CPC G01N 21/80 (2013.01) [G01N 33/18 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
1. A method comprising n stages for determining an ionic strength I of an aqueous sample, wherein the method comprises:
a first of the n stages comprising:
a) adding a pH indicator to a portion of the aqueous sample;
b) adjusting a pH of the portion of the aqueous sample to obtain a pHinitial value;
c) adding an amount of a buffer to the portion of the aqueous sample to obtain a pHfinal;
d) repeating steps a)-c) for n times, until pHinitial is substantially similar to a pHfinal, and is defined as an equilibrium pH0, and wherein
a portion of the aqueous sample in step a) of each subsequent stage is a new portion of the aqueous sample; and
a pHinitial in step b) of each subsequent stage is different from a pHinitial of each preceding stage; and
e) calculating the I value from a ratio of a total alkalinity of the aqueous sample to a total concentration of the buffer At/[Buffer]t, wherein the I value is calculated as a function of a specific dissociation constant K of the buffer; and
wherein a temperature of the portion of the aqueous sample at steps b) and c) is substantially identical.
|