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Ion-selective electrodes: General tips – Part 1

21.02.2022

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This article is Part 1 of a series.

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Part 2

Ions – we encounter these tiny charge carriers constantly. Depending on the concentration of certain anions (negative ions) and cations (positive ions), they can have a significant impact on humans and the environment. Thanks to ongoing quality control in several industries such as food and beverage, the metallurgical industry, and water management, defined limits are neither exceeded nor undercut.

So, how can these small, ubiquitous ions be determined? Mistakenly, I thought at first that ion measurement is only possible by means of more costly analytical methods such as ion chromatography (IC), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), or atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). A promising cost-efficient alternative to these techniques is to use so-called ion-selective electrodes (ISE).
 

If you are interested in one or more of these subjects:

…then you have come to the right place.

Types of ion-selective electrodes

If you want to determine, for example, the fluoride concentration in your toothpaste, the ammonium content of the water in your aquarium, or perhaps how much calcium is really in a fruit juice, then there are many suitable ion-selective electrodes for your application needs. Check out our free Application Bulletins on these subjects below for further information.

Determination of fluoride with an ion-selective electrode

Complexometric titrations with the copper ion-selective electrode

Simultaneous determination of calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity by complexometric titration with potentiometric or photometric indication in water and beverage samples

Membrane material

The very first ion-selective electrode was the pH electrode. However, this article will not discuss pH electrodes—you can find more information in our other posts pertaining to this special ISE.

Avoiding the most common mistakes in pH measurement

How to calibrate a pH meter


Aside from the glass membrane used for pH electrodes, there are other membrane materials available for selective measurement of myriad ions. The most widely applied types are listed in Table 1.