Essential Solutions to Keep Your pH Meter Accurate and Reliable

Keeping your pH meter clean, calibrated, and your electrode stored in the correct solution is a surefire way to ensure consistent results. The appropriate storage solution will also prolong the life of your pH meter and electrode. Knowing why pH accuracy is so important, and how to achieve consistent results is essential for every professional or home user.

About pH Meter Solutions

All brands of pH meter perform the task of measuring the acidity or alkalinity of a substance. If your environment is a laboratory, in the field, or at your home garden, you need to be sure your pH meter is accurate, or experiments and garden plants will yield disappointing results.

Your Solution is to Use the Correct pH Calibration Solution

Maintaining the regular calibration of your pH meter will guarantee accurate and consistent readings.The frequency of calibration required will depend on how often you operate your device. If you use your meter every day, you should calibrate it daily. If you use it a few times a week, weekly calibration will suffice.

You can perform the calibration of most pH meters in-house. Some devices will alert you when calibration is required, and others will not.

For best results, Instrument Choice scientists recommend calibrating your meter to a minimum of two points before each use. Use a neutral pH7 and a second buffer solution to shoulder your expected results. For example, if you expect a sample result around pH 8.2, you will use pH7 and pH10 as your calibration buffers.

Calibration Solution Product Examples

Accurate to ± 0.02 at 25°C, the pH buffer solutions featured below can be purchased in a three-pack or as single bottles, depending on your needs.

pH Buffer Packs 

Purchase pH calibration solutions as a pack of three with pH 4, pH 7, and pH10.

Available in 250mL bottles and 500mL bottles.

pH Buffer Single Bottles

If you are after a top-up or single solution only, pH buffer solutions are available in individual bottles. Available in pH 4 (250mL and 500mL), pH 7 (250mL and 500mL) and pH 10 (250mL and 500mL)

pH Storage Solution 

Most pH meters require the electrode to remain in a storage solution when not in use. A storage solution keeps the bulb of your electrode hydrated and at optimum sensitivity. An electrode bulb features a hydrated gel layer. This layer facilitates the electrical signal needed to obtain a pH reading. Storing a pH electrode in a dry condition will seriously reduce its sensitivity.

If you forget to cap your meter once or twice, it's not the end of the world. The remedy is to soak it in storage solution for a couple of hours then perform a calibration to ensure it is working correctly before use. To be sure, check your electrode's user manual or operational instructions for specific storage medium details.

Storage Solution Product Example

This convenient 500mL bottle of electrode storage solution comprises potassium chloride and potassium hydrogen phthalate. We guarantee it will keep your meter's electrode sensitive and ready for use. Electrode storage solution comes in. View the MSDS here

pH Cleaning Solution

Between day-to-day measurements, always rinse your pH electrode with distilled or deionised water. Over time, a coating may form over the glass bulb of the electrode. The coating formation becomes apparent when the device begins to perform inconsistently or take a while to yield a measurement. To combat this, you need to clean your electrode correctly.

To clean, simply soak the electrode in Electrode Cleaning Solution for 10-15 minutes then rinse thoroughly in deionised water. Do not wipe down or scrub the electrode, as this can easily damage or reduce its sensitivity. Then, after a thorough rinse, immerse the electrode in some storage solution for a couple of hours before use.

Cleaning Solution Product Example

This cleaning solution contains diluted Hydrochloric acid to dissolve and remove any coating formed on the pH electrode. This cleaning solution ensures a quick clean without reducing the sensitivity of the electrode. The cleaning solution is available in 250mL and 500mL bottles.

Conclusion

Using the correct solutions to calibrate, clean, and store your pH meter safeguards accurate and reliable results while prolonging the life of your device (win-win!).

For more information about pH meter calibration, storage, or cleaning solutions, contact one of the Instrument Choice Scientists. We're here to help! Call 1300 737 871 or email [email protected].

Multimedia

Watch an Instrument Choice Scientist Calibrate a pH Meter (IC-pH20);

Watch an Instrument Choice Scientist Clean a pH Meter Using Cleaning Solution;