Current Post Topic - Still Being Refined

In this section we will be discussing topics related to corrosion and soil corrosivity. Stay tuned for the next update on using ion chromatography in soil corrosivity testing. In this upcoming post, we will discuss the advantages as well as requirements by Cal Trans of using ion chromatography for chloride and sulfate testing. You can find an excerpt below.

Ion Chromatography in Soil Corrosivity Testing

Ion chromatography provides a host of benefits compared to all older methods. The power of ion chromatography has been recognized by the EPA, Cal Trans, and others standardizing agencies. For instance, Cal Trans 417 (Sulfate) and 422 (Chloride) require the use of EPA Method 300.0, Determination of Inorganic Anions by Ion Chromatography be used as the method for the final determination of chloride and sulfate content in soils. Links are provided below to these methods for your reference.

California Test Methods 417 and 422

One of the greatest benefits of ion chromatography not mentioned in current testing methods is based on the fact that all common anions and cations can be determined in a single of test of each. Having all anions and cations allows for the comparison of the combined charges of all ions to evaluate the charge balance. The combined charges of all anions and all cations should at least roughly equal one another since an aqueous solution must have a balanced ionic charge. Testing for only chloride and sulfate using antiquated techniques does not allow for this comparison and leaves weaker QA/QC methods to verify accuracy.