How to Detect Water Contamination New Approach

Posted by on September 23, 2016 · Leave a Comment 

“How to Detect Water Contamination In-Situ?
Scientists from Tomsk Polytechnic University have developed a device for the rapid analysis of liquids on the content of hazardous substances such as heavy metals. Polytechnicers use a method based on polymer optodes—very small plastic matrices that can be made sensitive to specific substances by means of special reagents. The matrices change color and intensity depending on the concentration of the substance. The device is mobile, can carry out analysis in situ even at low temperatures, and its cost is many times less than the price of a spectrophotometer—the most frequently used device for chemical analysis. The device is based on polymethacrylate sensors—transparent pieces of plastic with thickness of 1 mm and a size of 3×3 mm. The pores of matrices serve as receptacles, where various chemical reactions can undergo.
If a matrix is handled with a special reagent it becomes an optode sensitive to a particular substance. The researchers plunge this optode into the water to test it or simply drip a few drops on it, and it changes its color. Hence, there is a required element. Sergey Muravyov, the scientific supervisor of the project, head of the TPU International Laboratory Advanced Measurements, says: “The more intense the color is, the higher is the concentration of the substance.”

For example, if water contains silver optode, it turns purple-red. According to the scientist, the method can detect substances even at very low concentrations in water.
“You dip optode into the water and then load it into the device analyzer. There, a special electronic device receives optical signal and converts it into an electric three-channel RGB-signal. After this signal processing the device outputs the data in digital form on the concentration of the searched substance. The analysis takes place immediately,” the project manager says.
This method allows the detection of almost all metals, organic materials and various pharmacological agents in water.
“Our method works with those substances with which interaction leads to color change. Indeed, this is not the whole range of substances. But universal methods do not exist. Today, the most widely used method for chemical analysis is spectrophotometry. A modern spectrophotometer costs about 500 thousand rubles, and it is a bulky stationary device. Our device can achieve the same quality of measurements, but it is compact and can cost about 30 thousand rubles at the market placement,” he says.
Such a device for rapid analysis is useful for environmental and related personnel of industrial enterprises. For example, oil companies can use the device for the determination of the tracers in the drilling fluid.
“To date, we have prepared a prototype device. Now we have set ourselves the task to use this method for a multi-component analysis. The fact is that the reagents that configure optode to a definite substance are sensitive to a few substances,” says Sergey Muravyov.”

Source: Phys.org

New Arsenic Test -Using Bacteria?

Filed under consumer products, Contaminated water, Water Testing · Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

JKLM ENERGY, LLC Surfactant Release Potter County Chemical Spill

Posted by on September 26, 2015 · Leave a Comment 

Initial Press Release (Partial) – Chemical Spill – Potter County, PA   (Please like and share with others)

“JKLM ENERGY, LLC INITIATES RESPONSE TO RELEASE OF SURFACTANT AT REESE HOLLOW DRILLING LOCATION IN SWEDEN TOWNSHIP, POTTER COUNTY WEXFORD, Pa (Sept.24) – JKLM Energy, LLC (JKLM) today released information on the company’s ongoing efforts to respond to an incident in which a surfactant solution used in the drilling and completion of natural gas wells is believed to have migrated into shallow subsurface and ground water during initial drilling activities at the Reese Hollow 118 Pad located off Burrows Road in Sweden Township, Potter County, Pa. Surfactants are also referred to as “foaming agents” or “soap.” The migration was discovered following the use of the surfactant to free a broken drill bit piece in the well at 570 feet below ground on September 18th.“

“Local residents with questions may contact Dean Boorum, JKLM’s community liaison, at (814) 598-3960. The company is also establishing a website (www.northhollowresponse.com) to provide regular updates as the groundwater investigation and response process continues.”

