PAsS: Proficiency of Arsenic Speciation

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the proficiency in arsenic speciation program to help laboratories worldwide assess the accuracy of their arsenic analysis and provide them with technical support.

Arsenic in drinking water has been recognized for many decades in some regions of the world. People in these areas use groundwater as their drinking water source. This water can become contaminated from naturally-occurring sources of arsenic and/or human activities.

Accurate laboratory tests that can detect arsenic contamination are essential. Urinary arsenic analysis is the most common method used worldwide for assessing the arsenic contamination of a population. In 2009, CDC established the Proficiency in Arsenic Speciation (PAsS) program to help laboratories worldwide assess the accuracy of their arsenic analyses. PAsS is a standardization program that aids in the measurement of seven species of arsenic.