Cyanide and hydrogen cyanide are highly toxic. Regulations have been established to require the monitoring of cyanide in industrial and domestic wastewaters and surface waters.

This test method is applicable for natural water, saline waters, and wastewater effluent.

The method may be used for process control in wastewater treatment facilities.

The spot test outlined in Test Methods D2036, Annex A1 can be used to detect cyanide and thiocyanate in water or wastewater, and to approximate its concentration.

1. Scope

1.1 This method is used for determining total cyanide in drinking and surface waters, as well as domestic and industrial wastes. Cyanide ion (CN^-), hydrogen cyanide in water (HCN(aq)), and the cyano-complexes of zinc, copper, cadmium, mercury, nickel, silver, and iron may be determined by this method. Cyanide ions from Au(I), Co(III), Pd(II), and Ru(II) complexes are only partially determined.

1.2 The method detection limit (MDL) is 1.0 μg/L cyanide and the minimum level (ML) is 3 μg/L. The applicable range of the method is 3 to 500 μg/L cyanide using a 200-μL sample loop. Extend the range to analyze higher concentrations by sample dilution or changing the sample loop volume.

1.3 This method can be used by analysts experienced with equipment using segmented flow analysis (SFA) and flow injection analysis (FIA) or working under the close supervision of such qualified persons.

1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.

1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific hazard statements are given in Note 2 and Section 9.

2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.

ASTM Standards

D1129 Terminology Relating to Water

D1193 Specification for Reagent Water

D2036 Test Methods for Cyanides in Water

D2777 Practice for Determination of Precision and Bias of Applicable Test Methods of Committee D19 on Water

D3370 Practices for Sampling Water from Closed Conduits

D3856 Guide for Management Systems in Laboratories Engaged in Analysis of Water

D4210 Practice for Intralaboratory Quality Control Procedures and a Discussion on Reporting Low-Level Data

D5847 Practice for Writing Quality Control Specifications for Standard Test Methods for Water Analysis

D6696 Guide for Understanding Cyanide Species

D7365 Practice for Sampling, Preservation and Mitigating Interferences in Water Samples for Analysis of Cyanide

Keywords

amperometry; cyanide; cyanide amenable to chlorination; flow injection analysis; free cyanide; gas diffusion membrane; ligand exchange; silver electrode; total cyanide; weak acid dissociable cyanide; Ultraviolet (UV) analysis--water; Cyanides; Drinking water; Flow injection analysis (FIA); Organic compounds--water; Surface water; Total cyanide

ICS Code

ICS Number Code 13.060.50 (Examination of water for chemical substances)

Citing ASTM Standards

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