Is there an invisible crisis in your water, or are you in the clear?
Today we're looking at how to quickly find out in the lab or in the field
with PASCO's Wireless Colorimeter and Turbidity Sensor, along with ion-specific ezSample Snap vials.
[Water Quality with the Wireless Colorimeter & Turbidity Sensor]
PASCO's Wireless Colorimeter and Turbidity Sensor
now comes with an ampoule cap for use with ezSample Snap ion-specific test vials.
The ezSample Snap vial packs are sold separately, but each box of vials also comes with the ampoule cap.
Visit the Wireless Colorimeter product page to see which ezSample Snap vial options are available for use
with the sensor, and contact tech support if you need additional ampoule caps.
Water contamination is an invisible but real problem that can happen anywhere in the world.
You may be familiar with using snap vials in the lab or in the field
to get a qualitative and quantitative assessment of contaminant levels
for chemicals such as nitrates and phosphates.
When these chemicals are present in high concentrations,
ecosystem and individual health can be harmed.
The wireless colorimeter is easy to use in the lab or in the field
to detect unhealthy levels of chemicals such as ammonia, iron, nitrate, or phosphate.
To get started, connect the colorimeter to SPARKvue or Capstone.
I'm going to choose only the ions I'm interested in
and then select Digits to get a digits display.
The first thing that happens is you are asked to perform a calibration.
Use the calibration vial that comes with the test kit.
All calibration vials are the same regardless of kit.
Place the vial in the colorimeter, all the way in.
Cover with the ampoule cap.
In the software, select Calibrate, and Calibrate,
and when you see the green check mark, choose Done.
Before starting data collection, follow the water sample preparation instructions
that come with the ezSample Snap vial pack.
The range of highest test sensitivity is shown at the top of the page.
The sensor allows you to get readings within, above, and below the stated range,
but the best accuracy is within the stated range.
Let's review the nitrate vial instructions.
First, add 15 mL of the water sample to be tested to the reaction tube.
There are graduations on the tube.
Next, add the contents of one foil packet to the reaction tube.
Seal with the cap,
and shake vigorously for three minutes.
After three minutes of shaking,
add 10 drops of acidifier solution to the cup.
After this has been shaken for three minutes,
pour the liquid portion from the tube to the cup.
Avoid getting any of the solids in the cup.
Then get a new ampoule.
Place the tip of the ampoule in one of the depressions in the cup.
Then you're going to push the ampoule to the side of the cup to snap it.
The ampoule automatically fills with the treated sample.
Invert the vial several times to mix it.
Then dry it and allow 10 minutes for it to develop before you test.
I've already got some samples prepared in advance, so let's measure some of those.
Now I'm going to start collecting data.
When I start collecting data, you'll see that there are values for all chemical tests,
but I'm just testing for nitrate.
I'm going to get my sample,
place it in the colorimeter, and add the ampoule cap.
I'm going to look at the value for nitrate. The nitrate value is 1.69 mg/L.
Keep in mind the unit mg/L is the same as parts per million, or ppm.
If I want to measure phosphate,\
I'm going to prepare my sample vial according to the phosphate vial instructions,
then do the same thing. I'm going to add the vial to the colorimeter.
There's no need to stop data collection between measurements.
Find the value for phosphate, which is 3.8 mg/L,
and add it to your data record.
PASCO's Experiment Library contains water quality investigations you can do with the colorimeter
as well as water quality investigations with other sensors,
such as the Wireless Optical Dissolved Oxygen Sensor.
Thanks for watching, and we'll see you next time.