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How can I test water from any source for lead,fluoride...any toxins or metals including levels of thalates in bottled?

HI,is there a reliable comprehensive test kit for a "layperson"?If not,is there a place to acquire the materials and knowledge necessary to test for contaminates at home?  

5 answers
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Dec 31, 2009. 6:46 AMNachoMahma says:
.  While the layperson (non-chemist and no real lab) can do some very simple testing ("it's present, but not real sure how much"), getting accurate results at the extremely low levels involved is going to take, as steveastrouk points out, some expensive to buy/calibrate/maintain equipment.
.
.  To find testing chemicals/instructions/supplies/labs, Google is your friend and/or take orksecurity's advice and contact your local water board.
.  You may be able to find a "comprehensive" water testing kit, but it's probably going to be a lot of individual tests and quite expensive (and not all that comprehensive). You need to narrow down the list of substances you test for.
Dec 31, 2009. 2:46 AMsteveastrouk says:
At the levels that are permitted in bottled water, some of the contaminants are in the Parts per billion level. The only reliable methods then use advanced instruments like mass spectroscopy, or gas chromatography.

Steve
Dec 30, 2009. 4:49 PMorksecurity says:
Ask your town's water board or equivalent. They know what the likely hazards are in your area, and they know which local labs are good and reasonably priced.
Dec 30, 2009. 4:20 PMlemonie says:
You will have the ability to get samples tested - where do you live? But doing it yourself is far too difficult if you are to obtain quantitative analysis.

L
Dec 30, 2009. 4:18 PMBurf says:
Here's a list of home test kits at available at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=home+water+test+kit&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=3014726211&ref=pd_sl_7rw4zz8f1n_b

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