Improved traceability of pH measurements

Traceability is a prerequisite for the comparability and uniformity of measurements. Although pH-measurements are carried out on a large scale in laboratory and industry, the problems involved in the traceability of pH values have not adequately been solved in the past. The comparability of pH measurements is limited, among other parameters, by the accuracy of the pH values of the standard buffer solutions used to calibrate the pH meter-electrode assemblies. The measured pH(X) value must be traceable to primary standard pH(PS) values through an unbroken chain of comparisons, all values having stated uncertainties. A new primary standard measurement device for pH is used to certify primary pH reference materials from which these secondary reference materials can be derived.     

The Japanese traceability system and the role of uncertainty evaluation in measurement

 The new traceability system of measurement standards based on the Japanese Measurement Law has been established since November 1993. Some reference materials such as metal standard solutions, pH standard solutions and standard gas mixtures are included in the system together with relevant physical quantities. In this system, primary measurement standard instruments or primary reference materials are designated by the regulation for each quantity. For the practical dissemination of each quantity, accreditation of calibration bodies is recognized by the steering committee under the supervision of the government. In the course of assessment of a candidate calibration body, the concepts of ISO/IEC Guide 25 and ISO/IEC Guide 58 are effectively introduced. For the estimation of reliability, the concept of how to introduce the statistical approach is effectively considered. The method of uncertainty evaluation described in the ISO document entitled "Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement" is adopted.     

Development of pH measurement system for legal traceability of pH standard solutions

The best reproducible technology of pH measurement for precise pH buffer solutions regulated by Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) was studied. A pH meter was devised with a high resolution of +/- 0.0001 pH. An 18-bit analog-to-digital converter is used, one-bit resolution corresponding to 0.0019 mV (ca. 0.000032 pH) against an input electrode potential +/- 500 mV. Digital data were treated smoothly for some types of noise, a reproducibility of +/- 0.0002 pH being obtained with a potentiometer. A flow cell was devised to attain temperature control within +/- 0.03 degrees C and air-tight measurement prevented contamination with carbon dioxide. Also, the flow cell has a structure such that potassium chloride (KCl) inner solution effused from a ceramic junction of the reference electrode designed so as not to touch the glass membrane. A combination pH electrode (a glass electrode and a reference electrode) was assembled to minimize the dead volume of sample solution. This highly sensitive pH measuring system, consisting of a pH meter, a flow cell, a combination pH electrode, a circulating water thermostat and a peristaltic pump, was used for the certification of pH standard solutions in Japanese metrological law. The performance of this system was within +/- 0.0006 pH reproducibility and 20-30 min response time (5 min within +/- 0.0002 pH) at a sample flow rate of 3 ml min (-1).     

Application of Pitzer's equations on the system HCl+MnCl2+H2O at various temperatures. V.

Activity coefficients of hydrochloric acid in mixed solutions of manganous chloride at twelve ionic strengths, from 0.1 to 5.0 mole-kg^–1, were obtained from emf measurements of cells without liquid junction at five temperatures from 5 to 45°C. The data were interpreted in terms of the simple and convenient Pitzer treatment. Activity coefficients for manganous chloride in the mixtures were also derived using Pitzer's equations. Hydrochloric acid follows Harned's rule fromI=0.1 to 3.0 mole-kg^–1, as concluded by Downes, whereas quadratic terms are warranted fromI=3.5 to 5.0 mole-kg^–1. Contrary to Downes' conclusion, Harned's rule clearly does not hold true for manganous chloride at most ionic strengths.     

Monitoring the traceability of the pH of a primary tetraborate buffer: comparison of results from primary and secondary apparatus

This paper reports evaluation of the behaviour of different combined glass electrodes applied to measurement of the pH of a primary, 0.01 mol kg⁻¹, tetraborate buffer. Measurements were first performed by use of a primary Harned cell (at 15, 25, and 37 °C); these results were then compared with those obtained for the same solution by use of three combined glass electrodes (25 °C) with different membranes and liquid-junction designs, calibrated by use of commercial pH-metric buffers. The pH of the same solution was also measured in terms of the molal concentration of hydrogen ions, using acid–base titration to evaluate the formal potential difference K of each cell at fixed ionic strength, I, adjusted by addition of KCl or Et₄NI (tetraethylammonium iodide). The reference value from primary measurement, paH = 9.171, was slightly closer to the mean value obtained by determination of concentration, rather than that obtained by direct measurement of activity; the differences were smaller than the extended uncertainty characteristics of the secondary measurements. The importance of evaluation of the ionic strength of the solution under study is emphasised. We verified that for tetraborate buffer slight modification of the value of I used to calculate γ _i (the activity coefficient of a single ion) in the calculation of paH from the acidity function at zero molality of chloride can significantly affect the reference value of the calibrator tool. This is true, in general, for low values of the ionic strength, such as those considered in this work; an approximate value of I can then cause distortions along the pH traceability chain. Application of the concepts of thermodynamics to this traceability chain is discussed.     

