PH measurement contributes to a range of processes that affects various concerns, including health. Accurate PH measurements facilitate effectiveness, but we tend to assume or forget some details, yet they are crucial in the processes. Here are the top seven mistakes in PH measurement you should avoid.
Calibration frequency
When should you calibrate? Establishing the right frequency can be quite overwhelming, a concern that makes some individuals to forego it altogether. That’s a significant mistake that affects the rest of your measurements. Calibration frequency should be as per your process. You can establish it by visually inspecting the sensor after a set number of uses say per day. Should you spot staining or debris, rinse it off in distilled water and perform a buffer. Consider the readings to ascertain they are in acceptable range as defined by the operational procedures.
Failure to clean
Much like calibration, cleaning is necessary. If you leave the dirt to accumulate, you affect the sensor as it won’t be as sensitive, affecting the accuracy of your PH measurement. While cleaning, it is advisable to stick to cleaning solutions specially designed for the PH electrodes, and even better, that’s designed for your line of application.
Drying the sensor
After cleaning, you might be tempted to wipe it dry, but that’s a mistake. Even while unboxing it, it is not dry, and if you want to maintain the sensor for long and acquire accurate measurements, you shouldn’t wipe it dry.
Storing it dry
Storing the electrode dry affects its sensitivity, and if it lies dry for long, it dries out permanently. However, you can still revive it if it isn’t completely dry. Submerge the bulb and junction and let it sit in PH storage solution for some time, typically an hour. Before using it, it would be best first to calibrate to match your measurement requirements.
Storing sensor in water
At times, you might run out of the storage solution and assume that distilled water is as good. However, water, unlike the storage solution, doesn’t contain ions. This means that the ions in the electrode will be lost, making it unstable.
Utilizing old and expired electrode and PH buffer
Regardless of how meticulous you are at maintaining the sensor, it will wear off over time, affecting its responsiveness. Degraded sensitivity affects the accuracy of the PH measurements. As a maintenance measure, you should regularly replace the electrode. PH buffer also expires, typically six months after opening the bottle. This changes the PH levels, meaning that your calibration efforts won’t be as accurate, affecting your PH measurement results’ reliability.
Improper handling
Even with the best equipment, your results can only be as accurate as your process. For instance, if the PH electrode is only partially touching the sample, you won’t get accurate results, noting that the sensing part and reference junction should be completely submerged for proper functioning.
Keeping up with PH measurements takes a lot more than grabbing the equipment and testing the sample; you need to keep the sensor at its best and properly handle the process. Above are some of the common mistakes you should avoid as you endeavor to provide accurate PH measurements.
