Will adding NaOH change the effectiveness of the SH?
No, because when the sodium hypochlorite solution is added to water, the water decreases the pH and the sodium hypochlorite more active. The chemistry behind this is: the pH scale is from 0 to 14. Acids have a pH below 7, bases are above 7, and 7 is neutral. Most natural water is around pH 6-7. When sodium hypochlorite is in water, it breaks up into two compounds, with the concentration of each compound dependent on pH. One of these compounds is significantly more reactive, volatile, and more effective at inactivating bacteria than the other. At high pH (above 11) the majority of the sodium hypochlorite is in the form of the less-reactive compound. Thus, when you add sodium hydroxide to the sodium hypochlorite, you are converting it into the less-reactive form. However, water is around pH 6-7. When you add a small amount (5 milliliters) of solution at pH 11 to a large amount (20 liters) of water at pH 6-7, the mixture becomes pH 6-7. Thus, when you add the hypochlorite at pH 11 to your
