APPLICATION
OF PH Analysis
Where
and why is pH measurements made?
pH
value measurements are made in a wide variety of applications: As one of the
primary indicators of quality, pH plays a vital role in myriad of industries.
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THE PHARMACEUTICAL
INDUSTRY
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THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
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THE FOOD INDUSTRY
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THE COSMETIC INDUSTRY
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THE WATER TREATMENT
PLANT
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THE WASTE WATER
TREATMENT PLANT
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AQUACULTURE
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AQUARIUM & FISH
TANK
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THE POOL & SPA
INDUSTRY
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THE HYDROPHONIC
INDUSTRY
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THE AGRICULTURE
INDUSTRY
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THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY
Analysis
of ph in comprehensive drug product testing that investigates metrics including
performance, quality, and safety plays vital role. The basic understanding of pH
and its influence on drug solubility, stability, and absorption is vitally
important. The solubility of a weak acid or base is often pH dependent.
Most drugs are weakly acidic or basic
substances and are thus ionized at physiologic pH.
In
the slurry pH method a concentrated suspension of the solid in water is
prepared and the pH is measured by potentiometry. The pH of the concentrated
slurry is considered to reflect the pH of the solid surface.
Dosage
forms, particularly liquids (such as solutions, suspensions, and emulsions),
may have pH values outside the pH 1 to 8 range. Higher pH values of
pharmaceutical liquids are often required to make the drug more soluble, or to
maintain good stability and an adequate shelf life.
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THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
The chemical industry comprises
the companies that
produce industrial chemicals.
Central to the modern world economy, it converts raw materials (oil, natural
gas, air, water, metals, and minerals) into more than 70,000 different products
Determination of pH is a critical and ubiquitous operation
whenever water is used in the chemical process industries such as Heavy
chemicals, Fine chemicals, Fertilizers, Paints and detergent, Cement, Ceramics,
Soaps, Glass, Pharmaceutical, Plastics,
etc.
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THE FOOD INDUSTRY
In
food industry a known PH value is useful for the taste and preservation of food
products and ensures the proper composition of biotechnology. Knowing ph of
food is the primary factor for its quality assurance.
a) MEAT INDUSTRY:
A storage life is based on how meat is controlled
and monitored. After slaughtering pH curve of meat changes as a result of
bacterial growth the ph value changes make it rotten. The ph of meat lies 5.2 to
7.0.
b) DAIRY INDUSTRY
Quality control at dairies: fresh milk has a
pH-value of 6.6 - 6.8 @ 25C. During Storing the pH value decreases as low as
5.8, milk becomes sour and coagulation at a pH value of 4.7
c) THE BAKING INDUSTRY
Quality control and
efficient production in bakeries: dough needs a low pH value to rise, bread
size depends on its pH value, and at lower pH bread raises much.
d) THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY
The beverage industry (also known as the drink
industry) manufactures drinks and ready to drink products. Bottled water, soft
drinks, energy drinks, milk products, coffee and tea-based products,
nutritional drinks, and alcohol products. Fizzy drinks have ph around 2.5 to
3.5. Lemon
has a pH of around 2.5, but the pH of Coca-Cola hits 2.3 because of all the
phosphoric acid coke contains.
In-Line meters are useful as they monitor the process till
the bottling. Most carbonated drinks, which are approximately 94% water, have
pH around 2.5 to 3.5, and hence are highly acidic
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THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT
To maintain necessary water quality standards during various
industrial processes ph is essential for the quality of services and goods. When
these impurities are removed, operations efficiency will be improved, heating
and cooling will be more efficient, and effectively maintain compliance. For continuous
monitoring of pH levels in a tank or pipe, an industrial sensor is used. Water
treatment is the act or process of making water more potable or useful for
drinking, by purifying, clarifying, softening or deodorizing it.
Þ The ideal pH
reading for drinking water is 7.
