Simultaneous Analyses of Anions and Cations in Nutrient Solution Used for Hydroponic Cultivation and in Its Dilution Water (Source Water) Using the Nexera IC Ion Chromatograph

User Benefits

- Simultaneous analyses of anions and cations in nutrient solution used for hydroponic cultivation and in its dilution water (hereinafter referred to as source water) can be performed. - Different injection volumes can be set for anion and cation analyses, respectively. - Consolidated data management can be done since analytical results for anions and cations are saved in one data file.

Introduction

In order to maintain stable plant growth, hydroponic cultivation is generally controlled by pH and electrical conductivity (EC) of nutrient solution as indicators. While pH indicates acidity or alkalinity of nutrient solution and EC indicates the total amount of dissolved ionic substances, it is difficult to verify whether appropriate balances of individual nutrient levels are accomplished or not based on pH and EC alone. It is important to analyze nutrient solution regularly to determine the concentration of each nutrient since unbalanced nutrient levels often provide poor growth and nutrient deficiencies. Ion chromatography is an effective method for individual determination of anions and cations in nutrient solution. Furthermore, it is important to verify the quality of the source water since the ionic composition of the source water used for nutrient solution also influences its initial composition and management methods. In this article, the analyses of five types of anions and five types of cations in nutrient solution used for hydroponic cultivation and in its source water were presented, which were performed using Nexera IC dual analysis system.

September 28, 2026 GMT