Total Scale pH Monitoring in Marine Waters

Monitoring the health of our oceans demands robust, precise, reliable and affordable methods for monitoring pH levels. Accurate and timely pH monitoring is critical for understanding the impact of ocean acidification and other environmental changes. Studies of ocean acidification are recommended to be based on measurements of pH on the total scale, due to accounting for sulphate ion influence. Providing autonomous real-time pH monitoring on the total scale offers global comparability and facilitates the assessment of long-term trends, making it a vital tool for understanding and addressing ocean acidification and environmental change.

Traditional pH measurement methods have limitations, such as sensitivity to alterations of ionic strength and the use of complex spectrophotometric systems with long sampling times and generation of chemical waste. Optical pH sensors for total scale are a viable alternative to traditional pH measurement for global pH monitoring. PyroScience pH sensors for the total scale are based on a unique optical detection principle and feature an outstanding low cross-sensitivity to ionic strength in marine waters, as well as an excellent sensitivity in the marine pH range of 7-9. With the next generation optical pH sensors from PyroScience sensitive measurements of ocean pH on the total scale can be performed even under harsh deep-sea conditions down to 4000m water depth.

12/5/2025