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WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT
During
wastewater treatment (sewage or recycle water), heavy
metals, organic compounds, and other toxic substances are removed from water;
pH levels need to be adjusted during this process by adding chemicals to the
water to separate dissolved waste from the liquid. Managers need to monitor pH
levels to ensure that water can safely pass to the next phase of treatment so
that they end up with pure, safe water at the end of the cleaning process.
Þ The ideal pH
reading for usage is between 7.2 and 7.8.
Differential pH Sensors
Differential
pH sensors work somewhat differently than combination pH sensors in that they
come equipped with three electrodes. While the first two electrodes are the
same as the ones used in combination sensors, the third one is a metal ground
electrode that can be very beneficial for the prevention of reference fouling
This type of
sensor is considered to be a heavy-duty sensor because of its third electrode.
While it’s
possible for a standard pH sensor to become contaminated whenever the pH levels
change, the usage of a third electrode acts as a buffer for the measuring
electrode, which ensures an accurate reading. As such, these sensors should
hold up for longer and are ideal for tough wastewater and industrial
applications.
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THE COSMETIC INDUSTRY
To ensure good quality, suitable viscosity, color / odor and
to ensure durability of the cosmetics the use of a pH meter with a special
glass electrode is one of the well-known methods of pH measurement in shampoos,
liquid cleansing toners and foams, gels and many other substances (containing
water).
Þ The ideal pH for standard cosmetic products (both hair and
skin), is between 4.5 ... 5.5.
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AQUACULTURE
Aquaculture
is a multibillion-dollar industry that is responsible for supplying seafood. To
keep aquatic creatures alive and ensure they’re healthy enough to be consumed,
companies in this space need to monitor changes in pH levels on a regular
basis.
Þ The fish
thrive in pH levels between 6.5 and 9.0 and almost all fresh sea foods have
value of around 6.2.
Only
in the Argentinean Legislation (Argentine Food Code), the fish is classified as
unfit for consumption when pH>7.5 and the ammoniac nitrogen content exceeds
125mg 100g-1 dry matter and abnormal sensorial characteristics. The pH 7.0 should be
adopted as the maximum limit for condemnation, which proves the divergence in
pH values between species.
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THE POOL & SPA INDUSTRY
To determine
how many sterilizing agents (e.g., chlorine) you need to put in the water to
maintain a safe swimming environment you need to measure pH levels. pH combination electrode is used for community
swimming pool or a private spa, When pH levels are high or low swimmers’ skin
and eyes may get irritated and can damage the plaster of a pool or spa.
Þ The ideal pH
reading for a spa is between 7.2 and 7.8.
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HYDROPONICS
Growing plants in a nutrient-enriched water-based
solution is called hydroponics. As the nutrient balance or pH level of the water swings too much in
one direction, plants can die rather quickly. To this end, one has to keep a
close eye on pH levels at all times.
When water is involved in an industrial
application, it’s likely that water quality characteristics—including pH
levels—need to be measured to ensure safety and compliance.
Þ The ideal pH
reading for a hydroponic nutrient is 5.5 to 6.0 as compared to soil it is
higher.
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RESEARCH
Water plays an integral role in
many research projects. While the requirements of each experiment are unique,
lab science demands highly accurate results. In experiments, researchers need
to monitor pH levels to ensure high-quality findings that can be repeated. For
example, different types of bacteria thrive in environments with different pH
levels. To reach accurate conclusions, it is, therefore, critical to monitor pH
levels in any experiment involving bacteria.
Þ variable
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AQUARIUMS AND FISH TANKS
To
keep fish and other aquatic creatures alive—and to keep fish tanks and
aquariums clean—many water composition characteristics need to be proactively
monitored, including pH. Otherwise, the water in the aquarium or fish tank will
look cloudy and, fish may struggle to survive.
Þ The ideal pH
reading for aquarium is 6.8 to 7.8.
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THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY
Soil
pH will influence both the availability of soil nutrients to plants and how the
nutrients react with each other. The study of soil pH is very important in
agriculture due to the fact that soil pH regulates plant nutrient availability
by controlling the chemical forms of the different nutrients and also
influences their chemical reactions.
Þ The ideal pH
reading for a soil is between 5.5 and 7.5.
