Caura River Expedition Day 8

The delicate pH meter must be kept in the shade to ensure accurate readings.

The pH meter has an electrode with different solutions (sometimes gel, sometimes a solution) at the meter looks at the charge between the water and the controlled solution.

This meter is more accurate than litmus paper, but delicate to take into the field because it needs to be calibrated and cannot take very much movement or heat.

Acidic rivers tend to have leeched carbonic acids from decaying organic material in the forest. If a river runs over limestone bedrock, it is likely to be alkaline. Neutral is a pH of 7, but pure (de-ionized) water is slightly acidic with a pH of 5. The Caura has been under 6, and therefore slightly acidic.

— Reported by Jensen Montambault

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