PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION ON THE USE OF ION-EXCHANGE RESINS FOR MONITORING RIVER WATER COMPOSITION

The potential for using ion exchange membranes to monitor river water chemistry is assessed by comparing their use with conventional water sampling. The results from a study between two chemically contrasting catchment areas are presented. Initial results indicate that the resin method may possess a number of advantages. It appears that ion exchange resin may be useful in providing general 'finger print' type information for river systems. The direct multi-element analysis of resin strips by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) removes the need for either storage or filtering of water samples, both of which are sources of potential contamination and error.