What is the difference between testing for soluble salts and testing for chlorides?
Chlorides are just one type of soluble salt. A general test for soluble salts will measure or indicate the presence of all soluble salts that might be in a sample; it will not discriminate between different salts. A test for chlorides is more specific, identifying only the chloride in the sample; there may be other salts present as well, but the tests specific to chlorides will not provide that information. When desalinating or testing non-metal artifacts, it is not necessary to measure chlorides specifically. Measuring total dissolved solids or conductivity is sufficient, since those techniques measure the level of ionic activity in the water, which is a reflection of the total soluble salt content. However, some of the chloride-measuring tests, such as the silver nitrate test, are easy and inexpensive, so are frequently used for monitoring general desalination. When it comes to the stabilization of metal artifacts, the chloride ion becomes more important, and a general test of solubl
