Trace Elements I

We understand aquarist 's passionate concerns about seawater trace elements and using the Poly-Filter. In response to aquarist 's needs and concerns we offer the following : Definition of trace elements in seawater or synthetic seawater i.e. dissolved (solute ) metal ions occuring in concentration levels between 40 ng/ml ( microgram per liter or 0.040 mg/L ) and 1ng/ml (microgram per liter or 0.001 mg/L) Note : 1ng/ml = 1microgram per liter or 0.001 mg/L . The simple reason we cannot consider any dissolved metallic ions that might occur in a concentration below 1 microgram per liter is the failure of analytical equipment to detect ions that low. The detection method that must be used is Atomic Absorption with a Graphite tube furnace. There is no other approved analytical method that can detect these dissolved ions in a concentration below 0.001mg/L. In America , we have American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). In the ASTM volumes 11.02 Standard D1141 (Standard Specification for Substitute Ocean Water ) This ASTM Standard must be followed by Industry & Government Contractors & The Dept of Defense.
ASTM Standard D 1141 lists only six (6) trace elements which are : Barium (99.4 ug/L) , Manganese (34.0 ug/L) , Copper (30.8 ug/L),
Zinc (9.6ug/L) , Lead (6.6 ug/L) and Silver (0.49 ug/L) . In addition , Iron is the major contaminate of sodium chloride at a concentration 0.29 mg/L to 0.380 mg/L. This can be detected by flame ionization Atomic Absorption detection. This is not a free ionic form that can be detected via simple colorimetric aquarium test kits. Our next section will go into details of how Poly-Bio-Marine,Inc.'s special manufacturing process prevents Poly-Filter from sorbing those trace elements and other major or minor synthetic seasalt components.continued