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PPB to ng/g Converter

↔ Convert ng/g to ppb instead

Common Conversions

ppb ng/g
0.1 0.1
1 1
5 5
10 10
50 50
100 100
500 500
1000 1000
5000 5000
10000 10000
100000 100000
1000000 1000000

Why this conversion matters in chemistry

Fish-tissue contaminant analysis crosses this identity. A 20 ppb PCB advisory action level on a fish-consumption guidance document writes equivalently as 20 ng/g on the analytical laboratory output from EPA Method 1613B or 1668C. The numbers are the same because both notations describe parts of mass per parts of mass, with ng/g landing in the same scale as ppb. The identity is the standard type cast at the boundary between regulatory advisory documentation and analytical lab data — useful for any solid-matrix trace-contaminant report.

Formula

ng/g = ppb × 1 (numerically identical)

Worked Examples

1 ppb = 1 ng/g

The conversion anchor — same ratio in different prefix combinations.

50 ppb = 50 ng/g

About a typical regulatory action-level for fish-tissue contaminants.

500 ppb = 500 ng/g

0.5 ppm — about a moderate trace-level concentration.

1000 ppb = 1000 ng/g

1 µg/g = 1 ppm — the bridge step between trace and bulk regimes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ppb always ng/g?
For mass per mass ratios, yes — exactly. ppb = ng/g = µg/kg by definition. Each notation describes the same trace mass ratio with different prefix combinations.
What about ppb in liquids?
For liquids, ppb can mean µg/L or ng/mL — and those equal ng/g only when solution density is 1 g/mL. For solids, ppb = ng/g unambiguously since the ratio is already mass per mass.
What's the unit hierarchy for solids?
% > g/kg > mg/kg (ppm) > µg/kg = ng/g (ppb) > ng/kg = pg/g (ppt). Each step scales by 1000 — three prefix decades down from percent to ppb.