ISO 6107 2021 (En)

Licensed to PT THERMALINDO SARANA LABORATORIA / Pamela Himadewi (pamela.himadewi@gmail.
com)
ISO Store Order: OP-697213 license #1/ Downloaded: 2023-06-21
Single user licence only, copying and networking prohibited.
INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 6107
First edition
2021-06
Water quality — Vocabulary

Qualité de l'eau — Vocabulaire
Please share your feedback about

the standard. Scan the QR code
with your phone or click the link
Customer Feedback Form
Reference number
ISO 6107:2021(E)
© ISO 2021
Licensed to PT THERMALINDO SARANA LABORATORIA / Pamela Himadewi ([email protected])
ISO 6107:2021(E)

COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT

© ISO 2021
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting
on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address
below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: +41 22 749 01 11
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

ISO 6107:2021(E)

Contents Page
Foreword......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... iv
Introduction...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................v
1 Scope.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1
2 Normative references....................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
3 Terms and definitions...................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Bibliography.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 62
© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved iii

ISO 6107:2021(E)

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/
iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 147, Water, Subcommittee SC 1,
Terminology.
This first edition cancels and replaces the all editions of ISO 6107-1 to ISO 6107-8, which have been
technically revised.
The main changes compared to the previous edition are as follows:
— Obsolete terms were removed
— Most terms related to waste water treatment committees such as ISO TC 275 Sludge recovery,
recycling, treatment and disposal and ISO TC 224 Service activities relating to drinking water
supply, wastewater and storm water systems were removed because they are not in the scope of
ISO TC 147 Water quality
— Most terms were amended and enhanced to align with specific fields such as microbiology, chemistry
etc.
— Addition of terms that were not covered in previous editions.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

ISO 6107:2021(E)

Introduction
The definitions in this edition of ISO 6107 are based on available standards and aim to harmonise
the understanding of terms used within ISO TC147 Water quality to facilitate clear understanding
and application of the water quality standards and to reduce variation of interpretation as far as
possible. Source information is provided where available. This standard aims to improve and feed
the terminology database for ISO TC147 and to serve as a reference document for all water quality
characterisation committees and users.
Terms and the interpretation thereof may differ in various fields i.e.: chemistry microbiology and
ecotoxicology. This is indicated in brackets, if applicable, after the term being defined.
ISO 6107 is restricted to definitions for terms which appear in standards of ISO/TC 147, Water quality.
© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved v

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 6107:2021(E)
Water quality — Vocabulary
1 Scope
This document defines terms used in certain fields of water quality characterization.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions

For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://w ww.iso.org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http://w ww.electropedia.org/
3.1
abiotic degradation
non‑biological degradation
process by which a substance is chemically or physically broken down to smaller
Note 1 to entry: Examples of chemical or physical processes are hydrolysis and photolysis.
3.2
absolute salinity
ratio of mass of dissolved material in seawater (in grams) to the mass of seawater (in kilograms)
Note 1 to entry: In practice, this quantity cannot be measured directly and a practical salinity is defined for
reporting oceanographic observations.
3.3
abstraction
removal of water from any source, either permanently or temporarily, so that it ceases to be part of the
resources of that area, or is transferred to another source within the area
3.4
acclimatization
process of adaptation of populations of organisms to natural environmental changes or to long-term
changes caused by human activities (such as those caused by continued discharge of industrial waste
or sewage)
3.5
accuracy
closeness of agreement between a measured quantity value and a true quantity value of a measurand
(3.31)
Note 1 to entry: The concept 'measurement accuracy' is not a quantity and is not given a numerical quantity
value. A measurement is said to be more accurate when it offers a smaller measurement error.
Note 2 to entry: 'Measurement accuracy' is sometimes understood as closeness of agreement between measured
quantity values that are being attributed to the measurand.
© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 1

ISO 6107:2021(E)

Note 3 to entry: See also ISO 13843 for water microbiology
3.6
acid rain water
rain water with a pH value of less than 5
3.7
acidity
presence of an excess of hydrogen ions over hydroxyl ions (pH < 7)
3.8
activated carbon treatment
process intended for the removal of dissolved and colloidal organic substances from water and waste
water by adsorption on activated carbon
EXAMPLE For the amelioration of taste, odour or colour.
3.9
action limit
control limit
line on a control chart (3.139) used for judging the stability of a process
Note 1 to entry: Action lines are drawn on a control chart to represent action limits.
Note 2 to entry: When the measure plotted lies beyond an action limit, appropriate corrective action is taken on
the process.
Note 3 to entry: These limits are based on the assumption that only 0,3 % of normally distributed results will fall
outside these limits. Such an occurrence would strongly indicate that additional, assignable causes of variation
might be present and that action might be required to identify and reduce them.
3.10
activated sludge
accumulated biological mass [ floc (3.233)] produced in the treatment of wastewater by the growth of
bacteria and other microorganisms in the presence of dissolved oxygen
3.11
activated sludge treatment
process for the biological treatment of wastewater in which a mixture of wastewater and activated
sludge (3.10) is agitated and aerated
Note 1 to entry: The activated sludge is subsequently separated from the treated wastewater by sedimentation
and is removed or returned to the process as required.
3.12
adsorption on activated sludge
adhesion of particles or molecules from a gas, liquid or dissolved solid (adsorbate) to a surface (called
the adsorbent)
3.13
aeration
introduction of air into a liquid
3.14
aerobic condition
descriptive of a condition in which dissolved oxygen is present
3.15
aerobic organisms
aerobes
organisms generally requiring the presence of dissolved or gaseous oxygen for survival or multiplication
2 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.16
aerobic sludge digestion
biological process whereby primary, activated or co-settled sludges are partially oxidized by prolonged
aeration (3.13), largely accomplished by endogenous respiration and predator activity
3.17
agglomeration
coalescence of flocs or particles of suspended matter to form larger flocs or particles which settle or
may be caused to float more readily
3.18
aggressive water
water having a negative Langelier index (3.314)
3.19
aggressivity
tendency of a water to dissolve calcium carbonate
Note 1 to entry: See Langelier index (3.314).
3.20
air scouring
process of passing air under pressure upwards through a gravity filter to agitate the filtration medium/
media, in order to loosen the retained solids before back-washing
3.21
algae
large group of single- or multi-cellular eukaryotic organisms, which usually contain chlorophyll or
other pigments
Note 1 to entry: Algae are usually aquatic and capable of photosynthesis.
3.22
alkalinity
quantitative capacity of aqueous media to neutralize hydrogen ions
3.23
alpha factor
ratio of the oxygen transfer coefficient in mixed liquor to the oxygen transfer coefficient in clean water
in an activated sludge plant
3.24
alternating double filtration
ADF
process for treatment of sewage by biological filtration in two stages with intermediate separation of
humus by settlement
Note 1 to entry: At intervals, the order of use of the filters, but not of the humus tanks, is reversed. This allows
operation of the plant at higher biological oxygen demand (BOD) loadings than possible with single filtration or
ordinary double filtration, without troublesome accumulation of film at the surface of the filters and ponding.
3.25
ammonia stripping
method of removing ammoniacal compounds from water by making it alkaline and aerating
3.26
ammoniacal nitrogen
nitrogen present as free ammonia and as ammonium ions

