Introduction

Method overview

Alkalinity is the measure of how much acid it takes to lower the pH of a water sample enough to convert all bicarbonate (HCO₃^–) and carbonate (CO₃^2–) to carbonic acid (H₂CO₃). Although total alkalinity is equal to the stoichiometric sum of all bases in solution, not just carbonates, ~97% of alkalinity in typical seawater is due to carbonates.

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The alkalinity determination in this method (Gran titration) relies on a mathematical evaluation of the second equivalence point of carbonate titration in seawater using the most stable part of the titration curve (i.e., the part beyond the equivalence point on the low pH side). In essence, the Gran method linearizes the titration curve by means of a simple function:

F = (v + V₀) × 10^E/A,

where:

F             =             Gran factor,

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