Current Trends of Analytical Techniques for Total Alkalinity Measurement in Water Samples: A Review

Abstract

Increasing acidity of seawater caused by increasing anthropogenic carbon dioxide absorbed intothe seawater attracted the interest of researchers due to increased concern on the deterioration ofmarine systems and food supply to humans. Total alkalinity (TA) is one of the important parametersin determining carbonate chemistry and is described as the capacity of the sample to neutralizeacids. Over the last two decades, many analytical techniques have been developed to determineTA. This article presents a review of different analytical techniques including titration, colorimetric,spectrophotometric, and potentiometric analyses in measuring TA. Among these analytical techni-ques, potentiometry analysis, which utilizes electrode systems such as glass electrode and ion-selective electrode used as indicator electrodes, is the most used technique. Important featuressuch as principle, limitations, and challenges of the involved technique are discussed in detail.