I am working on developing my seawater analysis skills and getting good results titrating for calcium using EDTA, will work on the.magnesium side next. However as expected strontium proves a problem using basic lab techniques. Separation of strontium on a quantitative basis from Ca and Mg in seawater doesn’t seem to be a very practical process. I would like to know about strontium to at the least correct my calcium results for the element rather than guessing.
Best aquarist test based on claims that I can see is the Seachem Reef Status kit, giving a claimed 0.5 ppm resolution. Has anyone used this kit, any use? It uses some sort of proprietary strontium absorbtion and then elution I think. Anybody know what the technology is and whether it’s anything I could replicate? Ion exchange?
I know about the Salifert kit which seems to be pretty basic in terms of quantification. From what I can see it maybe involves first complexing all the Ca and Mg using EDTA excess , then reverse titrating to get the calcium. There then seems to be an addition of the SR4 reagent which allows strontium to be measured as a second step? Not sure what chemistry is going on here and again wonder if it is something I could replicate and refine.
Any info on the chemistry of strontium testing in seawater is welcome
Steve
Best aquarist test based on claims that I can see is the Seachem Reef Status kit, giving a claimed 0.5 ppm resolution. Has anyone used this kit, any use? It uses some sort of proprietary strontium absorbtion and then elution I think. Anybody know what the technology is and whether it’s anything I could replicate? Ion exchange?
I know about the Salifert kit which seems to be pretty basic in terms of quantification. From what I can see it maybe involves first complexing all the Ca and Mg using EDTA excess , then reverse titrating to get the calcium. There then seems to be an addition of the SR4 reagent which allows strontium to be measured as a second step? Not sure what chemistry is going on here and again wonder if it is something I could replicate and refine.
Any info on the chemistry of strontium testing in seawater is welcome
Steve