Calculation of the Gibbs energy of mixing in crystals using Pitzer's model

Pitzer's model has been applied to the thermodynamic study at 25°C of a series of systems of the type MeX-MeX-H₂O, MeX-MeX-H₂O (where Me, Me=K, NH₄,Rb and Cs; X, X=Cl, Br and I), MeSO₄-MeSO₄-H₂O (where Me, Me=Mg, Ni, Zn and Co). The integral Gibbs energy of mixing G^mix and the excess Gibbs energy of mixing G^E(s) are calculated, and simplified correlation equations are proposed for their calculation. The results obtained are compared with experimental data from the literature and with values calculated using various theories. The rational activity coefficients of the mixed crystal components are estimated. The energy of phase transition of one structure into another has been estimated for the isodimorphous mixed crystals in the system MgSO₄–CoSO₄–H₂O.     

Activity coefficients for ternary systems: VI. The system HCl + MgCl2 + H2O at different temperatures; application of Pitzer's equations

Electromotive-force measurements have been made on HCl–MgCl₂–H₂O mixtures at 5, 15, 25, 35 and 45°C at eleven different ionic strengths from 0.1–5.0 mol-kg ^–1 . The results are interpreted in terms of the simple Harned's equations, as well as the more complicated Pitzer ion-component treatment of multicomponent electrolyte mixtures. Activity coefficients for HCl in the salt mixtures obey Harned's rule up to and including I=5.0. For the salt in the acid mixtures, Harned's rule holds true up to and including I=0.5. The contribution of higher-order electrostatic terms (E and E') in the Pitzer equations is important for accurate evaluations of unlike cation-cation interactions (_H,Mg), and cation-anion-cation interactions (_H,Mg,Cl). The values of^S_H,Mg and _H,Mg,Cl (determined with E and E'), _H,Mg and _H,Mg,Cl (determined without E and E'), as well as the trace activity coefficients of HCl, _tr ^A , in solutions of MgCl₂ (where ionic strength fraction of the salt,y _B = 1) at all the experimental temperatures and ionic strengths, are reported. Results of this study are compared with those for similar systems. At I=0.1 and 25°C, the results of the Brönsted-Guggenheim specific interaction theory are discussed briefly.     

Activity coefficients for the system NaCl+Na2SO4+H2O at various temperatures. Application of Pitzer's equations

The mean activity coefficients of NaCl in the system NaCl+Na₂SO₄+H₂O at various compositions were determined in the temperature range 5–45°C from the emf of potentiometric cells. By processing the results using Pitzer's equations the mixing parameters describing the non-ideal behavior of electrolytes were calculated. The temperature coefficients of the mixing parameters were determined and found not to be significant. The mixing parameters and temperature coefficients calculated for the binary mixture can be used to describe the behavior of multicomponent systems containing NaCl and Na₂SO₄, and eventually sea water.     

Quality and the development of reference materials, including the role of traceability and comparability

The global recognition that quality is an economic issue is requiring analytical chemists to look at the chemical measurement process in a way that has not been done before. Much work has been done in certifying reference materials, writing measurement protocols, creating measurement networks, developing analytical measurement techniques and other efforts to make good measurements. This article explores the meaning of quality in chemical measurements and discusses quality in terms of credibility, reliability, traceability and comparability. The importance of understanding the contribution of comparability and traceability to quality in chemical measurements and chemical metrology is emphasized.     

Is traceability an exclusive property of analytical results? An extended approach to traceability in chemical analysis

The need to adapt the definition of traceability in the Metrological Dictionary of ISO to the growing use of this concept in Analytical Chemistry aroused the broader, more flexible proposal expounded in this paper which aims to be closer to the bench level. The traceability concept is addressed in a hierarchical manner by ranking the different notions to which the qualifier “traceable” applies (results, standards, equipment and samples) in such a way that it is compatible with the ISO definition. Relationships among them and with classical analytical properties are also exposed. Received: 12 May 1997 / Revised: 22 July 1997 / Accepted: 25 July 1997     

Is traceability an exclusive property of analytical results? An extended approach to traceability in chemical analysis

