Water quality online monitoring devices manufactured by Hangzhou Modi–Tech rely on specialized chemical reagents for operational detection. Proper reagent storage and management are essential to ensure personal safety and accurate test results. Staff must conduct regular inspection and verification to avoid using deteriorated reagents, which may lead to inaccurate Water Quality Detection data. This article elaborates on six key factors that cause reagent deterioration in water quality detectors.
1. Air Exposure
Air contact is a primary cause of reagent deterioration. Oxygen in the air can oxidize reducing reagents and trigger chemical degradation. Strong alkaline reagents readily absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide and convert into carbonates. In addition, moisture in the air may cause reagent caking, while suspended dust and impurities in the air can lead to reagent discoloration and reduction reactions, compromising reagent performance.
2. Improper Storage Temperature
Ambient temperature significantly affects reagent stability. High temperatures accelerate the decomposition of thermally unstable reagents and speed up chemical failure. Conversely, excessively low temperatures may cause reagent precipitation, freezing and structural changes. Therefore, staff shall classify and store different types of detection reagents strictly in accordance with their respective temperature requirements.
3. Excessive Light Irradiation
Ultraviolet rays in natural sunlight can accelerate the chemical reaction of photosensitive reagents, resulting in invalidation and deterioration. To avoid photochemical degradation, all light-sensitive Water Quality Detection reagents must be stored in dark and light-shielded conditions.
4. Unsuitable Environmental Humidity
The optimal relative humidity for reagent storage ranges from 40% to 70%. Deviations from this standard humidity range will trigger physical or chemical changes in reagents. Excessively high humidity causes reagent deliquescence, dilution and decomposition, while excessively low humidity leads to reagent efflorescence and structural damage, both resulting in reagent failure.
5. Impurity Contamination
Reagent purity directly determines its stability and service life. External impurity contamination is a common cause of premature deterioration. Staff shall operate in a standardized manner during reagent extraction and use to avoid cross-contamination and impurity intrusion, so as to maintain reagent purity and detection accuracy.
6. Expired Storage Time
All chemical reagents have a valid storage period. Long-term storage will cause unstable reagents to undergo polymerization, decomposition, precipitation and other irreversible changes. Similar to daily commodities, reagents will lose their efficacy after expiration, which not only affects the precision of water quality detection data but also may bring potential operational risks. It is necessary to strictly manage the reagent shelf life and replace expired reagents in a timely manner.
