Emerging chemicals

Developing a testing standard for nickel plated water fittings

Reference: 23/DW/04/22
ISBN: 978-1-84057-991-8
Published Date: 11/12/2023

The project was initiated to address the ongoing issues of improving drinking water quality compliance for nickel at the kitchen tap and public health issues concerning nickel in drinking water. Nickel concentrations in potable water can be elevated where there are fittings or components of fittings that have been plated with nickel and chromium coatings. The project developed a testing methodology and criteria to identify nickel plated fittings based on standards used in UK, EU, Australia and New Zealand. The resultant project highlighted suitable laboratory based methodology, although more development is needed by associated industries to develop an accurate low level nickel technique for an equivalent field testing protocol. It is recommended the project outputs be adopted and used by fittings manufacturers to develop a long-term strategy to prevent unsuitable fittings being sold and used, reducing the risk of health impacts, and avoid non-compliance.

Price: £10  

Improved slug pellet formulations to reduce risks to water

Reference: 23/DW/14/16
ISBN: 978-1-84057-975-8
Published Date: 31/03/2023

Slugs are important pests of farms and gardens and slug bait pellets are frequently used to manage pest populations. Metaldehyde, the active ingredient in some slug pellets, leaches into drinking water sources, causing significant issues for the water industry. This project aimed to investigate how slugs responded to different pellet formulations in order to minimise the loss of metaldehyde to soil water. Three Inorganic Controlled Release formulations tested failed to mask the presence of metaldehyde from the slug or reduce leaching. Slugs readily contacted bait pellets within a few hours of starting foraging, but the presence of metaldehyde or ferric phosphate discouraged feeding. Either metaldehyde or ferric phosphate based commercial slug bait pellets can be used for managing pest slug populations. The output and conclusion from this research should be utilised by water companies to help with their catchment management strategies.

Price: £10  

Pesticide Risk Mapping and Catchment Interventions - Phase 2

Reference: 16/DW/14/14
ISBN: 1 84057 822 X
Published Date: 21/09/2022

Pesticide risk maps for mobile herbicides (applied to arable and grassland) and metaldehyde (applied to arable land only), covering much of the UK at a field level, have been produced.  These have been incorporated into new software tools for use of these risk maps in both a planning and operational sense.  The software solution development and roll out comprised various complementary components and catered for water companies with and without access to desktop ArcGIS ie: Desktop ArcGIS mapping tool for spatial and non-spatial data management or a standalone WinForms desktop tools for data management in companies without access to ArcGIS; Microsoft (MS) Excel based desktop tools for reporting, planning and costing; MS Excel based field risk calculator.  An accompanying survey of intervention effectiveness studies/trials within this AMP period allowed for the potential to improve default values built into the software as well as promote awareness of activities within the industry.

The QuickCalc Risk Calculator is available for free download to all by clicking here.

Price: £10