LaMotte SMART Spectro Spectrophotometer - Manual (Page 218)

SILICA–HIGH RANGE
SILICOMOLYBDATE METHOD • CODE 3687-SC
QUANTITY CONTENTS CODE
30 mL * Silica Reagent #1 *V-4466-G
30 mL * Silica Reagent #2 *V-4467-G
15 mL * Silica Reagent #3 *V-4468-G
*WARNING: Reagents marked with a * are considered to be potential health hazards. To view
or print a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for these reagents see MSDS CD or
www.lamotte.com. To obtain a printed copy, contact LaMotte by e-mail, phone or fax.
Silicon dioxide, SiO
2
, commonly known as silica, occurs in all natural water.
Silica may be present as suspended, insoluble particles in a colloidal or
polymeric state. It may also be present in a reactive form as silicic acid or
silicate ions. Silica is a major nutrient for diatoms. A silica cycle occurs in
many bodies of water containing organisms, such as diatoms, that use silica in
their skeletal structure. The silica removed from the water may be slowly
returned to solution by the decomposition of the dead organisms. The major
source of silica in natural water is from the decomposition of silicate minerals
in the drainage basin from which the waters flow.
The presence of silica is particularly objectionable in water used for boiler feed
water purposes, as it may cause the formation of a hard, dense scale which has
unusually high resistance to heat transfer. Serious loss of turbine efficiency
results from insoluble silica turbine blade deposits caused by vaporization of
silica from boiler water.
APPLICATION: Boiler and cooling waters; domestic and industrial wastes.
RANGE: 0–50 ppm Silica
METHOD: Silica forms a complex with ammonium molybdate in an
acidic solution to produce a yellow color in proportion to the
amount of silica present. Phosphate also reacts with
molybdate but the addition of oxalic acid eliminates the
molybdophosphoric acid complex.
SAMPLE
HANDLING &
PRESERVATION: Silica samples may be preserved by refrigeration at 4°C in
plastic containers up to one week without any change in
silica concentration.
INTERFERENCES: Sulfides and large amounts of iron interfere. Color and
turbidity may be removed by standardizing the instrument
with the original water sample.
SMART SPECTRO TEST PROCEDURES 05.04 Silica–HR 1/2