Conductivity Meter in Pharmaceutical Industry

It is a device used to measure the electrical conductivity of a liquid, which indicates its ability to conduct electricity. This measurement is commonly used to assess water purity, detect contamination, and monitor chemical concentrations in various industries.

Key Components of a Conductivity Meter:

1. Probe (Electrodes) – Usually made of metal (e.g., platinum) or graphite, it detects ions in the solution.
2. Meter/Display Unit – Converts electrical signals into readable conductivity values.
3. Temperature Sensor – Conductivity is temperature-dependent, so most meters have automatic temperature compensation (ATC).

Applications:

• Water Quality Monitoring (e.g., drinking water, wastewater, industrial water)
• Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry (for solution concentration monitoring)
• Agriculture (soil and fertilizer solution testing)
• Food and Beverage Industry (checking purity in production processes)
• Aquariums and Hydroponics (monitoring water conditions).

Units of Measurement:

• Siemens per meter (S/m)
• Millisiemens per centimeter (mS/cm)
• Microsiemens per centimeter (µS/cm) (for low-conductivity solutions)

Types of Conductivity Meters:

• Benchtop Meters – High accuracy, used in labs.
• Portable Meters – Handheld, useful for field testing.
• Inline Meters – Installed in pipelines for continuous monitoring.

Choosing the Right Conductivity Meter for Laboratory & Industrial:

• Hanna Instruments HI 2030 – High precision, temperature compensation, ideal for labs.
• Oakton CON 700 – Reliable for industrial water and chemical applications.
• YSI Pro10 – Multi-parameter (conductivity, pH, and salinity).
• Hanna HI 99301 – Rugged, suitable for water quality testing.

How to Use a Conductivity Meter:

• Calibrate the Meter (see calibration steps below).
• Rinse the Probe – Use distilled water to remove contaminants.
• Immerse the Probe – Submerge it into the sample solution.
• Wait for Reading Stability – Let the value stabilize before recording.
• Rinse & Store Properly – Clean and store the probe in proper storage solution.

Step-by-Step Calibration:

• Use a Standard Conductivity Solution(Potassium chloride)
• Rinse the Probe with distilled water and dry it.
• Immerse in Calibration Solution – Wait for the reading to stabilize.
• Adjust the Meter (if manual) or press “Calibrate” (if automatic).
• Repeat for Multi-Point Calibration (if needed for a wide measurement range).

Read also:

• Instrumentation and Application of XRD
• Validation of pH Measurement Testing
• Importance of Calibration in Analytical Laboratory

Resource Person: Susmita