Working Of pH meter
General requirements for operating pH meter-
● pH meter
● pH electrode
● NIST traceable thermometer or ATC probe
● Magnetic stir plate and stir bar
● 50 ml beakers and 200 ml waste beakers
● Watch glass
● PH 4.0 1 buffer
● pH 7.00 buffer
● pH 10.01 buffer
● Deionized water
Calibration Buffer Preparation
● Pour about 300 ml of pH 10.01 buffer into a 50 mL beaker and cover the beaker with a
watch glass.
● Pour about 30 ml of pH 7 buffer into a 50 ml beaker and cover the beaker with a watch
glass.
● Pour about 30 ml of pH 4.0 1 buffer into a 50 ml bekar and cover the beaker with a
watch glass.
● Pour about 30 ml each of pH 10.01, pH7.00 and 4.01 buffers into separate 50 ml
beakers these three beakers as rinse beakers during calibration.
● Allow all of the buffers to reach the same temperature.
Sample Preparation
1. Collect and prepare the samples according to your sample requirements.
2. Pour about 30ml of sample into a 50 ml beaker. Label the beaker and cover the beaker
with a watch glass. Repeat this step for all of the samples.
3. Pour about 30 ml of each sample into separate 50 ml beakers and label the beakers.
Use these sample beakers as the rinse beakers using sample measurements.
4. Allow all of the samples to reach the same temperature.
Electrode Preparation
Prepare the electrode according to the instructions in the electrode user guide. Prior to
calibration, store the electrode in a pH electrode storage solution.
Meter Setup
Prepare the meter according to the instructions in the meter user guide. Make sure that the
correct meter settings are selected for sample requirements and procedures.
Calibration of pH meter
Preferred method is a 3-point calibration to achieve the most accurate results.
Step 1: Mid-Point Calibration
The mid-point calibration must be done first, as it clears the other calibration points.
● Enable continuous readings
● Rinse the pH probe well with demineralized, deionized (DO), or reverse
osmosis (RO) water
● Remove the top of the pH 7.0 calibration pouch or solution bottle.
● Place the pH probe inside the pouch/bottle, and let it sit in the solution until
the readings stabilize (this usually takes 1-2 minutes).
● Once the pH readings have stabilized, issue the mid-point calibration
command: cal, mid 7
Step 2: Low-Point Calibration
● Rinse the pH probe before calibrating the low-point
● Open the calibration pouch or bottle of the pH 4.0 calibration solution
● Insert the pH probe inside the acidic buffer solution
● Wait for the pH readings to stabilize
● After the pH reading has stabilized, issue the low-point calibration command:
cal, low, 4
Step 3: High-Point Calibration
● Again, rinse the pH probe
● Open the pouch or bottle of the pH 10 calibration solution
● Place the pH probe inside the pouch or bottle
● Issue the low-point calibration command (cal, low, 10) once the readings
have stabilized.
pH measurement
1. Turn on the pH meter.
2. Then wash the electrodes with distilled water.
3. Maintain the sample temperature at 25 degree centigrade.
4. Immerse the electrodes within the sample.
5. Stir it to create a homogenous solution.
6. Make sure that the tip of the electrode is completely dipped into the sample.
7. Wait until the reading becomes stable.
8. Now record the pH.
9. Finally, wash the electrodes with distilled water and then with buffer solution.
