Seven arsenic field test kits were evaluated for their ability to detect arsenic III, V, and a
combination of species, and their performance was compared with that of graphite furnace
atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Performance was evaluated for precision, accuracy,
matrix effects, linearity, operator bias, and ease of use. Precision, determined by standard
deviation, was relatively good for all test kits. However, accuracy, as calculated using percent
recoveries, varied greatly among the test kits. Matrix effects were evaluated using known
additions of sulfide and antimony in reagent water. Field samples were also tested at various
arsenic concentrations to determine performance throughout the working range (linearity) of
the test kits. Results indicated that two of the seven field test kits met acceptable criteria of
accuracy, precision, linearity, expense, and ease of use as defined by the authors. Given the
varied performance among the testing kits, the authors concluded that water professionals
should be cautious in choosing field test kits for noncompliance analyses. Includes 13 references, tables, figures.