[NewCandle] Silver/aluminum updates

[Keith Nagel]

Hi All,

Nick writes:
>However, the distilled version is forming a mass of whitish aerogel
>at the bottom of the test tube, as the tab dissolves.
>The well water version is forming a clearer gelled mass at the bottom.

I took the largest of my aluminum sample tubes apart to measure the
pH, and indeed the entire sample was sheathed in a layer of water
clear gell. I just couldn't see it yesterday; I had to take the
tube apart for it to be apparent. The pH of the remaining liquid
solution had raised about .5 units, as expected. 

I was thinking I could make yield measurements by redissolving
the entire contents of the tube in more nitric acid, then measuring
the concentration of silver ion. Anyone know of a sensitive way to
make that measurement? It would seem a lot easier than trying to
weight the resulting silver, given that we're talking about < 1 gram
here. I have seen some silver ion electrodes ( somewhat expensive )
and could go that route but perhaps there are other options?

K.