| 5162 | pH Monitor Test Kit 0-14 | 1 bottle of 100 test strips / Kit |
Serim® pH 0 -14 Test Strips give a semi-quantitative measurement of the acidity or concentration of hydrogen ion H+ present in an aqueous solution.
In dialysis, the expected range for water pH should be between 7.0 1
and 8.0. The pH of the water affects the efficacy of carbon in removing chlorine or chloramine. Carbon filtration and reverse osmosis devices will not work as effectively at a pH of >8.5.
Though not needed in all water treatment systems, adding an acidic solution to the raw water is indicated in areas where the pH of incoming feed water is high. In these municipalities, adding an inorganic acid to lower the feed water pH may be required for the proper functioning of water treatment system. The addition of the acid must be monitored with a pH meter or pH strip that is designed for the level anticipated.1
The AAMI Standards for Water treatment equipment odialysis applications (RD62) states that
“reducing the pH of alkaline feed water by the injection of mineral acids can enhance the efficiency of
granular activated carbon.”2
Manufacturers or suppliers of carbon adsorption beds should provide a warning that unexpected exhaustion may occur because of variable feed water characteristics such as:
- increasing pH
- the presence of species that compete for carbon media adsorption/reaction sites.
- materials deposited on the surface of the carbon media
These characteristics prevent chlorine and chloramines from reaching adsorption or reaction sites on the carbon granules.
To assure that the acid is fed in at the appropriate rate, pH must be monitored from a sample port just downstream from the acid feed pump. Review applicable regulations and manufacturers recommendations to determine appropriate testing requirements.
References:
- Monitoring Your Dialysis Water Treatment System, Northwest Renal Network, Seattle, Washington, June, 2005; www.nwrenalnetwork.org.
- AAMI Standards and Recommended Practices, Dialysis, 2008 Edition, RD62 - Water treatment equipment for hemodialysis applications, Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation. Arlington, Virginia.