Taylor K-8000, User Manual, Page: 24 / 100

2-6 TTi
®
Colorimeter User’s Manual
Part 2 Testing Primer
Procedure:
1. Acidify entire sample using nitric acid solution 1:1 to a pH of less than 2.0. Mix well and let sit for 16
hours. Do not filter sample to remove insoluble materials.
2. Transfer 100 mL of acidified sample water to 250 mL beaker.
3. Working inside a fume hood, add 2 mL nitric acid solution 1:1 and 1 mL hydrochloric acid solution 1:1.
4. Place beaker on hotplate inside a fume hood and cover with ribbed watch glass.
5. Turn on hotplate and evaporate sample to approximately 20 mL being careful not to allow sample to
boil. (This step should take approximately 2 hours.)
6. Carefully remove ribbed watch glass and replace with smooth watch glass.
7. Continue heating and gently reflux sample for 30 minutes. Slight boiling may occur, but avoid vigorous
boiling.
8. After 30 minutes turn off hotplate, carefully remove beaker, and allow beaker to cool to room temperature.
9. Quantitatively transfer sample to 100 mL volumetric flask and dilute to the mark with ASTM Type I
water. Mix well. If insoluble materials remain, the sample may be filtered being careful not to introduce
contamination to the sample.
10. The sample is now ready for testing.
ADDING AND MIXING REAGENTS
A reagent is added to sample water using a dropper bottle with a precisely bored tip, a pipet, or a dipper spoon.
To assure the correct amount of liquid reagent is added to the sample when using a dropper bottle, hold it verti-
cally when dispensing, not at a slant. If static builds up at the dropper tip making the drop size progressively
smaller, eliminate the static by wiping around the tip with a clean, damp cloth or paper towel. When using
a pipet, fill the pipet to the correct mark; then be sure to dispense the entire contents into the sample. When
using a dipper spoon, a gentle tapping action against the rim of the sample cell may be required to dislodge all
the powdered reagent. Cap the sample cell and then swirl the contents, using wrist action, to assure thorough
mixing. Do not shake or invert the sample cell unless specified in the test instruction.
Observe the following precautions:
• To prevent contamination, cap reagents tightly immediately after use and be careful not to exchange bottle
caps.
• Do not substitute another manufacturer’s reagents for Taylor’s.
• Replace reagents that are more than a year old.
• Wipe off spills and soil on the Colorimeter’s exterior with a soft, damp cloth as soon as possible.
• Remove stray fluid from the sample cell compartment with a clean cotton swab.
STORING REAGENTS
Reagents are perishables. The chemicals used with the TTi
®
Colorimeter will degrade over time, even under
optimum conditions. The process of deterioration speeds up when storage conditions are not ideal. Extremes
of heat and cold, as well as prolonged exposure to air, sunlight, humidity/moisture, and volatile treatment
chemicals, will diminish their useful life.
To preserve freshness, make sure reagent containers are kept tightly closed. When in storage, reagents do best
in a cool, dark place away from drums and bags of treatment chemicals, especially chlorine and bromine. If
you must choose between a hot warehouse (or vehicle trunk) and the refrigerator, opt for the latter for longer-
term storage. Keeping reagents in the refrigerator will prolong shelf life; however, once they are taken out, they