Working in Milliequivalents per Liter

See Also:

Valence and Atomic Weight for Parameters

From Davis and DeWeist (1966):

“A unit of measure convenient for many geochemical studies is equivalents per million (epm), or more exactly, milligram equivalents per kilogram. If derived from milligrams per liter, the unit is called milligram equivalents per liters. Equivalents are calculated by dividing parts per million by the equivalent weight of the ion under consideration.”

To convert 63 mg/l of MG to meq/liter:

Atomic weight Mg = 24.32

Valence = +2

Equivalent Weight = 24.32 / 2 = 12.16

63 mg/l = 63 / 12.16 = 5.16 meq/liter