Link to Information Portal

Link to Press Release –

“JKLM ENERGY, LLC TO PROVIDE DAILY UPDATES TO COMMUNITY ON PROJECT WEBSITE No Isopropanol Present in Five of Six Initial Well Water Samples Closest to Drilling Location WEXFORD, Pa (Sept.25) – JKLM Energy, LLC today announced plans to issue daily updates to the public regarding the release of drilling chemicals at its Sweden Township, Potter County wellpad. These updates, along with previous press releases and related information will be available at www.northhollowresponse.com, beginning at 4:00 PM today. As of September 24, 2015 JKLM Energy, LLC received lab results from six water sources that had potential groundwater contamination. These results included four of the five private water wells with foamy characteristics for the presence of isopropanol, the chemical of principal concern in the incident, which was not detected in those four wells. The material was also not detected in a sample collected from a spring located in the area of the investigation. The private well with foam closest to the drill site contained 15 ppm (parts per million) isopropanol, which is at the Act 2 standard for aquifers serving residential uses, the threshold for state drinking water standards. These sampling results are consistent with the belief that the aquifer would continue to disperse and degrade the isopropanol as it is transported through the aquifer by means of normal water flow.”

Local Bradford County News Report
Another News Report 
Another Report

JKLM ENERGY PROJECT UPDATE, OCTOBER 1
Total number of water samples (water wells, springs and surface water sources) analyzed to date (93), and those found with the presence of methylene blue activated substances (MBAS), isopropanol (IPA) and acetone, a constituent that is expected to be found as isopropanol breaks down in the environment. In a correction from yesterday’s update, a total of five samples have been returned with levels of MBAS above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s non-health secondary standard of 0.5 parts per million (ppm).   5 samples above MBAS standard and 1 above isopropanol standard.

Learn More about Foaming Agents in Well Water
Video –Potter County’s water sources contaminated (9/25/2015) – Must Watch – Solid Information.   (53 gallons of chemical used – final concentration or 0.25 % or 2500 mg/L after initial dilution).  (Clarity requested- did it say it moved 8000 feet in 1 day?)

dep-notice-of-violation-jklm-energy (9/30/2015)

Our Comments

Testing Should include general water quality, MBAS, isopropanol, and acetone.  When isopropanol breaks down in the environment, this is a possible daughter.  This would suggest running a full VOC can with TICs to pick up daughters.  Therefore, the equivalent of a Tier II may be advisable.  The breakdown of isopropanol to acetone was based on feedback and expert information from B.F. Environmental Consultants and Quantum Laboratories.

Drinking Water Standard for foaming agents or MBAS – methyl blue activated substances or surfactants is 0.5 mg/L – potential aesthetic problems.
“Methylene blue active substances (MBAS) are anionic surfactants that can be detected by colorometric or color reaction methods. An MBAS assay is a type of analysis that makes use of a substance called methylene blue in order to detect the existence of foaming agents, detergents as well as other anionic substances in water under testing. With the MBAS assay method, undesirable components in water samples can be detected appropriately. This prevents water corrosion or contamination.”

Acetone – Drinking Water Standard – No formal Standard, but there is a clean up standard of 33 mg/L, but New Jersey has a standard of 6 mg/L.    (Also Acetone can be naturally occurring).  If evaluating acetone, it would be advisable to collect preserved and unpreserved samples and analyze samples as soon as possible.  In some cases, the preservation method may create some acetone. 

MSDS Sheet – sec-PROPYL ALCOHOL, ISOPROPANOL, PROPAN-2-OL, IPA – ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL
Another MSDS Sheet (another source)

More MSDS Sheets – F-485 and  Rock Drill Oil 150 (We could not determine the specific one so we are using the “Gulf” as an example)

National Drinking Water Database – Forming Agents

Recommended Baseline Testing – Get The App (FREE)

Informational Course On Fracking and other Energy Courses – The Process

Actions:

  1. If you have any testing done as part of this action, please consider releasing this data to the Citizen Groundwater and Surface Water Database.  Fill out the attached form and mail the data to the following address:
    Mr. Brian Oram, PG
    Keystone Clean Water Team
    15 Hillcrest Drive
    Dallas, PA 18612
    Please note- if you have baseline testing done already you may have some information on the level of surfactants in the water if you had a MBAS test done.
  2. Informational Screening Testing – Get your water screened for water contamination including isopropanol – Informational Screening Water Kit (Not Certified) Covers about 200 parameters, plus a review of any predrilling data – Only $ 275.00.  Email
  3. Drinking Water Guide for Pennsylvania.

 

Filed under Clean Water Act, Community Health, Contaminated water, environmental education, Environmental Hazards, Environmental Health, Environmental Reports, foaming agents, Groundwater, isopropanol, marcellus shale, private well water testing, Water Testing, Well water testing · Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,