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.27
ammoniation
chloramination
addition of ammonia to water to form chloroamines, following chlorination as a treatment process
3.28
ammonification
bacterial conversion of nitrogen-containing compounds to ammonium ions
3.29
anaerobe
anaerobic organism
organism requiring the absence of dissolved or gaseous oxygen for survival or multiplication
3.30
anaerobic condition
descriptive of a condition in which dissolved oxygen is absent
3.31
analyte
measurand
<chemical or physical parameter> substance to be analysed
Note 1 to entry: The specification of a measurand requires knowledge of the kind of quantity, description of the
state of the phenomenon, body, or substance carrying the quantity, including any relevant component, and the
chemical entities involved.
Note 2 to entry: In microbiology, the analyte is ideally defined as a list of taxonomically defined species
3.32
analytical portion
test portion
<microbiology> volume of particle suspension inoculated into a detector unit
Note 1 to entry: The detector unit can be, for example an agar plate, membrane filter, test tube or microscopic
grid square.
3.33
analytical portion
test portion
<chemistry>measured amount (volume) of a test sample being used in a test.
3.34
anionic surface active agent
surface active agent which ionizes in aqueous solution to produce negatively charged organic ions,
which are responsible for the surface activity
3.35
anoxic
condition in which the concentration of dissolved oxygen is so low that certain groups of microorganisms
preferentially use oxidized forms of nitrogen, sulphur, or carbon as an electron acceptor
3.36
antagonism
decrease of a biological effect caused by another substance due to the presence of another substance
Note 1 to entry: The combined effect is less than the additive effects of the separate substances or organisms.
3.37
aphotic zone
part of a body of water in which there is insufficient light for effective photosynthesis (3.397)

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.38
apparent selectivity
<microbiology> ratio of the number of target colonies to the total number of colonies in the same sample
volume calculated mathematically as selectivity
3.39
application range
range of concentrations routinely measured by a method
3.40
aquifer
water-bearing formation (bed or stratum) of permeable rock, sand, or gravel capable of yielding
significant quantities of water
3.41
aquifer
<confined> underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock confined between two impermeable
strata
3.42
aquifer
<unconfined> underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock in which the water table defines the
upper boundary of the groundwater body
3.43
archaea
prokaryotic single celled organisms which lack cell nuclei and are morphologically similar to bacteria
but radically different in molecular organization, with eukaryote-like metabolic pathways and enzyme
production
3.44
area-integrated sample
composite water sample obtained after combining a series of samples taken at various locations from a
body of water at a particular depth
3.45
area of influence
area influenced or expected to be influenced, based on the available information
3.46
area profile sample
series of individual water samples taken at various locations from a body of water at a particular depth
3.47
automatic sampling
process whereby samples are taken either discretely or continuously, independently of human
intervention, and according to a predetermined programme
3.48
autotrophic bacteria
chemolithotrophic bacteria
microorganisms that are able to make their own energy by converting inorganic substances to organic
substances that can be broken down
3.49
available chlorine
total available chlorine
chlorine present in the form of free chlorine or combined chlorine or both

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.50
background equivalent concentration
BEC
concentration of an element or substance that would produce the observed baseline when compared to
zero
3.51
background growth
continuous cover of micro-colonies of non-mutated, non-target bacteria on the surface of a growth
medium
3.52
backwashing
operation of cleaning a filter with water by reversing the direction of flow
Note 1 to entry: This is often aided by scouring with air.
3.53
bacteria
large group of microscopic, metabolically active, single-cell prokaroytic microorganisms with dispersed
(not discrete) nucleus, mostly free-living, and usually multiplying by binary fission
3.54
bacteriological sample
sample taken aseptically in a sterile container and suitably preserved and handled for bacteriological
examination
3.55
bacteriophage
group of particular viral agents whose life cycle occurs in specific bacterial hosts
Note 1 to entry: See also viruses (3.603).
3.56
balancing tank
tank designed to equalize the rate of flow or the composition of, for example, drinking water (3.193) to a
distribution system or waste water to a treatment works
3.57
bank filtration
induced infiltration of river water through bankside gravel strata with the intention of improving the
water quality
Note 1 to entry: A means for inducing this type of infiltration is by pumping water from wells sunk into the gravel
strata so as to create a hydraulic gradient.
3.58
bankside storage
storage of raw river water in a reservoir on the river bank
3.59
baseline survey
survey with emphasis on characterization and description of biotic and abiotic conditions in the survey
area, and which forms the background reference level for future monitoring and/or follow-up surveys
3.60
benthic deposit
accumulation, on the bed of a watercourse or lake or the sea, of deposits possibly containing organic
matter and arising from such causes as natural erosion, biological processes or discharge of wastewater

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.61
benthic region
generally the lowest region of a water body, including sediments and a bedrock layer, where living
organisms are present
3.62
beta factor
ratio of the oxygen saturation value in mixed liquor to the oxygen saturation value in clean water at the
same temperature and atmospheric pressure in an activated sludge plant
3.63
bias
estimate of a systematic measurement error
3.64
bioaccumulation
process of accumulation of a substance in organisms or parts thereof
3.65
bioassay
biotesting
technique for evaluating the biological effect, either qualitatively or quantitatively, of various substances
in water by means of changes in a specified biological activity
3.66
biochemical oxidation
process whereby microorganisms oxidize matter (mainly organic) in water
3.67
biochemical oxygen demand
BOD
mass concentration of dissolved oxygen consumed under specified conditions by the biological
oxidation of organic and/or inorganic matter in water
3.68
biodegradability
susceptibility of an organic substance to biodegradation
3.69
biodegradation maximum level
maximum degree of biodegradation of a chemical compound or organic matter in a defined test above
which no further biodegradation takes place during the test
Note 1 to entry: The biodegradation maximum level is expressed as a percentage.
[SOURCE: ISO 10708:1997, 3.9, modified — Note 1 to entry was previously part of the definition, the
term has been changed from "maximum level of biodegradation".]
3.70
biodegradation phase
time from the end of the lag phase (3.310) in a defined test until about 90 % of the biodegradation
maximum level (3.69) has been reached
[SOURCE: ISO 10708:1997, 3.10, modified — The part of the definition “it is expressed in days” is not
included.]
3.71
biofilm
film, consisting of living, dead or moribund organisms, that forms on the surfaces of a support medium

