Carbon dioxide has an effect on many different activities on earth, from the plants on the ground to the clouds in the sky. One major effect resulting from carbon dioxide is the acidification of the world’s water supplies. In a recent article from Environmental News Network researchers from the University of Glasgow show how ocean absorption of carbon dioxide is increasing its acidity, causing shells to become more brittle and vulnerable to severe weather events and predation.
Ocean acidification is the process in which carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is absorbed by the ocean, reacting with the seawater to form carbonic acid; this formation of carbonic acid is gradually, but surely, lowering the pH of the ocean. Hydrogen ions are released following the formation of carbonic acid, and these hydrogen ions bind to carbonate to form bicarbonate. When this happens, carbonite concentrations decrease, making it difficult for calcifying species such as mussels to build their shells of calcium carbonate.
“Mussels draw bicarbonate ions from seawater and use proteins in their bodies to make crystals of calcium carbonate to form their two-layer shells. In more acidic water, there are less bicarbonate ions available for the mussels to make their shells.”
While this may seem like a modest problem, the hindrance of growth, development, and reproduction of smaller marine organisms such as shellfish, krill, and plankton can result in a breakdown of marine food webs. Not only would this affect larger marine organisms, but it would ultimately affect the commercial fishing industry and the livelihood of those in the industry. One way in which we can detect the increase of carbon dioxide is by measurement of our water’s pH by use of a pH meter.
The measurement of pH can help users better understand the chemistry of our oceans. Hanna Instruments carries a variety of pH meters suitable for measuring the pH in the lab, in the field, and on the go.
Portable Meters
HI9829 Multiparamter Portable Meter
HI2020 edge Multiparameter Meter
Benchtop Meters
HI2212 Benchtop Meter with Three Point Calibration
HI22091 pH/mV Meter with Manual Temperature Compensation
pH Testers
HI98129 pH/Conductivity/TDS Tester
HI11312 HALO™ pH Probe with Bluetooth® Smart Technology
To read the full article by Environmental News Network click here. To learn more about Hanna Instruments and our product line click here or follow us on Facebook!
As a leader in innovation Hanna Instruments developed the HALO Wireless pH Meter, which uses Bluetooth Smart Technology to connect to Apple and Android devices running the Hanna Lab App.
Continuing with this tradition, the Hanna Instruments Blog is devoted to sharing the latest in product overviews, how-to guides, and industry specific news to our ever-growing audience.
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