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- Australian Radioactive Waste Agency
- Australian Space Agency
- Boosting innovation and science
- Co-hosting the Square Kilometre Array
- Increasing international collaboration
- Industry growth centres
- Industry Innovation and Science Australia
- National Measurement Institute
- Optical astronomy in Australia
- Participating in the digital economy
- Promoting innovation precincts
- Science in our department
- Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
Energy
Resources
Northern Australia
Trade
Business support
Measurement services
Government to government services
- Regulations and standards
Emissions reduction
Energy
Resources
- Applying to export rough diamonds
- Applying to export uranium and controlled ores
- Offshore mineral exploration and mining
- Offshore oil and gas exploration and development
- Offshore petroleum exploration acreage release process
- Regulating offshore oil and gas in Australian Commonwealth waters
- Regulating the Ranger Uranium Mine
- Taxes and royalties on minerals and petroleum
Measurement
Trade
Space industry
Building industry
Business support
- Funding and incentives
Emissions reduction
Industry innovation and science
- Australian Square Kilometre Array Fellowships Programme
- Business Research and Innovation Initiative
- Business-research collaboration
- Collaborating with Asia-Pacific on science, research and innovation
- Collaborating with China on science and research
- Collaborating with India on science and research
- Cooperative research centres
- Enabling international space investment
- Industry 4.0
- Inspiring Australia: Science engagement in Australia
- International research collaboration
- Moon to Mars: opportunities for Australian businesses
- Prime Minister's Prizes for Science
- Research and Development Tax Incentive
- Supporting advanced manufacturing
- Supporting business and innovation
- Supporting space infrastructure growth
- Transitioning Australia’s automotive manufacturing industry
- Venture capital
Resources
- About us
COVID-19
Jobs
Who we are
- Our Ministers
- Our Executive team
- Organisation chart
- Our portfolio agencies
- Overseas engagement
- Anti-Dumping Commission
- Anti-Dumping Review Panel
- Australian Radioactive Waste Agency
- Australian SKA Office
- Australian Space Agency
- Critical Minerals Facilitation Office
- National Measurement Institute
- Office of Innovation and Science Australia
- Office of Northern Australia
- Office of the Chief Economist
- Office of the Chief Scientist
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- Assurance and Audit Committee
- Budget statements
- Campaign Certification Statements
- Continuing Order of the Senate
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- Deregulation agenda
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- Trace metal testing in complex matrices
On this page
Trace metal testing in complex matrices

The level of trace metals in aquatic environments must be reliably and regularly monitored to protect fresh and marine waters.
The Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality has proposed trigger values for a range of trace metals and metalloids.
Our services
The National Measurement Institute (NMI) can accurately measure trace metals in complex matrices.
We have high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR ICP-MS) facilities.
HR ICP-MS provides:
- a signal-to-noise ratio 10 to 1 000 times greater than ICP-MS C/R (ICP-MS C/R sensitivity will be enhanced or suppressed depending upon the cell conditions and may need to be compromised when multiple elements are determined)
- resolution up to 0.001 mass units (up to 500 times greater than ICP-MS C/R) and allows separation of most common interferences
- visual evidence (spectra) of the presence of interferences and allows characterisation of interference and analyte signal for each individual sample
- consistently reliable analysis of trace elements in complex matrices due to its sensitivity and unique capability to resolve interferences from trace elements in complex sample types
Most laboratories use quadrupole ICP-MS that frequently gives false positive results much higher than the true concentrations in the sample.
Why choose us
NMI is Australia’s peak measurement body and offers:
- personalised service
- accurate HR ICP-MS facilities
- full analytical reports tailored to meet your requirements
We have an outstanding record of saline water analysis from regular proficiency testing studies.
Limits of reporting
These are our limits of reporting for each trace metal.