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.72
biological filter
bed of inert material with large holes through which wastewater is caused to percolate for the purpose
of purification by means of an active biological film (bacteria bed) on the inert material
Note 1 to entry: Also known as trickling filter percolating filter.
3.73
biomass
total mass of living material
3.74
biomineralization
mineralization (3.344) brought about by biological activity
3.75
biota
living components of an aquatic system
3.76
biotic index
numerical value used to describe the biota of a water body, serving to indicate its biological quality
3.77
biotope
area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants
and animals
Note 1 to entry: Biotope is almost synonymous with the term habitat, but while the subject of a habitat is a species
or a population, the subject of a biotope is a biological community.
3.78
black water
waste water and excreta from water closets, excluding water from baths, showers, hand basins and
sinks
3.79
blank value
observed value obtained when measurement is made on a sample identical to the sample of interest,
but in the absence of the determinand (3.172)
[SOURCE: ISO 5667-14:2014, 3.5, modified — The term has been changed from ‘blank’.]
3.80
blank sample
sample used for zeroing an instrument during a test procedure and can correct for potential error from
existing colour or turbidity (3.588) in the sample before reagents are added
3.81
blowdown
removal of liquids or solids, or a mixture of both, from a processing or storage vessel, or a line, by the
use of pressure
3.82
boiler water
water of adequate quality present in a boiler when steaming is, or has been, in progress
3.83
bottom sediment
solid material deposited by settling from suspended particulate matter (SPM) onto the bottom of bodies
of water, both moving and static

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.84
bourne
spring which flows intermittently or seasonally
3.85
brackish water
water containing dissolved solids at a concentration higher than acceptable standards for intended use
Note 1 to entry: The concentration of total dissolved solids in brackish water can vary from 1 000 mg/l to
10 000 mg/l. Brackish water is less saline than sea water (1 000 to 10 000 mg/l of TDS for brackish vs up to
35 000 mg/l for sea water).
Note 2 to entry: The concentration of total dissolved solids of many brackish waters can vary considerably over
space and/or time
3.86
breakdown point
smallest percentage of outlier interlaboratory testing above which the estimation method may be
entirely inapplicable
3.87
break-point chlorination
addition of chlorine to water to the point where free available residual chlorine increases in proportion
to the incremental dose of chlorine being added
Note 1 to entry: At this point, all of the ammonia has been oxidized.
3.88
brine
water naturally or artificially containing a higher concentration of salts, especially sodium chloride,
than sea water
3.89
brook
small stream often fed by natural springs
3.90
calibration blank solution
reagent blank solution
prepared in the same way as the calibration solution or reagent but leaving out the analyte (3.31)
3.91
calibration check solution
control standard
reference substance solution produced independently of the stock solutions
EXAMPLE a solution from an alternative batch or manufacturer. The solution should contain all of the
substances to be determined.
3.92
calibration solution
solution used to calibrate the whole procedure of the determination or an individual part of it (e.g.
extraction or the instrumental measurement). It is prepared from (a) stock solution(s) or from a
certified standard
3.93
calibration standard
solution prepared from a standard and/or stock solutions and used to calibrate the response of the
instrument with respect to analyte concentration

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.94
calibration verification standard
VER
midpoint calibration standard (3.93) that is used to verify calibration
3.95
canal
artificial watercourse constructed, usually, to join rivers, lakes or seas, and often of a size suitable for
navigation
Note 1 to entry: Most canals have low flow and poor mixing characteristics.
3.96
carcinogen
carcinogenic substance
substance capable of inducing malignant growth (cancer) in humans, animals or plants
3.97
catchment basin
area draining naturally to a water course or to a given point
3.98
categorical characteristic
method performance characteristic numerically expressed as a relative frequency based on presence/
absence (P/A) or +/− classification
3.99
cationic-surface active agent
agent which ionizes in aqueous solution to produce positively charged organic ions which are
responsible for the surface activity
3.100
central line
line on a control chart (3.139) representing the long-term average or a pre-specified value of the
statistical measure being plotted
3.101
centrifugation
separation technique, by rotating the sample at high speed based on the various densities of compounds
present in the sample
3.102
certified reference material
CRM
reference material, accompanied by documentation issued by an authoritative body and providing
one or more specified property values with associated uncertainties and traceabilities, using valid
procedures
EXAMPLE Human serum with assigned quantity value for the concentration of cholesterol and associated
measurement uncertainty stated in an accompanying certificate, used as a calibrator or measurement trueness
control material.
Note 1 to entry: ‘Documentation’ is given in the form of a certificate’ (see ISO Guide 31).
Note 2 to entry: Procedures for the production and certification of certified reference materials are given, e.g. in
ISO Guide 34 and ISO Guide 35.
3.103
cesspool
cesspit
watertight tank, mostly underground, used for collecting sewage from premises not connected to the
public sewer and which, unlike a septic tank (3.512), has no outflow

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.104
check valve
mechanical valve which allows fluids to pass in one direction only
Note 1 to entry: The pressure of fluids flowing through the valve in one direction has the effect of opening the
valve, and in the other direction of closing it.
3.105
chemical coagulation
coagulation
process of adding a chemical (the coagulant) which causes the destabilization and aggregation of
dispersed colloidal material into flocs
3.106
chemical oxygen demand
COD
measure of the oxygen required to fully oxidize all compounds, both organic and inorganic, in water
3.107
chemical tracer
chemical substance added to, or naturally present in a stream or body of water, that allows the flow of
water to be followed
3.108
chemical treatment
process involving the addition of chemicals to achieve a specific result
3.109
chloramine
derivative of ammonia formed by substitution of one, two or three hydrogen atoms with chlorine atoms
and all chlorinated derivatives of organic nitrogen compounds
Note 1 to entry: Chlorine atoms can come from monochloramine NH2Cl, dichloramine NHCl2, nitrogen trichloride
NCl3.
3.110
chlorination
process of adding to water either gaseous chlorine or compounds from which hypochlorous acid or
hypochlorite ions are formed, in order, for example, to arrest bacterial plant or animal growth, to
oxidize organic matter, to assist coagulation (3.105) or to reduce odour
Note 1 to entry: The main purpose is usually disinfection (3.184).
3.111
chlorine demand
chlorine requirement
difference between the amount of chlorine added to a sample of water or waste water and the amount
of total residual chlorine remaining at the end of a specified contact period
3.112
clarification
process in which particles are settled out in a large quiescent tank releasing clearer water as effluent
(3.201)

