What is ?

Turbidity

The definition of Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid

caused by suspended solids that are usually invisible to the
naked eye. The measurement of Turbidity is an important test
when trying to determine the quality of water. It is an aggregate
optical property of the water and does not identify individual
.substances; it just says something is there

Water almost always contains suspended solids that consist of

many different particles of varying sizes. Some of the particles
are large enough and heavy enough to eventually settle to the
bottom of a container if a sample is left standing (these are the
settleable solids). The smaller particles will only settle slowly, if
at all (these are the colloidal solids). Its these particles that
.cause the water to look turbid

The term Turbidity (also called haze) can also be applied to

transparent solids like plastic and glass.

What causes turbidity?

Organisms like phytoplankton can contribute to turbidity in open water.
Erosion and effluent from highly urbanized zones contribute to the turbidity
of waters in those areas. Construction, mining and agriculture, disturb the
soil and can lead to raised levels of sediment which run off into waterways
during storms. Storm water from paved surfaces like roads, bridges and
parking lots also contribute to turbidity.
In drinking water the higher the level of turbidity, the higher the chance that
those using it could develop gastrointestinal diseases. Contaminants like
viruses and pathogenic bacteria can attach themselves to the suspended
solids. These solids then interfere with disinfection.
High turbidity levels can reduce the amount of light reaching lower depths in
bodies of water like rivers, lakes and reservoirs, which inhibits growth of
some forms of aquatic plants and can negatively affect species that are
dependent on them, like fish and shellfish. High turbidity levels will also
hinder a fishs ability to absorb dissolved oxygen. This condition has been
observed and documented throughout the Chesapeake Bay in the Mid-
Atlantic region of the USA.

Which is the maximum allowed turbidity in drinking

water?

The WHO (World Health Organization), establishes that the turbidity of

drinking water shouldn't be more than 5 NTU, and should ideally be below 1
NTU.

What are the impacts of turbidity?

The main impact is merely esthetic: nobody likes the look of dirty water.
But also, it is essential to eliminate the turbidity of water in order to
effectively disinfect it for drinking purposes. This adds some extra cost to the
treatment of surface water supplies.
The suspended particles also help the attachment of heavy metals and many
other toxic organic compounds and pesticides.

What is the difference between turbidity and

?color of real water
There is no pollution, but high turbidity due to excessive "
rainfall," .... Sometimes the words we hear in the news when
people are afraid of the appearance of the rivers; but what is the
?difference between turbidity and color
It is how blurry the water and can be observed with the naked
eye; longer outstanding and colloidal substances responsible for
.turbidity due Bosrtha and absorbed waves of light
Causing substances turbidity: Clay mud, silt Silt, some
.microorganisms
You can not link between turbidity and solids dissolved college
Total Dissolved Solids - TDS because the dissolved material does
not cause scattering or absorption of light, meaning that the net
.water does not necessarily mean low amount of dissolved solids
And also can not link between the amount of turbidity and
suspended solids Suspended Sulides. The turbidity
measurement of the extent of scattering and absorption of light
.and is not a measure of the amount of suspended solids

Damage
.Detrimental to the appearance, taste and smell of the water
Availability of components and turbidity compromise suitable for
the growth of micro-organisms, whether a nurse or otherwise;
.the turbidity produces itself for microorganisms
Obscured by sunlight on water depths plants decreases or no
.photosynthesis to synthesize was dying
Raise the temperature of the water as a result of the absorption
.of the outstanding material to the sun
duce the concentration of dissolved Re
ygen (DO) for former two reasons to ox
detriment of a number of aquatic the
.ganisms or
may cause operational problems in It
ter treatment plants, not to mention wa
duce the effectiveness of the re
rilization as turbidity components ste
.nstitute a protective shield co
small infectious organisms

Water Color
The beginning we have to distinguish between true color True
.Color virtual color Apparent Color
It produces the true color of the dissolved material in the water
as some metal ions (such as Fe2+ and Mn2+), many of the
organic material and some microorganisms; while producing
virtual color for both the total dissolved and suspended and
.colloidal material

damage

Absolutely will not drink colored water, even if we know it is safer than
other water contaminated by hazardous substances, but does not have a
color. The high color values refers to the possibility of water pollution,
hazardous substances or growth of small organisms infectious

Colored water affect the laundry operations, food processing, paper and
.other industries

:Measurement

To measure the true color of the water must first remove the turbidity
ways the most important of filtration and centrifugation may sometimes
happen that the true color is affected by this removal. There are several
ways to measure the dedicated and some particular cases of water as
water sanitation. You must be logged degree of impact on the pH of the
.color

We use unit Hazen and also known as unit Platinum-Cobalt. When

.removing turbidity also know this unit to unit True Color TCU
: