The pH of the solution is a significant indicator of its chemical composition. Various applications must monitor or manage the pH of the soil, water, and food and beverage items with the help of pH indicators.
Aquatic Ecosystems
Fish and other aquatic life may be harmed by water that has an improper pH value. Low pH can make some nitrogen-containing substances more poisonous, harmful metals like aluminum enter the water in higher proportions, and can impair fish metabolism.
Most ammonium ions are transformed into hazardous ammonia at high pH levels (such as >9). Young fish and other aquatic species are particularly vulnerable to the effects of water with a pH below 5, which can prevent reproduction or cause death. Growth might be hampered by water having a pH below 6.5.
As the temperature rises, this issue becomes worse. Growth is often inhibited by water with a pH between 9 and 10; fish are killed by water with a pH of 11 or higher. Most fish can survive in a pH range of 6.5 to 9. The water in aquariums and other enclosed aquatic systems must be adequately buffered to prevent extreme pH changes.
Water Treatment
The correct pH value of drinking water is 6.5 to 8.5. pH is significant when treating both wastewater and drinking water. Drinking water with a low pH can damage pipes, allowing hazardous elements like copper and lead to seep into the water supply.
Water with an extreme pH has an unpleasant flavor, and chlorine-based disinfectants perform less effectively. The pH of wastewater is adjusted during treatment to ensure that desirable chemical or microbiological reactions occur as effectively as feasible. Operators carefully monitor and modify pH to respond to shifting chemical or microbiological conditions.
Agriculture & Gardening
The pH of soil affects a variety of elements in the soil, including microbial activity, fungal development, the availability of nutrients, and root growth. Some nutrients, including phosphorus and molybdenum, at lower pH levels become less accessible. Many soil minerals dissolve in acidic environments, producing hazardous metals like aluminum. When the environment is alkaline, the soil may lack nutrients, including zinc, copper, manganese, iron, boron, and phosphorus.
When the pH of the soil is outside the appropriate range, it can be changed by adding basic or acidic material to the soil. The pH range between 6.0 and 7.0, where most nutrients are available, is where most plants prefer to thrive. However, other plants, like hyacinth or blueberries (4.0-6.0), like more acidic or basic conditions (6.5-7.5). An exchangeable acidity analysis must be completed to determine how much lime will be needed to adjust the pH of acidic soil.
Food Industry
In the food sector, measuring pH using pH indicators is done to check for quality, manage taste, manage microbial activity and other characteristics, and extend the shelf life of food. The pH of milk is measured to look for contaminants. The pH influences whether cheese will be soft or hard and is also influenced by the souring of milk and the maturity of cream. Butter's sour or sweet flavor depends on the pH of the cream. Low-pH cultured milk makes yogurt because it fosters the ideal conditions for healthy bacteria activity. Food quality is also monitored using the pH of the food.
The pH of various foods must be kept within a specific range to preserve food for a longer time. For instance, condiments like mayonnaise and batter for bread baking are both acidified to increase the shelf life of the loaf. Extra care must be taken to destroy bacterial spores when canning low-acid foods (with pH 4.6), as they can thrive at pH levels higher than 4.6 and may potentially result in botulism.
Brewing Process
The taste of wine is also influenced by its pH; acidic wines generally have a dry flavor. Wines often range in pH from 3.0 to 4.0 in pH indicators, with white wines typically having a lower pH than red wines. The pH must be kept at a low level to stop bacteria from destroying the wine. Wines with a lower pH will often mature more slowly and be less prone to spoiling.
Till now, you have an idea about how pH plays an important role in different industries.