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.113
clarifier
settling tank
sedimentation basin
large tank where settling of suspended matter takes place
Note 1 to entry: The clarifier is often equipped with mechanical scrapers to gather the solid residue for removal
from the bottom of the tank.
3.114
coefficient of variation
CV
ratio of the standard deviation to the mean
Note 1 to entry: to entry:
σ
CV =
µ
where
σ is the standard deviation
μ is the average
Note 2 to entry: The coefficient of variation is expressed as a percentage.
3.115
co-factor solution
aqueous solution of chemicals required for activity of the enzymes in the S9-fraction
Note 1 to entry: The chemicals can be, for example, NADP, glucose-6-phosphate and inorganic salts.
3.116
coliform organisms
total coliform organisms
members of Enterobacteriaceae that expresses ß-D-Galactosidase
Note 1 to entry: Generally, apart from E. coli (3.209), many of them are able to survive and multiply in the natural
environment.
3.117
collaborative test
interlaboratory test
interlaboratory comparison
ring test
study in which each laboratory uses the same defined, or its own defined, analytical method to analyse
identical portions of a test material for purposes such as method evaluation, laboratory proficiency
testing, and certification of standard materials
3.118
colloidal suspension
suspension containing particles, often electrically charged, which do not settle but may be removed by
coagulation (3.105)

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.119
colony
localised visible accumulation of microbial mass (such as prokaryotes, bacteria (3.53), micromycetes,
yeasts and fungi) or organisms (such as Dreissena species) developed on or in a solid nutrient medium
from a viable particle or organism
Note 1 to entry: Frequently, microcolonies from nearby viable particles, before becoming visible, fuse into one
macrocolony. The number of visible colonies is, therefore, usually an underestimate of the number of viable
particles.
3.120
colony-forming unit
CFU
colony-forming particle
CFP
organism (or cluster of organisms) with the ability to form a colony (3.119) under certain specified
conditions
Note 1 to entry: The term was originally introduced to convey the idea that a colony may originate not only from
a single cell but from a solid chain or aggregate of cells, a cluster of spores, a piece of mycelium, etc. It mistakenly
equates the number of colonies observed to the number of living entities seeded on the medium. Growth unit,
viable particle, propagule and germ are terms with the same meaning but convey the original idea.
Note 2 to entry: Unit by which the culturable number of microorganisms is expressed as the Maximum Likelihood
Estimate (MLE) of the true concentration based on the number of bacterial colonies observed on a growth plate
after inoculation from a sample aliquot.
3.121
combined chlorine
portion of the total residual chlorine present in the form of chloramines, organic chloramines and
nitrogen trichloride
3.122
combined sewerage system
system in which wastewater and surface water run-off are carried in the same drains and sewers
3.123
comminution
mechanical shredding or grinding of gross solids in waste water to sizes more amenable to further
treatment
3.124
comparability
degree of agreement between data obtained from different sources with respect to control over random
and systematic errors
3.125
compartmentalization
process whereby substances in the environment migrate from one environmental compartment to
various other compartments such as water, air, biota (3.75), soil and sediments
3.126
composite sample
two or more samples or sub-samples, mixed together in appropriate known proportions (either
discretely or continuously), from which the average value of a desired characteristic may be obtained
Note 1 to entry: The proportions are usually based on time or flow measurements.

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.127
concentration-effect relationship
response to a concentration gradient of a known substance or mixture of substances which is described
by pre-determined diagnostic indicators
Note 1 to entry: In the case of the umu-test for genotoxicity the induction of the umuC-gene is dependent on the
concentration of genotoxic agents in the test sample.
3.128
concentration of suspended solids of an activated sludge
amount of solids obtained by drying a known volume of filtered activated sludge (30 µm pore size) at
about 105 °C to constant mass
3.129
confidence interval
range of values within which the measured or calculated value is likely to be present within a stated
level of confidence, for example 95 %
3.130
confirmation coefficient
specificity value
true positive rate
proportion of success in tests on microbiological cultures expressed as the fraction confirmed of the
number of cultures tested
3.131
confirmed colony count
colony count
x
presumptive colony count corrected for false positives
Note 1 to entry: to entry:
x = pc = ( k n ) c
where
c is the presumptive count (3.432);
p is the true positive rate;
n is the number of presumptive positives isolated for confirmation;
k is the number confirmed.

Note 2 to entry: For methods that do not require confirmation steps, presumptive count is equal to the confirmed
count”
3.132
confirmed count
presumptive count (3.432) multiplied by the confirmation coefficient
count

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.133
congener
substance con- (with) generated or synthesized by essentially the same synthetic chemical reactions
and the same procedures
EXAMPLE Any one of the 209 individual PCBs. In this case, it is the substitution of chlorines for hydrogens
on a common skeletal structure. The group of PCB congeners includes C12 H(10-n) Cl(n) where n = 0 to 10.
3.134
connate water
interstitial water of the same geological age as the surrounding rock or bed, often of poor quality and
unfit for normal use
Note 1 to entry: Normal uses can be, for example potable purposes, industrial and agricultural use.
3.135
conservative substance
substance whose chemical composition remains unchanged by natural processes or is changed only
extremely slowly
Note 1 to entry: Also known as persistent substance, recalcitrant substance, refractory substance.
3.136
contact stabilization
modification of the activated sludge (3.10) process whereby previously aerated activated sludge is
brought into contact with raw sewage for a short period of time (e.g. 15 min to 30 min)
Note 1 to entry: The sludge, after contact, is settled out and returned to a separate tank where it is aerated for a
longer period of time (6 h to 8 h).
3.137
continuous sampling
process whereby a sample is taken continuously
Note 1 to entry: For example, from a body of water.
3.138
control batch
control medium, including organisms used for testing
Note 1 to entry: In the umu-test for genotoxicity control batches consist of culture medium without test bacteria,
culture medium with inoculum and distilled water and culture medium with inoculum and dissolving agent.
3.139
control chart
chart, with upper and/or lower control limits on which values of some statistical measure for a series of
samples or subgroups are plotted, usually in order by time or sample number
Note 1 to entry: The chart frequently shows a central line to assist detection of a trend of plotted values toward
either control limit.
3.140
cooling water
water which is used to absorb and remove heat
3.141
corrosivity
ability of a water to attack various materials by means of chemical, physico-chemical or biochemical
action

