Relationship Between Conductivity Measurement, Total Dissolved Solids and Salinity

Definition of Conductivity Conductivity is a measure of the ability of a solution to conduct an electrical current and it is influenced by the charge on ions in solution. Water is a rather poor conductor of electricity but the presence of ions in the water increases its conductance considerably. The principle for conductivity measurement is to place two metal electrodes in water and apply a voltage across them. The current flow between the electrodes is measured and conductivity is then determined from the voltage (V) and current (I) values according to Ohms law where R is resistance. R = V/I Conductivity is the inverse of resistance. As an example, highly purified water containing little or no ions has an extremely high resistance or, conversely, an extremely low conductance. Another example would be highly contaminated water such as seawater having an extremely low resistance to current flow from electrode to electrode but an extremely high conductance. The conductivity of fresh distilled water is 0.5 to 2 S/cm but it can have a conductivity of up to 5S/cm when stored for several days. The absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide causes the increase in conductivity of the stored water. Conductivity Units of Measurement The basic unit of measurement of conductivity is the siemens (S) but it was originally designated as mho or ohm spelled backwards. Conductivity in water solutions is normally expressed as micromhos /cm (mhos/cm) or microSiemens/cm (S/cm) or milliSiemens per cm (mS/cm). As seen in the list below, there is no difference between micromhos (mhos) and microSiemens (S). The term micromhos is more common in the United States and the term microSiemens is more common in Europe.

Ashland is committed to the continuous evolution of technology and service solutions that promote health, safety and environmental protection around the world.

Registered trademark, TMTrademark, Ashland *Registered service mark of the American Chemistry Council, the Canadian Chemical Producers' Association and of other entities in other countries. 2006, Ashland All Rights Reserved WW-7 (6/06) www.drew-marine.com

All statements, information and data presented herein are believed to be accurate and reliable but are not to be taken as a guarantee, express warranty or implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, or representation, express or implied, for which seller assumes legal responsibility, and they are offered solely for your consideration, investigation and verification. Statements or suggestions concerning possible use of this product are made without representation or warranty that any such use is free of patent infringement and are not recommendations to infringe on any patent.

DREW MARINE One Drew Plaza, Boonton, NJ 07005 USA Tel: (1-973) 263-7600 Fax: (1-973) 263-4491 1

1 Siemen (S) = 1,000,000 S 1 mhos = 1,000,000mhos 1 Siemen (S) = 1 mhos 1S/cm = 1mhos/cm 1000 S/cm = 1 mS/cm Temperature Influence on Conductivity Current (I) flow increases with increasing temperature thereby making conductivity measurement temperature dependent. Therefore, the conductivity of a solution will increase with increasing temperature. Conductivity meters have an automatic temperature compensation at a reference temperature of 25C or 20C or they have adjustable temperature compensation that is adjusted manually according to the temperature of the test solution. Conductivity Meter Calibration and Standard Solutions The conductivity meter should be calibrated using a fresh standard solution in the range of the sample that is being measured. For example, if you are measuring conductivity in the range of 0-200 S, calibration with a 84 S standard is appropriate. If you are measuring conductivity in the range of 0-2000 S, calibration with a 1413 S standard is appropriate. Calibration should be done when a new electrode is used and when readings are questionable. The conductivity electrode should not be placed into the bottle of calibration standard. An aliquot of standard solution should be poured into a separate, clean container such as a beaker and then it should be discarded after the calibration is complete. Never pour the aliquot of standard solution back into the bottle of calibration standard. Conductivity Electrode Constants Every conductivity electrode has a constant, K. The constant reflects a particular electrodes physical configuration. For example, a constant of K=1.0 cm-1 is formed by two 1 cm square surfaces spaced 1 cm apart. The K of a specific electrode is determined by a comparison measurement to a standard solution of known conductivity. Electrodes with a constant of K=1.0 cm-1 are appropriate for measuring conductivity in the range of 1 S to 100 mS (or 100,000 S). Conductivity and Total Dissolved Solids Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) are determined by evaporating a sample to dryness at 180C and weighing the residue. Conductivity may be used to estimate total dissolved solids by multiplying the conductivity by a suitable factor. For example, the total dissolved solids of raw water with a conductivity greater than 1000 S can be estimated by multiplying the conductivity by 0.85. When measuring the conductivity of boiler water, the sample needs to be neutralized by the addition of gallic acid. This is done to avoid the excess conductivity of hydroxide ions or of alkaline salts. The total dissolved solids of boiler water can then be estimated by multiplying the neutralized conductivity of the sample by a factor of 0.7. Conductivity and Salinity Conductivity is used to determine the level of contamination in water from dissolved solids. Salinity measurement is used when the dissolved solids contamination comes from seawater although it can also be used to determine contamination from natural or industrial waters. Salinity measurement is based on a Practical Salinity Scale (PSS) that was developed from the measurement of conductivity of a range of solutions of known salinity. The practical scale forms the basis of an internationally accepted method for calculating salinity from conductivity. The equations for calculating salinity include measurements of conductivity and temperature. Salinity is expressed in parts per thousand (ppt) by weight. For example, a salinity of 35 ppt means that there is 35 pounds of salt per 1,000 pounds of seawater. Generally, open ocean salinity is in the range of 32 to 37 ppt. Salinity meters are available that calculate salinity based on the Practical Salinity Scale. Summary Conductivity measurement is a valuable tool in assessing levels of contamination in water. It offers an immediate indication of salt water contamination in marine shipboard technical water treatment applications.
2