[Terrapreta] Fw: Pure Organics Vs. Biological Agriculture

[Sean K. Barry]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Sean K. Barry<mailto:sean.barry at juno.com> 
To: Allan Balliett<mailto:aballiett at frontiernet.net> 
Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2007 12:07 AM
Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Pure Organics Vs. Biological Agriculture


Hi Allan,

As far as I know BRIX is dissolved sugar.  A "Refractometer" measures the refractive index in a solution of the juice of wine grapes.
I have done this with my own hands.  I have seen the device and I know how it works.  Differences in the concentration of SUGAR in water makes for visible, measurable differences in the refractive index of the solution.  No one ever said any other "minerals" were involved, when it was explained to me.

Is that not what BRIX is?

Wikipedia says, "Degrees Brix (symbol °Bx) is a measurement of the mass ratio of dissolved sucrose<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucrose> to water in a liquid."

...
When a refractometer<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refractometer> is used, it is correct to report the result as "refractometric dried substance<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Refractometric_dried_substance&action=edit>" (RDS). One might speak of a liquid as being 20 °Bx RDS. This is a measure of percent by weight of TOTAL dried solids<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dried_solids&action=edit> and, although not technically the same as Brix degrees determined through a specific gravity method, renders an accurate measurement of sucrose content since the majority of dried solids are in fact sucrose. When an infrared Brix sensor is used, it measures the vibrational frequency of the sugar molecules, giving a Brix degrees measurement. This will not be the same measurement as Brix degrees using a density measurement because it will specifically measure dissolved sugar concentration instead of all dissolved solids.

As far as I know BRIX is strictly about sugar.  Any other dissolved solids are very miniscule in concentration.

SKB

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Allan Balliett<mailto:aballiett at frontiernet.net> 
  To: Sean K. Barry<mailto:sean.barry at juno.com> 
  Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 10:13 PM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Pure Organics Vs. Biological Agriculture


  which reminds me:

  The argument is that BRIX represents dissolved solids in the plant 
  sap and that higher levels of dissolved solids in plant sap 
  represents higher levels of minerals, which is believed to 
  unconditionally be a good thing

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