Today at Integrated Lab Solutions, We began investigating the stability of samples at a low pH (acidic environment). A lot of time was spent trying to figure out how much formic acid solution needed to be added to a normal sample. We thought that we had calculated the right amount based on the diluted solution’s molarity and the pKa, but when we added it, the pH came out to be almost basic. We came to the conclusion that a component of the sample was reacting with the formic acid to create a buffer. To solve the issue, we continued to guess and check the amount of formic acid needed to reach a pH of 3. To check the pH of each sample, a small sample of each solution was placed into a machine called the Indiko Plus (pictured below) and a pH test was run. Finding the right concentration and amount of formic acid to be added was quite the accomplishment today, and tomorrow I look forward to seeing the results of the normal pH test that we started yesterday. 