What is PPM?

PPM stands for parts-per-million and is a common unit of measurement in science, engineering, geology and many other fields for the concentration of a substance within another substance or material. This method of measuring concentrations or ratios of compounds or elements relative to each other is the core foundation of how scientists, engineers and industry professionals monitor, adjust and adjust their processes.

Understanding Parts-Per-Million

PPM is an important measure for understanding how much of a particular element or compound is present in a sample or solution. It does this by expressing the ratio of a target compound’s atoms or molecules relative to other components in the same solution or material. Therefore, if one parts-per-million (1 ppm) of a certain compound is present in a solution, then it is present at a ratio of one part in a million parts of the solution.

For example, if you have a gallon of water and you want to measure the concentration of sugar in it, you can express the concentration in parts-per-million (ppm). If you measured the sugar solution and determined it has 50 ppm of sugar, it means that you have one part of sugar per million parts of water.

When to Use PPM

Parts-Per-Million is the unit to use when the concentration of a compound within another substance is low. By “low” concentration we mean that it may not be practically possible to measure with instruments given budgetary constraints or the number of atoms or molecules is too small in a sample. For example, the concentration of lead in a drinking water sample that is safe according to the EPA’s standards is 0.005 ppm.

In the brewing industry, ppm is used to measure the density of ethanol, pH and alcohol. In the food manufacturing industry, it is used to measure the acidity of vinegar, fat content in cheese or other dairy products, and chloride content in salt. Finally, in medicine, it is used to measure the concentration of antibiotic compounds.

Conclusion

The use of parts-per-million (ppm) is a key measure for understanding low concentrations or ratios of compounds or elements relative to each other. In practically any industry or sector, it is used to measure the concentration of a compound in a sample or solution, allowing for efficient and effective measurements for various purposes.