Convert 0.04 ug/L to ppm and ppb scales
The correct answer and explanation is :
To convert a concentration of 0.04 µg/L (micrograms per liter) to both ppm (parts per million) and ppb (parts per billion) scales, it’s important to understand the relationship between these units. Let’s go through each conversion step-by-step:
Conversion of 0.04 µg/L to ppb
The unit “ppb” refers to parts per billion, and it is defined as:
- 1 ppb = 1 microgram of a substance per liter of solution (µg/L).
Therefore, to convert 0.04 µg/L to ppb, the concentration is the same:
- 0.04 µg/L = 0.04 ppb
So, the value in ppb is 0.04.
Conversion of 0.04 µg/L to ppm
The unit “ppm” stands for parts per million, and 1 ppm is equivalent to 1 milligram of a substance per liter of solution (mg/L). To convert µg/L (micrograms per liter) to ppm (parts per million), we need to account for the fact that 1 milligram (mg) is 1,000 micrograms (µg).
Thus:
- 1 ppm = 1 mg/L = 1,000 µg/L.
Now, we can convert 0.04 µg/L to ppm by dividing by 1,000:
[
\frac{0.04 \, \mu g/L}{1000} = 0.00004 \, \text{ppm}
]
So, the value in ppm is 0.00004 ppm.
Summary
- 0.04 µg/L = 0.04 ppb (since 1 ppb = 1 µg/L).
- 0.04 µg/L = 0.00004 ppm (since 1 ppm = 1,000 µg/L).
Explanation
The difference between ppb and ppm lies in their scale:
- ppb (parts per billion) is used for very low concentrations and represents 1 part of substance per billion parts of solution.
- ppm (parts per million) is often used for concentrations that are slightly higher than those measured in ppb but still in low concentration ranges. 1 ppm equals 1 milligram of a substance per liter, whereas 1 ppb equals 1 microgram per liter.
By converting between these units, you can better understand the concentration of substances in water or air, particularly when dealing with trace elements in environmental science or analytical chemistry.