The need to adapt the definition of traceability in the Metrological Dictionary of ISO to the growing use of this concept in Analytical Chemistry aroused the broader, more flexible proposal expounded in this paper which aims to be closer to the bench level. The traceability concept is addressed in a hierarchical manner by ranking the different notions to which the qualifier “traceable” applies (results, standards, equipment and samples) in such a way that it is compatible with the ISO definition. Relationships among them and with classical analytical properties are also exposed. Received: 12 May 1997 / Revised: 22 July 1997 / Accepted: 25 July 1997     

Improvement of the traceability of reference materials certified for purity: evaluation of a semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography approach

A semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography process was evaluated as a tool to quantitatively determine the purity or percentage mass fraction content (% m/m) of organic compounds. The method is simple and does not require the identification and subsequent quantitation of organic-related structure impurities. A protocol was developed and tested on four reference materials certified for purity from 95% m/m to 99.3% m/m. Comparing the purity results of each certified reference material using the new approach with their respective certified values showed no significant analytical bias. Semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography has proved the potential to be a primary method directly traceable to mass with an uncertainty statement written down also in terms of mass with expanding uncertainty ranging from 0.8% to 1.3% m/m compared to 0.3 to 2.0% m/m for the certified purity values at the 95% confidence interval.     

The role of pH in the synthesis of diaziridines

In the synthesis of diaziridines from amines, carbonyl compounds, and NaOCl in water, the yields of 1,2-dialkyldiaziridines and of 1,2,3-trisubstituted diaziridines prepared from amines with electron-withdrawing substituents in the side chain are less sensitive to changes in pH than the yields of 1,2,3-trialkyldiaziridines with simple alkyl substituents. The formation of 1,5-diazabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes is insensitive to the pH in 6.5–13.0 range. This difference is explained by the occurrence of two competing pathways to the key intermediate,N-chloroaminal.     

The role of pH in the synthesis of diaziridines

The greatest yield in the synthesis of diaziridines from carbonyl compounds, amines, and aminating reagents in water is achieved at a specific pH, which shifts to less alkaline values with increasing -I effect of the substituents in the carbonyl compound and with decreasing pK_BH ⁺ value of the amine. The role of pH is related to the conditions for the generation of an immonium from the intermediate-aminocarbinol. The nuclear Overhauser effect was used to determine the orientation of the substituents in several diastereomers of the didikyldiaziridines obtained.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 12, pp. 2861–2871, December, 1991.     

In vitro nonenzymatic glycation of DNA nucleobases: an evaluation of advanced glycation end products under alkaline pH

The advanced glycation end products (AGEs) of DNA nucleobases have received little attention, perhaps due to the fact that adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine do not dissolve under mild pH conditions. To maintain nucleobases in solution, alkaline pH conditions are typically required. The objectives of this investigation were twofold: to study the susceptibility of DNA nucleobases to nonenzymatic attack by different sugars, and to evaluate the factors that influence the formation of nucleobase AGEs at pH 12, i.e., in an alkaline environment that promotes the aldo–keto isomerization and epimerization of sugars. Varying concentrations of adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine were incubated over time with constant concentrations of D-glucose, D-galactose or D/L-glyceraldehyde under different conditions of temperature and ionic strength. Incubation of the nucleobases with the sugars resulted in a heterogeneous assembly of AGEs whose formation was monitored by UV/fluorescence spectroscopy. Capillary electrophoresis and HPLC were used to resolve the AGEs of the DNA adducts and provided a powerful tool for following the extent of glycation in each of the DNA nucleobases. Mass spectrometry studies of DNA adducts of guanine established that glycation at pH 12 proceeded through an Amadori intermediate.     

Application of Pitzer's Equations for Modeling the Aqueous Thermodynamics of Actinide Species in Natural Waters: A Review

A review of the applicability of Pitzer's equations to the aqueous thermodynamics of actinide species in natural waters is presented. This review includes a brief historical perspective on the application of Pitzer's equations to actinides, information on the difficulties and complexities of studying and modeling the different actinide oxidation states, and a discussion of the use of chemical analogs for different actinide oxidation states. Included are tables of Pitzer ion–interaction parameters and associated standard state equilibrium constants for each actinide oxidation state. These data allow the modeling of the aqueous thermodynamics of different actinide oxidation states to high ionic strength.     

Proficiency testing for pH measurements: a 3-year evaluation

Accreditation and Quality Assurance - Chemical Metrology Laboratory, LIPI, organizes an annual proficiency testing (PT) scheme with pH being one of the parameters investigated. This study presents...