Six milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) is equal to how many parts per million?

To understand why six milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) is equal to six parts per million (ppm), it’s important to recognize the relationship between these units of measurement.

Parts per million is a way of expressing very dilute concentrations of substances. Specifically, one part per million is equivalent to one milligram of solute in a liter of solution or, more commonly in this context, one mg of substance in one kilogram of material.

In this case, since six milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) indicates that there are six milligrams of a substance in one kilogram of a solution, it directly translates to six parts per million. This is because one milligram of the substance in one kilogram of the solution is equal to one part per million. Thus, with six milligrams in one kilogram, you have six parts per million.

Understanding this equivalence is essential for accurate measurements and interpretations in contexts such as pesticide application, where precise dosing is critical for effectiveness while ensuring safety.