 PSU
1 ppt
±2 PSU
±2 ppt
SILICA0.00 to 200 mg/L (as SiO2)0.01 mg/L; 1 mg/L ±0.03 to ±1 mg/L (range dependent)
SILVER0.000 to 1.000 mg/L (as Ag)0.001 mg/L ±0.020 mg/L ±5% of reading 
SULPHATE0 to 150 mg/L (as SO42-)1 mg/L ±5 mg/L ±3% of reading 
ZINC0.00 to 3.00 mg/L (as Zn)0.01 mg/L ±0.03 mg/L ±3% of reading 

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