Detect ammonia in process and cooling water to prevent copper corrosion and loss of biocide effectiveness. Fast, reliable on-site results with Indigo®test strips 0-100 ppm ammonia test strips.
Industrial and cooling water systems that use recycled or treated water can accumulate trace ammonia from biological activity or process contamination. Use Indigo® 0–100 ppm ammonia test strips to provide fast, on-site detection to prevent costly corrosion, ensure water chemistry stability, and maintain compliance with system specifications.
Understand the equilibria between ammonia (NH3) and ammonium (NH4+) in aqueous systems.
Recognize how pH and temperature influence the ammonia–ammonium balance and corrosion risk.
Explore complex ion formation between ammonia and transition metals such as copper.
Evaluate how ammonia contamination affects system performance, corrosion rates, and heat exchanger integrity.
Develop monitoring schedules based on system flow, residence time, and make-up water source.
Correlate ammonia readings with operational data such as conductivity and pH.
Process water quality control
Corrosion prevention strategies
Maintenance optimization
Environmental Science
Assess ammonia’s role as a contaminant in recycled or reclaimed industrial water.
Relate nitrogen cycle transformations (ammonia ? nitrite ? nitrate) to water reuse systems.
Understand compliance with discharge limits under environmental or municipal regulations.
Nitrogen cycle processes
Industrial water reuse
Compliance monitoring
Best Practices for Monitoring
Sample After Pre-Treatment: Test incoming make-up or recycled water before addition to the cooling loop.
Test After Biocide Dosing: Verify that chlorinated systems maintain residual effectiveness in the presence of ammonia.
Document Results: Record readings alongside conductivity and pH for trend analysis.
Investigate Spikes: Unexpected ammonia levels often indicate biofouling, dead zones, or wastewater carryover.
Cross-Check: Use nitrite or nitrate tests to track biological oxidation of ammonia in systems with biofilters or trickle towers.
