pH electrode storage solution

Description

The solution a pH meter should stand in between measurements. An electrode left in water or in air loses accuracy within weeks, and sometimes for good.

Why not water

The glass membrane only works wet, but distilled water leaches ions out of it and dries the sensitive layer from within. A proper storage solution holds the right ionic strength, and the electrode stays usable for years rather than months.

Who needs it

Anyone mixing their own chemistry: in the alternative processes, in toning and in reviving old formulas, pH decides the result as much as the proportions do. And a badly stored meter starts lying exactly when you are relying on it.

Questions and answers

Will calibration buffer do?

No, they are different things. Buffer is for calibration, this is for storage; an electrode must not sit in buffer permanently.