Why Is Kemio™ Technology Suitable for Monitoring Drinking Water Quality?
Water quality is monitored to ensure all water companies supply safe drinking water. Kemio is our next generation measurement platform delivering validation of water quality from a method you can trust.
Why does drinking water need to be monitored?
Drinking water must be monitored to ensure it is safe for human consumption and meets legal standards. The World Health Organisation has set out guidelines for drinking water quality which has informed the setting of national regulations around the world. In England and Wales water quality is regulated by the Drinking Water Inspectorate, in EU (European Union) the European Commission gives legal framework through its Drinking Water Directive and in the US, standards are set by the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).
Water monitoring is critical to identify harmful contaminants in water sources and drive corrective action. Water must be monitored during and after treatment to validate the effectiveness of treatment process. It is crucial to monitor disinfection to ensure the level is high enough to ki l any harmful bacteria present, but not too high where it could cause adverse health effects if consumed.
Why is Kemio better than traditional test methods for monitoring drinking water?
Kemio is unaffected by colour, turbidity, or light
To measure the concentration of a parameter Kemio uses an electrical current as the signal to determine analyte concentration, and therefore is completely unaffected by colour, turbidity, or ambient light. Colorimetric test methods rely on light transmission to test water samples, so they are unable to provide accurate results for highly coloured or turbid samples. Kemio does not rely on light or colour so is able to overcome these challenges associated with reagent-based testing.Turbidity is a general indicator for water quality and therefore is an important test used for measuring the overall quality of drinking water.
However, turbidity can also interfere with the effectiveness of other testing, with turbid water samples known to be an issue for colorimetric test methods which rely on light transmission. With kemio test results are not affected by a turbid sample, making it suitable for drinking water monitoring.
Kemio delivers repeatable and reliable results for every user
Unlike traditional measurement techniques, Kemio is truly simple to use and guides the user with visual on-screen instructions. Kemio requires no special training and can be used by anyone straight out of the box. See for yourself by watching one of our Kemio instructional videos here.
‘Kemio™ follows a straightforward 4-step procedure which is designed to prevent any user errors. Simply scan the sensor, fill the sample vessel, insert the sensor, and close the lid. By scanning the sensor, you are inputting the calibration and ensuring that you are selecting the right test with the right sensor.
Kemio’s ease of use and on-screen results that do not require interpretation mean that Kemio™ can achieve accurate and precise results, even in the most challenging operating environments.
Kemio does not suffer from the interferences of traditional methods and offers a wider range over traditional methods.
Manganese interference is always a concern when testing chlorine using traditional DPD methods. Using Kemio eliminates issues regarding manganese interference. Manganese is known to have no interference with Palintest chlorine sensors when present at typical concentrations seen in drinking water samples.
Kemio can measure free chlorine all the way from 0.02 to 100 mg/L in water offering a wider range over traditional methods giving users confidence across various test environments.
Kemio uses no glassware and no reagents
Kemio is completely glass free and therefore suitable for testing on the line in controlled manufacturing environments. Unlike other methods, Kemio also requires no reagents for the majority of tests which minimises user input and therefore minimises chances for error.
Kemio makes hazardous tests safer
Kemio reduces the need of reagents required for testing water, in some case becoming a safer alternative to traditional testing methods. For example, the arsenic sensor in Kemio removes the toxic chemicals that are used in traditional Gutzeit method to measure arsenic, hence making it sustainable test offering.
Using Kemio to monitor disinfection in drinking water
Kemio tests for chlorine which is one the most well-known and widely used disinfectants for drinking water treatment. Chlorine is very effective at deactivating potentially harmful bacteria to prevent it from causing illness in humans and animals. The WHO have a health-based guideline for chlorine in drinking water of 5 mg/L. Chlorine concentrations should not be higher than this guideline.Kemio Disinfection can be used with standard range chlorine sensors to measure 0.02–10 mg/L free chlorine and 0.02–75 mg/L total chlorine, making it a suitable solution to measure chlorine in drinking water.
The high range sensors allow Kemio to test free chlorine up to 100 mg/L without needing dilution. To view our full range of Kemio sensors click here.Another popular disinfectant for drinking water treatment is chlorine dioxide. This can be used alone or as a pre-treatment to remove water contaminants which may produce disinfection by-products when the water is treated with chlorine. When chlorine dioxide oxidises, it breaks down to chlorite, chlorate and eventually chloride. Chlorite and chlorite are both usually controlled parameters in drinking water supplies. Kemio Disinfection offers sensors for measuring both chlorine dioxide and chlorite from 0.02- 50 mg/L.
Using Kemio to monitor heavy metals in drinking water
Lead is usually present in drinking water due to leaching from lead pipes in a water distribution system or in the household plumbing. Testing for lead in drinking water is important as lead carries serious health risks when it enters the body, especially in children. The World Health Organisation state that concentrations of lead in drinking water should be kept as low as possible and should never increase above their provisional guideline of 10 µg/L. Kemio Heavy Metals can be used as Method 1001, Rev1.1, an EPA approved method for testing lead in water that will measure between 1–100 µg/L. Kemio Heavy Metals is being used in Canada to prevent lead contamination in schools. Kemio™ will detect lead contamination in 3 minutes, enabling the school to close off any affected water supply.
Read the full article here. To find out more about lead in drinking water read our support article- Testing For Lead in Drinking Water.Naturally occurring arsenic in groundwater poses long-term health risks, demanding effective detection and management. Geographies like southeast Asia and south America are significantly impacted by arsenic contamination of ground water. The brand new Kemio arsenic sensor is a game-changer in addressing arsenic contamination, offering a safer, more reliable method to detect even trace levels of arsenic in groundwater. This advancement enables timely and precise assessments, empowering authorities to take immediate actions in affected areas. The new sensors can detect both total arsenic and arsenic (III) and measure in the range of 2 to 250 μg/L.
What is Kemio technology and how does it work?
To learn more about Kemio™ or to enquire about a trial, please contact our team below.
Kemio is our next generation, multiparameter testing platform. The instrument is powered by our patented single-use sensors which generates an electrical current by reacting with the chemical or metal in the water sample. Kemio measures this electrical signal to determine the concentration of chemical or heavy metal within the sample.Designed to simplify water monitoring, Kemio gives clear direction for the user to ensure water safety. There are Kemio variants available for both disinfection and heavy metals. Kemio Disinfection can be used to measure bromine, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, chlorite and PAA (Peracetic Acid). Kemio Heavy Metals will expertly measure the concentration of arsenic, lead, copper, and cadmium in water samples. Kemio™ Multi is ‘all in one’ system combining the capabilities of Kemio™ Heavy Metals with Kemio™ Disinfectant that can test for Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, Copper, Bromine, Chlorine, Chlorine Dioxide, Chlorite and Peracetic Acid.