Get to Know Parts per Million (PPM) & Its Use in Industries

Have you ever heard about ppm? Ppm is a unit expressing the substance’s concentration in a solution or mixture. Therefore, ppm is widely used in the chemical industry. This article discusses parts per million (ppm) and its role in various sectors. So, read this article until the end!

What Are Parts Per Million (PPM)?

Parts per million (ppm) is a unit representing how much dissolved substance (solute) is in a million solvent. For example, 1 ppm indicates that in a certain million of the substance, there is 1 part of the solute.

Ppm is widely used in water management, chemical, automotive, and pharmaceutical industries. Yet, ppm also serves as a unit for monitoring pollution density.

Parts per million was introduced in response to the need of chemists and physicists for a more precise and standardized measurement system. This is because, before ppm was introduced, scientists used various methods to calculate the concentration of a substance in a solution.

The concept of ppm is quite simple: it is the number of parts of a substance per million parts of a solution. With standardized units like ppm, scientists can compare data and make accurate decisions. Generally, ppm is often compared to parts per billion (ppb) and parts per trillion (ppt). One ppm is equivalent to 1,000 ppb and 1,000,000 ppt.

How to Calculate PPM

When calculating ppm, you must understand the concepts of volume and mass. For example, if you dissolve 1 milligram of a substance in 1 liter of water, you have a one ppm solution since 1 liter of water is equivalent to 1 million milligrams (mg). As a result, 1 milligram of dissolved substance in 1 million milligrams of solution has a concentration of 1 ppm.

To get the idea of how to calculate ppm, here is the formula you can use:

ppm = (total solute / total solution) x 106

Example:

You have 1 liter of water and 0.2 grams of salt. Then, you dissolve the salt into the water. It is important to know that 1 liter equals 1 kg, so you now have 1 kg of water in your hand. With the ppm formula above, here is how to find the salt concentration:

ppm = (0.2 gram/1 kg) x 106

= 0.0002 x 106

= 200 ppm

As a result, the salt concentration in 1 liter of water is 200 ppm.

Aside from using grams, you can also use other units, such as m3, to measure air pollution density.

For example, you have a 1 m3 sample of air containing 0.0004 m3 of carbon dioxide. To understand the carbon dioxide concentration in ppm, you can implement the formula as follows:

ppm = (0.0004 m3 / 1 m3) x 106

= 0.0004 x 106

= 400 ppm

Consequently, the carbon dioxide concentration in 1 m3 of air is 400 ppm.

In addition to ppm, you can convert it into a percentage by multiplying the percentage figures by 10,000. For instance, five ppm is 0.0005%. This conversion makes it easier for you if you have the concentration in percentage form.

The Role of PPM in Industries

As explained before, ppm is a unit commonly used in various industries. To understand more about its role in industries, here is the complete information:

1. Water Management Industry

The water treatment industry uses ppm to monitor contaminants in water sources, such as heavy metals and chemicals. This industry ensures that these substances remain within safe limits so that the community can use the water.

Furthermore, ppm is used in the wastewater treatment industry to determine the level of pollutants in wastewater before treatment, ensuring it is safe when discharged into the environment.

2. Environmental Industry

As shown in the calculation above, ppm can also be used to measure air quality. You can find out the concentrations of pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide, in a given volume of air.

As a result, you can identify sources of pollution and determine strategies to reduce them. That way, people can live healthy lives and prevent global warming.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the safe limit for carbon monoxide concentration in the air is nine ppm (8-hour average) or 35 ppm (1-hour average), which should not be exceeded more than once per year to protect human health.

3. Pharmaceutical Industry

This industry uses ppm to determine the concentration of the active substance in a medicine. As a result, you can see the effectiveness and strength.

Moreover, this industry also monitors impurities in drugs at ppm levels. Thus, you can ensure that all medicines are fit for distribution, safe, and in accordance with applicable standards.

4. Automotive Industry

The automotive industry uses ppm to identify pollutants released by vehicles. As a result, this industry can produce cars that meet emission limits set by applicable environmental regulations.

5. Food and Beverage Industry

This industry uses ppm to determine the levels of contaminants, preservatives, and additives in food. Some of the substances monitored include pesticides, food coloring, and heavy metals produced during fermentation.

This allows the food and beverage industry to produce products that are safe for consumption and comply with existing food safety regulations.

6. Chemical Industry

In the chemical industry, ppm is used to monitor toxic gases, ensure the operational process runs smoothly, and keep workers safe from exposure.

That concludes the information about ppm. It is used in industry to monitor the water and air pollution. Ppm is often used in the chemical, automotive, and water treatment industries.

In the water treatment sector, the Chandra Asri Group, specifically its affiliated company PT Krakatau Tirta Industri, provides water treatment services.

Some of the services offered are clean water supply for industry, demineralized water supply for the community and industry, and industrial and corporate wastewater treatment services.

Krakatau Tirta Industri (KTI) uses raw water from the Cidanau River and processes it with a capable water treatment plant. To produce demineralized water, KTI uses a water treatment plant. KTI also uses a Biotreatment Blast Furnace Complex Wastewater Treatment Plant for wastewater treatment.

To meet your company's water needs, trust Krakatau Tirta Industri and Chandra Asri Group!