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ION SELECTIVE ELECTRODES IN WATER QUALITY ANALYSIS
Citation:
Thurnau, R. ION SELECTIVE ELECTRODES IN WATER QUALITY ANALYSIS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/2-78/106 (NTIS PB285724).
Description:
The maintenance of water quality whether at the treatment plant or out in the distribution system is predicated on accurately knowing the condition of the water at any particular moment. Ion selective electrodes have shown tremendous potential in the area of continuous water quality analysis, and were employed by the Water Supply Research Division's Mobile Water Quality Laboratory to monitor: alkalinity, calcium, chloride, fluoride, hardness, nitrate, and pH. The pH and the chloride electrodes were housed in a commercial unit and linked to the computer with a minimum number of operating problems. The other parameters required more development and all relied on ionic strength or pH buffers to swamp out problems of activity and ionic strength. The test periods were usually about a week in length, and data were presented as to the reliability and accuracy of the electrodes. It was found that the electrodes performed quite well, and when compared to accuracy statistics found in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, the electrode methods were in the same region.