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.142
count
<microbiology> observed number of objects such as colonies or cells determined by direct counting,
or most probable number (MPN) (3.350) estimation based on statistical calculation of the number of
microorganisms in a specified volume of water, derived from the combination of positive and negative
results in a series of volumes of the sample examined by standard tests
Note 1 to entry: this count is based upon an observed number of objects. Frequently, microcolonies from nearby
viable particles, before becoming visible, fuse into one macrocolony. The number of visible colonies determined
by direct counting is, therefore, usually an underestimate of the number of viable particles
3.143
coverage factor
numerical factor used as a multiplier of the (combined) standard uncertainty in order to obtain an
expanded uncertainty
3.144
cross connection
physical pipe connection or arrangement of pipes between potable water and any source of
contamination
Note 1 to entry: This term is also used to describe a legitimate connection between different distribution systems.
3.145
critical pair
two components of the chromatogram with the lowest calculated resolution between them
Note 1 to entry: Although the concept of a critical pair of solutes in a chromatographic separation is seemingly
straightforward, it is reinterpreted or used several ways.
3.146
culturable microorganism
bacteria (3.53), yeast or mould capable of forming colonies on solid media or replicating in liquid media
using specified growth media under specified conditions of cultivation
Note 1 to entry: Culturable microorganism per volume can replace CFU per volume or MPN per volume when
giving a result
Note 2 to entry: Different media may allow culture of different populations of bacteria
3.147
culture medium
nutrients presented in a form and phase (liquid or solidified) which support microbiological growth
[SOURCE: ISO 19040-2:2018, 3.2.]
3.148
cupro-solvent
type of water which is able to dissolve copper from pipes and fittings
3.149
cyanobacteria
prokaryotic organisms which derive their energy through photosynthesis but lack a nucleus or
membrane bound organelles like chloroplasts
3.150
cyprinid
fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae sometimes used as biological indicators of water quality
EXAMPLE Roach, rudd or carp.

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.151
D value
smallest value of D at which, under the conditions of the standard, no positive increase in the number of
visible mutant colonies per dish is detected
Note 1 to entry: In the case of more than one D value (up to four are possible), the highest D value is chosen.
Applicable for Salmonella test method.
3.152
deaeration
partial or complete removal of dissolved air from water either under natural conditions or deliberately
by physical processes
3.153
decantation
withdrawal of the supernatant liquor after settlement of suspended particulate matter, or after
separation from a liquid of higher density
3.154
decay constant
λ
<radionuclide in a particular energy state> quotient of dP by dt, where dP is the probability of a given
nucleus undergoing a spontaneous nuclear transition from that energy state in the time interval dt,
where N is the number of nuclei of concern existing at time t
dP 1 dN
λ= =−
dt N dt
3.155
dechlorination
partial or complete removal of residual chlorine (3.478) from water by any chemical or physical process
3.156
deep well
well which draws its water from below one or more strata
3.157
degasification
partial or complete removal of dissolved gases, usually by a physical process
Note 1 to entry: Also known as degassing.
3.158
deionization
partial or nearly complete removal of ionic species, particularly by the use of ion-exchange resins
3.159
demineralization
reduction of the content of ionic species and dissolved inorganic substances in water by a physical,
chemical or biological process
3.160
denitrification
reduction of nitrate and/or nitrite to nitrogen or dinitrogen monoxide, usually by the action of bacteria
(3.53)
3.161
dense non-aqueous phase liquid
DNAPL
organic compounds that have a low water solubility and a density greater than that of water, for
example, chlorinated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethane

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.162
deoxygenation
partial or complete removal of dissolved oxygen from water, either under natural conditions or
deliberately by physical or chemical processes
3.163
depth-integrated sample
composite water sample comprising discrete or continuous samples taken at a particular location from
a body of water, either between the surface and sediment layer or between other defined depths in a
vertical line and subsequently combined
3.164
depth profile sample
sample included in a series of water samples taken at various depths from a body of water at a specific
point
Note 1 to entry: In order to obtain a characterization of the water quality throughout the entire water body, it is
necessary to take depth profile samples at various locations.
3.165
depuration
process by which living aquatic organisms free themselves of impurities
3.166
desalination
partial or nearly complete removal of ionic species from water, usually to make it drinkable or usable as
processing or cooling water
[SOURCE: ISO 20670:2018, 3.19, modified — Seawater, brackish water and irrigation water are not
included ".]
3.167
designated site
biological classification of river’s site within reach of a water course that is considered to be
representative of the reach in terms of its quality
3.168
destratification
mixing of layers of subsurface and surface water in a lake or reservoir by natural forces or artificial
means
3.169
detection level
limit of detection
measured quantity value, obtained by a given measurement procedure, for which the probability of
falsely claiming the absence of a component in a material is β, given a probability α of falsely claiming
its presence
Note 1 to entry: IUPAC recommends default values for α and β equal to 0.05.
Note 2 to entry: The abbreviation LOD is sometimes used.
Note 3 to entry: The term “sensitivity” is discouraged for ‘detection limit’.
Note 4 to entry: The LOD is the lowest concentration of measurand in a sample that can be detected, but not
necessarily quantitated under the stated conditions of the test.
3.170
detection set
detector set
combination of plates or tubes on which quantitative estimation of the numbers of microorganisms is
based

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.171
detector
particle detector
plate of solid matrix or a tube of liquid containing a nutrient medium for counting or detecting viable
microorganisms
3.172
determinand
that which is to be determined
3.173
determination
entire process from preparing the test sample solution up to and including measurement and calculation
of the final result
3.174
detritus
coarse inorganic material associated with organic matter, capable of being transported in moving
water in sewage treatment practice or in biological context, dead organisms and organic particulate
matter, either settled or not
3.175
dewatering
process whereby wet sludge, usually conditioned by a coagulant, has its water content reduced by
physical means
3.176
dezincification
selective dissolution of zinc from brass or another zinc-containing alloy by contact with water of certain
chemical properties
Note 1 to entry: A plumbing fitting is an example of a zinc-containing alloy that can undergo dezincification.
3.177
dialysis
process by which small molecules or ions diffuse through a membrane, thus causing their separation
from larger molecules in solution and from suspended matter
3.178
diatom
unicellular algae of the class Bacillariophyceae having cell walls of silica
3.179
dilution level
D
denominator of the dilution coefficient (using the numerator 1) of a mixture of water or waste water
with dilution water as integral number
Note 1 to entry: For undiluted water or waste water, this coefficient is 1:1, where the corresponding and smallest
possible D value is 1.
3.180
dilution series
mixture of test material and dilution matrix (for instance water or buffer) in proportions pre-defined
for testing purposes
3.181
dilution water
deionized water for stepwise dilution of the test sample or as negative control (3.355)

