Scale formation is a critical issue in cooling systems leading to system damage, which generates enormous operational losses. One important component of scale forming is silica. Amorphous silica and metal silicates especially tend to build up scale. Therefore, it is crucial to know the silica concentration in cooling agents. By ion chromatography with UV/VIS detection and PCR, it is possible to determine both free and total silicate content. Sample dilution in ultrapure water and direct injection delivers the free silicate concentration. The total silicate content is determined after hydrolysis of amorphous silica by sample dilution in alkaline eluent, and injection after a reaction time (e.g. 4 hours) prior to the analysis.
