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What is the difference between Alkalinity and pH?
Alkalinity is different from pH. While pH indicates whether a solution is acidic or basic, alkalinity indicates how much acid the solution can absorb without changing the pH. Essentially, this is called the buffering capacity of the solution (aka water). Therefore, low-alkaline solutions have a lower buffering capacity and change pH fairly quickly when acid is added. Conversely, high-alkaline samples have a higher buffering capacity and are less affected by the addition of acid; you have to add more acid to get the same pH change as in the low-alkaline sample.
What causes alkalinity?
In natural water sources, alkalinity varies geographically. The geology of the area directly affects alkalinity. Minerals from the surrounding rocks and soil are the main cause. For example, areas with a high prevalence of limestone will have much higher alkalinity than areas with a high prevalence of granite. When alkalinity is measured, the result is shown as ppm of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Hydroxide ions (OH–), bicarbonate ion (HCO3-) and carbonate ion (CO32-) all contribute to the alkalinity of water.
Solution Salinity Meter HANNA HI98319
Why measure alkalinity?
Alkalinity is important in many industries. Everything from aquariums and aquaculture to plating and water treatment require alkalinity testing. Failure to determine the alkalinity of water in many industries can cause associated problems and affect the final product. Accurately monitoring alkalinity can save users and operators time, materials and money.
Fish tank
While buffering capacity in an aquarium is essential for both freshwater and saltwater tanks, many organisms found in saltwater environments are susceptible to problems caused by improper alkalinity. Inadequate alkalinity can cause problems such as pH fluctuations, alkalinity burn, coral bleaching, and tissue loss. Weekly alkalinity testing is recommended.
Agriculture
Alkalinity is important for plant growth. However, we are not talking about the alkalinity of the plant, but rather the alkalinity of its irrigation system and/or nutrient solution. If the alkalinity is too high, the nutrients needed for plant growth will not be available in free form in the solution. When nutrients are not available in free form in the solution, they cannot be absorbed by the plant and will not be effective. Don't be surprised if you notice spotting, discoloration of the plant or slowed growth if you haven't read this article.
Surface finishing
Plating tank
Maintaining the proper pH is key to plating metals and avoiding defects such as uneven coatings, pitting, and burns. Proper pH is also important for cleaning and soaking the tank; if the pH is low, the pieces will not be cleaned or finished properly. One way to maintain pH is by buffering capacity, the alkalinity of the plating tank. When many contaminants are introduced by the metal pieces to be plated, they can cause large fluctuations in pH if the plating tank does not have buffering capacity.
City Water
Alkalinity is a closely monitored parameter in both drinking water and wastewater treatment. Optimum alkalinity can streamline treatment, cutting down on time and materials used. Inadequate alkalinity can cause problems such as slow treatment, additional materials required, treatment delays, end product imperfections, and environmental impacts. Read on to learn more about alkaline water and municipal water systems!
When looking at your local water report, you will not see alkalinity in the Primary Drinking Water Standards or the Secondary Drinking Water Standards. It is not part of the required testing for contaminants and/or parameters. However, alkalinity can affect how water is treated throughout the process. It is typically measured in the source water and in the distribution water, although it can also be measured during the coagulation and flocculation stages.
| Alkalinity range | Affect |
| Low: 0 – 100 mg/L CaCO3– | Water is corrosive if pH<7 |
| Ideal: 100 – 200 mg/L CaCO3– | Ideal |
| High: >200 mg/L CaCO3– | Deposits or sludge in plumbing systems |
Coagulation and flocculation
When the alkalinity of water going through the drinking water treatment process is high enough, the water will be buffered against volatile pH changes. This is important because various coagulants (substances used to remove contaminants from drinking water) can cause the pH of the water to drop. If the pH drops too low, it will need to be adjusted before the next stages. This will cost a lot of time, resources and money used to treat the water. Ideally, you want at least 110 mg/L of CaCO3 to buffer the water during the coagulation phase. Knowing the alkalinity in the water treatment, the operator can proactively adjust the coagulant dosage, water pH and alkalinity.
Measuring equipment HANNA HI97735 Measure total hardness in water samples up to 750 mg/L (ppm) CaCO3.
The HANNA HI97xxx series has higher accuracy and integrates the measurement of many necessary domestic parameters such as HI97104 pH, Alkalinity, Chlorine and Cyanuric Acid Meter. High laboratory-grade accuracy, easy calibration, and step-by-step guidance make this meter a great choice for any user. No warm-up time is required for the light source before measurement, saving time during the measurement process.
Now that you know the difference between alkalinity and pH, the importance of testing alkalinity in water. If you are looking for a device to measure alkalinity in solution from famous brands such as Hanna instrument, Atago, Sato…., choose from many models on our website.
SEMIKI is a leading company in the market providing automatic measurement solutions in research laboratories and labs to test solution alkalinity using automatic titration methods and simple sampling methods, which are trusted by many centers and factories.
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SEMIKI Measuring Equipment Company Limited
Email: sales@semiki.com
Phone: +84 9797 61016