NATIONAL SURVEY OF NITRILOTRIACETIC ACID IN CANADIAN DRINKING-WATER

The determination of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) using gas chromatography coupled with a nitrogen specific detector has been evaluated and applied to estimate the amounts of NTA in Canadian raw and potable waters. The national mean value for NTA in drinking water was 2.82 Mg-L-1 (range <0.2 to 20.4 /xg-L-1) with a standard error of ±1.53, whereas, for the raw water, the mean concentration of NTA was 3.88 ixg-L_1 (range <0.2 to 33.5 Aig-L”1) with a standard error of ±2.55. Of a further 21 private well water samples analyzed, 20 samples showed levels at the limit of detection (0.2 jug-L-1) and the remaining sample was found to contain 16.9 ng-L_1 of NTA. This study also compares the NTA concentrations in some of the major drainage basins in Canada. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.