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.182
dioxin-like isomer
polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) with typical PCB chemical composition that has dioxin-like properties,
reacts with the Ah receptor and is assigned a toxic equivalence factor (TEF)
3.183
discrete sampling
process whereby single samples are taken from a body of water
3.184
disinfection
treatment of water intended to eliminate or inactivate pathogens
3.185
dissolved organic carbon
DOC
part of the organic carbon in water which cannot be removed by specified phase separation
Note 1 to entry: Phase separation may be specified for example by centrifugation (3.101) at 40 000 m·s-2 for
15 min or by membrane filtration using membranes with pores of 0,2 μm to 0,45 μm diameter.
Note 2 to entry: See also total organic carbon (3.578).
3.186
dissolved solid
substance remaining, after filtration and evaporation to dryness of a sample, under specified conditions
3.187
dissolved-oxygen curve
graphically or mathematically derived curve that represents the profile of dissolved oxygen content
along the course of a stream
3.188
distillation
process of evaporation followed by condensation used, for example, to prepare water of high purity
3.189
DNA
deoxyribonucleic acid
hereditary genetic material making up the genome (3.253) of all organisms with the exception of RNA
viruses
Note 1 to entry: DNA differs from RNA (3.482) in that it contains thymine instead of uracil as one of the
nucleotides.
Note 2 to entry: Adapted from ISO 13829.
3.190
DNA damage
collective description for various changes in DNA (3.189) that do not affect cell replication
Note 1 to entry: In the case of genotoxicity tests (3.255) this refers to mutations which result in the induction of
the umuC-gene.
3.191
dose response relationship
reduction of the number of visible mutant colonies per dish with increasing D level
Note 1 to entry: most applicable in Salmonella microsome test.

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.192
drainage area
area draining to one or more points, the boundaries of which are specified by a duly appointed authority
3.193
drinking water
potable water
water intended for human consumption, will not cause harm over lifetime of consumption and does not
contain detectable objectionable contaminants, either chemical, radiological or infectious agents
3.194
dry deposition
deposition onto the Earth's surface of substances other than water in its various forms
3.195
dry well
chamber, below ground level, that remains dry, and houses pumping apparatus with its associated
pipework and equipment
3.196
dynamic toxicity test
toxicity test with constant flow or continuous flow of test solution
3.197
dystrophic water
water which is poor in nutrients and contains a high concentration of humic substances
3.198
EC50
effective concentration of a compound which causes 50 % of an effect
3.199
ecology
study of the interrelation of living organisms and their environment
3.200
ecosystem
system in which, by the interaction of the different organisms present and their environment, there is a
cyclic interchange of materials and energy
3.201
effluent
water or wastewater discharged from a containing space such as a treatment plant, industrial process
or lagoon (3.311)
3.202
effluent polishing
tertiary treatment employing either further physical or biological processes
3.203
effective porosity
proportion of saturated openings or pores within a water-bearing formation which contribute directly
to the flow of groundwater
3.204
electrical conductivity
specific conductance
reciprocal of the resistance, measured under specified conditions, between the opposite faces of a unit
cube (of defined dimensions) of an aqueous solution

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.205
enteric virus
virus which can multiply in the gastro-intestinal tract of man and animals
3.206
enterococci
faecal enterococci
intestinal enterococci
group of aerobic and facultatively anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria which normally inhabit the large
intestine of man and warm-blooded animals
Note 1 to entry: They possess the Lancefield’s Group D antigen, are catalase-negative, capable of growth
at 44 °C, and of hydrolysing aesculin in the presence of bile salts, able on specific media to reduce chloride of
2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium in formazan, or to hydrolyse 4-methylumbelliferyl-ß-D-glucoside (MUG).
Note 2 to entry: See also ISO 7899-1 and ISO 7899-2.
Note 3 to entry: In aquatic environments, the group mainly consists of the species Enterococcus faecalis, E.
faecium, E. durans and E. hirae. These species fail to multiply in most natural environments, but may survive
longer than Escherichia coli. Therefore, their presence in water, even in the absence of E. coli, usually indicates
faecal pollution.
3.207
epilimnion
top layer in a stratified body of water, above the thermocline, where the photosynthesis (3.397) is
performed by algae
3.208
equilibrium pH
thermodynamically stable pH-value of a solution, or water body, when equilibrium is attained not
only within the aqueous phase itself, but also between it and any other phases with which it may be in
contact
3.209
Escherichia coli
E. coli
members of Enterobacteriaceae that expresses ß-D-Galactosidase and ß-D-Glucuronidase
[SOURCE: ISO 9308-1:2014, 3.2.]
Note 1 to entry: Its normal habitat is the large intestine of man and warm-blooded animals, and it is usually not
able to multiply in aquatic environments. The presence of E. coli in water does, therefore, indicate recent faecal
pollution.
3.210
estuary
partially enclosed body of water in the lower reaches of a river, which is freely connected with the sea
and which receives fresh water supplies from upland drainage areas
3.211
eukaryote
organism with a cell structure in which the nucleus is surrounded by a nuclear membrane
3.212
eukaryotic
descriptive of organisms whose cells have a visible and definite nucleus

