Industrial Test Systems Quick 481396-5 Arsenic for Water Quality Testing, 5 Tests, 12 Minutes Test Time

This is a good test kit but you have to follow the instructions diligently to get a good result. The water temperature needs to be about 75 degrees Fahrenheit, give or take a little. You can heat the water sample in a microwave oven for a few seconds, if necessary. But it's easy to overheat the sample which will throw off the result. A digital thermometer is a handy thing to have for this kind of testing.The test strips contain mercury and the test generates arsine gas, so you have to test in a well ventilated area, and dispose of the test strips through your municipal toxic waste service (there may be a way to mail the used strips to a toxics handler).This test is for measuring arsenic concentrations between 0 ppb and 600 ppb (i.e. 0 to 600 micrograms per liter). The gradations are fairly coarse in this test. The same company also sells a different edition of the test with a lower range: kit # 481297-5, designed to test 0 to 300 ppb. The low-range test might give you a more accurate measurement -- especially if there is a low level of arsenic in your water. But the low-range kit is twice as expensive.There's even an ultra low-range kit, # 481300, designed to detect between 0 and 20 ppb. This would be the best kit for drinking water testing (there is no safe limit for arsenic in drinking water, despite the EPAs claim that under 10 ppb is safe). But this kit costs over $300.The only viable options I've seen other than these kits is to pay a certified lab (approximately $50 per test).

As described, easy to use.

Here's how it works, which should answer most questions. Of course, read and follow the instructions for exact info.You need a Sample of whatever you want to test. For dry things, like wood chips, dirt, food, dried paint, etc. you will need about a spoonful. For liquid, like water, juice, coffee, etc. you will need a couple ounces. The color of your sample will not affect the test.You put your Sample in a small bottle (included) and add three chemicals (also included). Those three chemicals are not very toxic.The stuff in the sample bottle will bubble and make a gas. You put another cap on the bottle (looks like a regular lotion bottle cap) and stick the Test Strip in the hole. The gas changes the colors on the Test Strip. Then you look at the colors to decide if your stuff has arsenic.The Test Strips do contain mercuric bromide, which is toxic. After use, they need to go to a hazardous waste facility in most states. You can simply put the used strips in a ziploc bag, label it, and take to your local facility.The testing process generates arsine gas, which is extremely toxic. The test must be done outside. But the test also needs to be done where there is no wind.You need good nitrile gloves and eye protection. A proper fitting disposable respirator mask (N95 / N100) would be good to use also, for the three powdered chemicals; they are mostly irritants.Does the test work? Yes. Make sure there is ZERO wind. Make sure the temperature is correct. Don't place it in the sun - this will ruin your Test Strip.Note that this kit is best for basic testing, like dirt and treated wood - for drinking water, you want the Low Range or Ultra Low Range test.

If you've ever wanted to pretend to be Walter White for 15 minutes well this is your chance. This is a complete kit but it is real chemistry so you have to follow the instructions very carefully. You add the water you're testing to the bottle you see. Then in sequence you add three different powdered chemicals from three different pouches or pillow packs as they call them. For each you pour the powdered chemical into the bottle, screw on the yellow cap, and shake the bottle for certain amount of time and let the bottle sit for a certain amount of time. After all the chemicals have been added and mixed in the bottle, you switch to the white cap to seal it, which is like a shampoo bottle cap with a flip top opening in the center. You then take one of the Arsenic test strips and insert it into the flip top opening and fold it down. You then letthe bottle sit undisturbed for 10 minutes as the reaction takes place. You'll see bubbles forming in the bottle and there will be some heat generated my bottle got up to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. After 10 minutes you remove the test strip and compare the color to the enclosed color chart to see what level of arsenic was in the water sample. Of course read the instructions and follow them carefully. What I'm writing here is just an overview to let you assess whether the procedure is too complicated or is something you'd feel comfortable performing. I trust that it gave me valid result and thatmy tap water contains no arsenic.