Automatic flow titrator based on a multicommutated unsegmented flow system for alkalinity monitoring in wastewaters

A full automatic flow system based on potentiometric titration for alkalinity monitoring in wastewater treating plants is presented. Titration to an end-point of pH 5.75 partial alkalinity (PA) and then to pH 4.3 intermediate alkalinity (IA) allows to distinguish the relative buffering contributions of both bicarbonate and volatile acids in anaerobic digesters and, thus, the attainment of a IA:PA ratio which is a sensitive parameter of digestion monitoring that increases rapidly with the process upset.