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.213
eulittoral zone
intertidal zone which is submersed and emerged, either periodically due to tides or a periodically due
to irregularly occurring factors, as in the enclosed seas of the Baltic or the Mediterranean
Note 1 to entry: Biologically, this zone is defined as the zone between the upper limit of barnacles and the upper
limit of laminarians. In the Baltic where there is no tide, the eulittoral zone is the zone of short-lived annual algae.
3.214
euphotic zone
upper layer of a body of water where light penetration is sufficient to support effective photosynthesis
(3.397)
3.215
eutrophic water
body of water rich in nutrients and highly productive in biomass
Note 1 to entry: See also eutrophication (3.216).
3.216
eutrophication
enrichment of water by nutrients, that induce and accelerate vegetal biomass production, accompanied
by oxygen deficits, accumulation of organic matter and heavy changes in population composition and
structure
3.217
evapotranspiration
total evaporation of an area covered with vegetation
Note 1 to entry: It is comprised of water that is intercepted by the vegetation followed by evaporation, the
evaporation from the dry surface of plant leaves (transpiration), and the evaporation from the soil.
3.218
exogenous respiration
energy-yielding metabolism with the uptake of exogenous substrate
3.219
expanded uncertainty
quantity defining an interval about the result of a measurement that may be expected to encompass a
large fraction of the distribution of values that could reasonably be attributed to the measurand (3.31)
Note 1 to entry: The fraction may be viewed as the coverage probability or level of confidence of the interval.
To associate a specific level of confidence requires explicit or implicit assumptions regarding the probability
distribution. The level of confidence may be attributed to this interval only to the extent to which such
assumptions may be justified.
3.220
expected natural community
community of organisms present at a site in a water course where only natural stress occurs, and man-
made stress is minimal
3.221
extended aeration
activated sludge sewage treatment process, operated at about one-third the loading of the conventional
process to minimize the production of surplus activated sludge
Note 1 to entry: As the sludge wastage rate is low, the sludge age is high (about 50 days) and the surplus sludge
is relatively stable. Also, slow-growing microorganisms can become established in the system and oxidize
substances that would not otherwise be removed.

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.222
facultative aerobe
organism that can use oxygen as its terminal electron acceptor and will always choose to do so because
the energy release is much greater
Note 1 to entry: This is replaced by a variety of fermentative pathways or other terminal electron acceptors
such as nitrate and sulphate. When the oxygen availability is low it has the ability to use the alternative electron
acceptor or run a fermentative metabolism.
3.223
facultative anaerobe
organism which produces ATP by aerobic respiration if oxygen is present but is capable of switching to
fermentation or anaerobic respiration if oxygen is absent
3.224
faecal coliform organism
thermotolerant coliform organism
coliform organism (3.116) which can grow and which has the same fermentative and biochemical
properties at 44 °C as it has at 37 °C
Note 1 to entry: E. coli has replaced faecal coliform organisms and thermotolerant coliform organisms as the
preferred indicator of faecal origin.
3.225
false negative rate
result indicated by the test method to be negative which has subsequently been shown to contain the
target organism
Note 1 to entry: See also ISO 13843 for water microbiology.
3.226
false positive rate
result indicated by the test method to be positive which was subsequently shown not to contain the
target organism
Note 1 to entry: See also ISO 13843 for water microbiology.
3.227
field capacity
maximum amount of water that a soil can retain after gravitational water has drained away
3.228
filter press
filtration device with compartments formed by filter cloths clamped between a series of recessed
drainage plates or flat plates and frames, into which sludge is pumped under pressure
3.229
filter run
length of time between one back-washing and the next in a filter
3.230
filterability
filtrability
indication of the ease with which the liquid can be separated from the solids by filtration
3.231
filter press
filtration device with compartments formed by filter cloths clamped between a series of recessed
drainage plates or flat plates and frames, into which sludge is pumped under pressure
Note 1 to entry: Water is expressed from the sludge through the filter cloths and drainage system and the pressed
sludge is removed after each filtration cycle.

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.232
filtration
treatment process whereby water is passed through a porous layer of material in order to retain
particulate matter or micro-organisms
3.233
floc
fine fluffy mass formed by aggregation of fine suspended particles
Note 1 to entry: In water treatment it is formed in water by flocculation with chemicals. In activated sludge it is
formed by agglomerated bacterial mass.
3.234
flocculation
formation of large separable particles by aggregation of small particles; the process is usually assisted
by mechanical, physical, chemical or biological means
3.235
flocculation aid
substance, often a polyelectrolyte, which is added in conjunction with a coagulant to increase the
effectiveness of floc formation
3.236
flotation
floatation
raising of suspended matter in water to the surface, for example by the entrainment of a gas on the
suspended matter
3.237
fluidized bed
bed of small particles freely suspended by an upward flow of liquid, gas or combined liquid and gas
3.238
flume
artificial channel, with clearly specified shape and dimensions, which may be used for measurement of
flow
3.239
fluoridation
addition of a compound containing fluorine to a drinking water (3.193) supply to maintain the fluoride
ion concentration within agreed limits
3.240
free carbon dioxide
carbon dioxide dissolved in water
3.241
free chlorine
chlorine present in the form of hypochlorous acid, hypochlorite ions or dissolved elemental chlorine
3.242
fresh water
naturally occurring water having a low concentration of salts, or generally accepted as suitable for
abstraction (3.3) and treatment to produce potable water
Note 1 to entry: Freshwater typically contains less than 1 000 mg/l of dissolved solids. The concentration of total
dissolved solids can vary considerably over space and/or time.

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.243
freshet
comparatively high rate of flow of fresh water of short duration in a stream, resulting from heavy
rainfall or rapid snow melt
3.244
freshwater limit
point of an estuary beyond which sea water does not usually penetrate under specified tidal and
hydrological conditions
3.245
F‑specific RNA bacteriophage
bacterial virus capable of infecting specific strains of host bacteria which have F- or sex-pili (fertility
fimbriae)
Note 1 to entry: See also ISO 10705-1.
Note 2 to entry: These viruses commonly kill the host bacteria, demonstrated by the appearance of plaques
(clearance zones) in confluent lawns of the host grown under appropriate culture conditions. Infection and the
production of plaques is inhibited by the presence of appropriate concentrations of the enzyme RNase in the
plating medium.
3.246
full energy peak
peak of spectral response curve corresponding to the total absorption of the photon energy in the
sensitive detector volume by the photoelectric effect or by consecutive photon interactions of pair
production (only for photon energy > 1 022 keV), Compton scattering and photoelectric absorption
3.247
fulvic acid
part of humic substance which is soluble in both acid and alkaline solutions
3.248
fungi
large group of heterotrophic organisms which usually form spores and have well-defined nuclei, but
lack photosynthetic material such as chlorophyll
Note 1 to entry: Yeasts are single-celled fungi which reproduce by budding. Other fungi are multicellular and
filamentous.
3.249
gamma cascade
two or more different gamma-photons emitted successively within the resolution time, from one
nucleus when it de-excites through one or more intermediate energy levels
3.250
gamma efficiency
under stated conditions of detection, the ratio of the number of detected gamma-photons to the number
of gamma-photons of the same type emitted by the radiation source in the same time interval
3.251
gamma radiation
electromagnetic radiation emitted in the process of nuclear transition or particle annihilation
3.252
gamma-ray spectrometry
method of measuring gamma rays yielding the energy spectrum of the gamma radiation

