At a glance
Arsenic in drinking water has been recognized as a problem for many decades in some regions of the world. People in these areas use groundwater as their drinking water source. This water can become contaminated from naturally-occurring sources of arsenic and/or human activities.
Overview
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created the Proficiency in Arsenic Speciation program to help laboratories worldwide assess the accuracy of their arsenic analysis and provide them with technical support.
Accurate laboratory tests that can detect arsenic contamination are essential. Urinary arsenic analysis is the most common method used worldwide for assessing the arsenic contamination of a population. In 2009, CDC created the Proficiency in Arsenic Speciation (PAsS) program to help laboratories worldwide assess the accuracy of their arsenic analyses. PAsS is a standardization program that aids in the measurement of seven species of arsenic.