Applications

There are many different industries in which turbidity is a key paramet to monitor. One industry in particular is that dealing with water, specifically the purification of drinking water, natural water supplies and wastewater treatment.

Purification of Drinking Water

Turbidity is one of the most important parameters used to determine the quality of drinking water. Public water suppliers are required to treat thei water to remove turbidity. Adequately treated surface water does not usually present a turbidity problem. The World Health Organization indicates 5 FTU (Formazine Turbidity Unit) as the reference turbidity value of water for trade. This value has been established based on the aesthetic characteristics of water. From a hygenic point of view, 1 FTU is the recommended value. Although turbidity is siply an indicator and cannot give details on specific pollutants, it can provide information on the degree of overall contamination.

Monitoring for Natural Water Supplies

In natural water, turbidity measurements are taken to gauge general water quality and it's compatibility in applications where there are aquatic organisms. It has been found that there is a strong correlation between the turbidity level and the BOD value.Moreover, by definition, turbidity obstructs light, thus reducing the growth of marine plants, eggs and larvae, which are usually found in the lower ends of an aquatic ecosystem.

Wastewater Treatment and Turbidity

Historically, turbidity has been one of the main parameters monitored in wastewater. In fact, the monitoring and treatment process was once solely based on the control of turbidity. Currently, the measurement of turbidity at the end of the wastewater treatment process is necessary to verify that the values are within regulatory standards. Generally speaking, the turbidity value has to be between 0 and 50 FTU, with an accuracy of ±3 FTU, depending on the phase of the wastewater treatment process. By monitoring the turbidity level, it can be determined if the different stages of the process, particularly in the filtration and purification stages, have been completed correctly.

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