PRODUCT LAB TESTING and REVIEWS

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


Trace Elements II

Now that we have discussed the actual trace elements that are added and the exact number detectable in synthetic seawater. As you can see synthetic sea salt manufacturers have been playing on aquarium hobbyists' lack of knowledge about trace elements. For example, they state gold in 0.000006 mg/L concentration. Really, how do you prove or disprove it's in the mixture ----- it cannot be detected via any known scienctific method of detection !! So these manufacturers make ridiculous trace element claims safe in the knowlege no one will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to disprove them. Well sadly for them , Poly-Bio-Marine,Inc., did spend the money testing our Poly-Filter medium for Lead, Mercury,Cadmium,Copper,Zinc , Iron . What we found is the trace elements really match the ASTM Standard D1141 trace element concentrations. In order to make a Poly-Filter not capable of sorbing trace elements we must first saturate each Poly-Filter with the trace elements found in synthetic seawater. We do this in a special proprietary process that takes 4 days to perform. Upon completion Poly-Filter will not sorb trace elements nor calcium, magnesium , strontium or fluoride. If anyone wants proof ? Find a top quality water laboratory that can do Atomic Absorption Spectophotometer w/ graphite tube furnace under the US EPA Standard for Drinking Water or Medical Standards for Lead & Mercury Detection in Human blood. Next , elute a Poly-Filter in a 10 - 20 % (Analytical Grade ) Hydrochloric acid for 1hr. time period. Take the elutant and fire it in a graphite furnace attached to a Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer . The level of metallic ion will be slightly higher than exact concentration found in the Standard for Subtitute Ocean. Why is the concentration higher ? Remember, tapwater contains these metals and it's the tapwater concentation + the tested elutant's concentration.

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