Element |
Standard limit of reporting (µg/L) |
Low limit of reporting (fresh water only) (µg/L) |
Instrument |
---|---|---|---|
Ag | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Al | 5 | 1 | ICP-MS/ICP-AES |
As | 1 | 0.2 | HR ICP-MS |
Au | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
B | 5 | 1 | ICP-MS/ICP-AES |
Ba | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS/ICP-AES |
Be | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Bi | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Br | 5 | 5 | ICP-MS |
Ca | 5 | 1 | ICP-AES |
Cd | 0.1 | 0.05 | ICP-MS |
Ce | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Co | 1 | 0.1 | HR ICP-MS |
Cr | 1 | 0.2 | HR ICP-MS |
Cr III | 5 | 1 | not applicable |
Cr VI | 5 | 1 | discrete analyser |
Cs | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Cu | 1 | 0.1 | HR ICP-MS |
Dy | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Er | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Eu | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Fe | 5 | 5 | ICP-AES |
Ga | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Gd | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Ge | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Hf | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Hg | 0.1 | 0.05 | ICP-MS/CVAAS |
Ho | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
I | 5 | 5 | ICP-MS |
In | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Ir | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
K | 50 | 20 | ICP-AES |
La | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Li | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Lu | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Mg | 5 | 1 | ICP-AES |
Mn | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Mo | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Na | 50 | 20 | ICP-AES |
Nb | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Nd | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Ni | 1 | 0.1 | HR ICP-MS |
Os | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
P | 50 | — | ICP-AES |
P (low) | 2 | — | HR ICP-MS |
Pb | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Pd | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Pr | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Pt | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Re | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Rb | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Rh | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Ru | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
S | 50 | 50 | ICP-AES |
Sb | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Sc | 1 | 0.2 | ICP-MS |
Se | 1 | 0.2 | HR ICP-MS |
Si | 50 | 50 | ICP-AES |
Sm | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Sn | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Sr | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Ta | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Tb | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Te | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Th | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Tl | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Ti | 1 | 1 | ICP-MS/ICP-AES |
Tm | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
U | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
V | 1 | 0.2 | HR ICP-MS |
W | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Y | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Yb | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Zn | 1 | 0.1 | HR ICP-MS |
Zr | 1 | 0.1 | ICP-MS |
Limits of reporting against trigger values
These are our limits of reporting against the Australian and New Zealand Environment Conservation Council (ANZECC) trigger values for fresh and marine water.
Element | Standard limit of reporting (µg/L) | Low limit of reporting (fresh water only) (µg/L) | ANZECC trigger values for fresh water (µg/L) Level of protection (99% species) | ANZECC trigger values for fresh water (µg/L) Level of protection (95% species) | ANZECC trigger values for marine water (µg/L) Level of protection (99% species) | ANZECC trigger values for marine water (µg/L) Level of protection (95% species) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ag | 1 | 0.1 | 0.02 | 0.05 | 0.8 | 1.4 |
Al | 5 | 1 | 27 | 55 | — | — |
B | 5 | 1 | 90 | 370 | — | — |
Cd | 0.1 | 0.05 | 0.06 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 5.5 |
Co | 1 | 0.1 | — | — | 0.005 | 1 |
Cr III | 5 | 1 | — | — | 7.7 | 27.4 |
Cr VI | 5 | 1 | 0.01 | 1 | 0.14 | 4.4 |
Cu | 1 | 0.1 | 1 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1.3 |
Hg | 0.1 | 0.05 | 0.06 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.4 |
Mn | 1 | 0.1 | 1200 | 1900 | — | — |
Ni | 1 | 0.1 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 70 |
Pb | 1 | 0.1 | 1 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 4.4 |
Se | 1 | 0.2 | 5 | 11 | — | — |
V | 1 | 0.2 | — | — | 50 | 100 |
Zn | 1 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 8 | 7 | 15 |
Turnaround times
Our standard turnaround time is 5-30 days.
We also offer 1, 2 and 3 working day turnaround times where agreed.
Submitting samples
Find out how to submit your environmental testing samples.
Request a quote or discuss your requirements
Contact us for a quote or to discuss how we can tailor our services to meet your analysis requirements.
- Email customerservice@measurement.gov.au
- Read our terms and conditions
- For general enquiries phone: +61 2 9449 0111
Read more
See our full range of environmental testing and analysis services.
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- National Measurement Institute
Last updated: 8 December 2020
Content ID: 64581