gravenewworld said:YOu can use red cabbage that you can get from the grocery store as a pH indicator. Just buy some cabbage and boil it. If there is any ammonia in your water it should make it turn somewhat basic. Your red cabbage pH indicator should turn blue/bluish if your water is basic. This simple test can start you off in the right direction.
gravenewworld said:Seriously somone is either A) trying to poison you or B) you have something wrong w/ your water. Call your local h20 company and ask them to send someone to test your water. They will be able to do better tests and find out exactly what is going on.
The water doesn't taste strange from the tap, however, i put some in this large gatorade bottle. i went to the gym, and drank a portion of it. i brought it back home and put it in the fridge. today it had a very strange taste, and a very strong stench of ammonia.
ill try to get more conclusive proof than a cabbage test, because i know my landloard won't do ****.rachmaninoff said:"Uncontaminated" water is strongly basic? Your cabbages are bad. Try a $5 pH test kit from walmart - they're sensitive to about 0.2 (log) degrees. You can also get a salicylic-acid based ammonia test designed for fish accurate to 0.1ppm (~$6 walmart) if you want. Test water staight out of the tap, after it's on for 10s, without waiting. I believe dilute ammonia offgases over time (evaporates faster than water, so the conc. rapidly decreases). But more likely you have some biological contanimants that are releasing/smell like ammonia. No, more likely there was something in your gatorade bottle to begin with.
Can you reproduce this?
Ammonia is a colorless, pungent gas that dissolves easily in water. It is commonly found in household cleaning products and fertilizers. In high concentrations, ammonia can be harmful to human health, causing irritation to the skin, eyes, and respiratory system. Therefore, it is important to test for ammonia in drinking water to ensure its safety for consumption.
Ammonia content in drinking water is typically measured using a test kit or an electronic meter. The test kit involves mixing a water sample with reagents that produce a color change, which can then be compared to a chart to determine the ammonia concentration. Electronic meters use sensors to directly measure the ammonia levels in water.
The acceptable levels of ammonia in drinking water vary depending on the specific regulations and standards set by local authorities. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 1.5 parts per million (ppm) for ammonia in drinking water.
The most common sources of ammonia contamination in drinking water are agricultural and industrial activities. Fertilizers and animal waste can leach ammonia into groundwater, while industrial processes such as manufacturing and wastewater treatment may also release ammonia into water sources.
If your drinking water has a high ammonia content, you can take several steps to reduce it. These include using a water filter or treatment system specifically designed to remove ammonia, aerating the water to release the gas, or contacting your local water supplier for assistance. Regularly testing your water for ammonia levels can also help you monitor and address any changes in the water quality.