Monitoring concentration of water treatment polymer - by contacting sample with photoactivator and comparing absorbence of sample to set standards, for use in e.g. boiler water systems

摘要

Monitoring the concentration of a water treatment polymer in an aqueous system comprises: (i) providing an aqueous sample of a predetermined volume from the system containing water-soluble, water-treatment polymer comprising polymerisation residue of: (a) at least water-treatment monomer(s) to provide polymer with capability of performing water-treatment function selected from dispersing particulate matter, inhibiting the formation of mineral scale and inhibiting corrosion in an aqueous system; and (b) a second monomer comprising photo-inert, latently detectable moiety present in an amount to be detected at polymer concentration of less than 100 ppm and within a wavelength range of 300-800 nm when the moiety is contacted with the activator to cause the moiety to absorb within the wavelength range; (ii) contacting the aqueous sample with the photoactivator to cause the moiety to absorb within 300-800 nm; and (iii) determining the concentration of the water-treatment polymer by comparing the absorbence of the sample with a set of standards prepared utilising the polymer and the photoactivator.