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.253
genome
total genetic material (nucleic acid, DNA or RNA) of a cell that codes genetic information
[SOURCE: ISO 13829:2000, A.4, modified — “that codes genetic information” added.]
3.254
genotoxicity
toxicity which specifically affects the genome and usually refers to physical or chemical agents which
cause mutations
3.255
genotoxicity test
test system to determine genotoxic activity such as DNA damage (3.190) or DNA repair
3.256
Gram-negative bacteria
bacteria (3.53) that give a negative result in the Gram stain test by losing the crystal violet from their
cell walls and being counterstained with safranin or fuchsine to appear pink or red under a microscope
3.257
Gram-positive bacteria
bacteria (3.53) that give a positive result in the Gram stain test by taking up the crystal violet stain into
their cell walls (made of peptidoglycan) and appear purple under a microscope
3.258
grazing organism
organism such as worms, insect larvae and other invertebrate animals which removes the zoogloeal film
(3.613) on the surfaces of the medium in a biological filter, either by feeding activity or by dislodgement
3.259
grey water
sullage
waste water from household baths and showers, hand basins and kitchen sinks but excluding waste
water and excreta from water closets
3.260
groundwater
water which is being held in, and can usually be recovered from, an underground formation
3.261
guidance chart
two-dimensional scattergram for presenting method-performance data (quantity or precision) with
arbitrary guide values or guide values obtained by Type B evaluation of uncertainty
Note 1 to entry: In guidance charts, the horizontal axis is usually the colony count per detector.
3.262
half-life period
period of time after which the concentration or mass of a substance, undergoing degradation or decay,
has fallen to half of its initial value
Note 1 to entry: The term is only applicable to zero- and first-order reactions.
3.263
halocline
layer in a stratified body of water in which the salinity gradient is at a maximum

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.264
haloform
compound in which three of the hydrogen atoms of the methane molecule have been substituted by
chlorine, bromine or iodine atoms
3.265
hard detergent
detergent containing a surface-active agent, which is resistant to primary biodegradation, and whose
surfactant properties are not substantially reduced in the biological treatment of sewage
3.266
hard substrate
substrate consisting of bedrock, larger rocks/stones or fixed marine constructions such as wharfs,
quays and pipelines
3.267
hard-substrate flora and fauna
attached plants (algae or vascular plants) or animals, together with relatively stationary animals living
on, or in close association with, hard substrate
EXAMPLE Attached: kelp, seaweeds, sponges, bryozoans, corals, mussels, barnacles, ascidians. Relatively
stationary: snails, sea-urchins, crabs.
3.268
hard water
water that contains high concentrations of ions and in particular contains high concentrations of
calcium and magnesium ions
Note 1 to entry: Hard water is generally accepted to contain between 121-180mg/l of hardness as CaCO3.
3.269
Hazen number
number used to indicate the intensity of colour of water, the standard unit being the colour produced
by a solution containing 1 mg of platinum per litre [in the form of hydrogen hexachloroplatinate(IV)], in
the presence of 2 mg of cobalt(II) chloride hexahydrate per litre
3.270
head space
vapour phase contained in a closed system, in equilibrium with the sample material (liquid, solid or
mixture)
3.271
heat treatment
thermal conditioning
rising and/or holding temperature under specified conditions e.g. heating of sludge, often under
pressure, to condition it so that it is more readily dewatered by a static or dynamic dewatering process
3.272
heavy water
water which contains a higher than normal proportion of the heavy isotopes of hydrogen in combination
with oxygen
3.273
heterotrophic bacteria
bacteria (3.53) which require organic matter as a source of energy
Note 1 to entry: See also, in contrast autotrophic bacteria.

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.274
homologue group
group of compounds in which each member differs from the next by a specific number and kind of atoms
EXAMPLE Tetrachlorobiphenyls at a specific degree of chlorination, also called a congener group.
3.275
humic acid
part of a humic substance which is soluble in dilute alkaline solution but is precipitated by acidification
3.276
humic substance
complex and heterogeneous mixtures of polydispersed materials formed in soils, sediments, and
natural waters by biochemical and chemical reactions during the decay and transformation of plant
and microbial remains (a process called humification)
3.277
humus sludge
microbial film that sloughs off from a biological filter and is normally separated from the effluent
(3.201) in a final settling tank
3.278
hydraulic conductivity
property of a water-bearing formation that relates to its capacity to transmit water through its internal,
interconnected pathways
3.279
hydrography
applied science concerned with the study and measurement of seas, lakes, rivers and other waters
3.280
hydrological cycle
natural cycle in which water is evaporated from the earth’s surface, mostly from the oceans, to the
atmosphere and returns by precipitation to the earth
Note 1 to entry: It includes the uptake of water by plants followed by evapotranspiration and release of water as
vapour to the atmosphere prior to its precipitation to the earth.
3.281
hydrology
applied science concerned with the water cycle of precipitation, run-off or infiltration and storage,
evaporation and re-precipitation
3.282
hydrometry
measurement and analysis of the flow of water
3.283
hypertrophic water
class of eutrophic water generally referring to extremely high non-specific levels of enrichment
characterized by extreme algal blooms
3.284
hypolimnion
water below the thermocline in a stratified body of water
3.285
Imhoff cone
conical transparent vessel, usually of capacity 1 litre and graduated, used for determining the volume
of settleable matter in waters

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.286
inclusiveness
proportion of target organisms among the presumptive positives of the total target organisms,
calculated as the number of true positives divided by the sum of true and false positives
3.287
induction rate
I
quotient of the mean signal measured after exposure to a dose of the test sample or with a positive
control (3.422), and the mean signal measured for the negative control (3.355) using the same
experimental conditions
3.288
industrial wastewater
water discharged after being used in, or produced by, an industrial process, and which is of no further
immediate value to that process
3.289
industrial water
any water used for, or during, an industrial process
3.290
infiltration
<sewer> process of groundwater entering a drain or sewer through cracks or defective joints
Note 1 to entry: Infiltration can also take place into mains under conditions of negative pressure.
3.291
inhibition of oxygen consumption
decrease of the oxygen consumption rate of an activated sludge plus (a) degradable substance(s) in the
presence of the test material, compared with that of a similar mixture without test material
Note 1 to entry: This quantity is expressed as a percentage.
Note 2 to entry: In the absence of a substrate, some chemicals (e.g. uncouplers of phosphorylation) can increase
oxygen uptake.
3.292
inhibitor
substance which reduces the rate of a chemical or biological process
3.293
in‑line analysis
system of automatic analysis in which at least the analytical sensor is sited in the body of water
3.294
in situ analysis
measurement taken in the same place where the phenomenon is occurring without isolating it from
other systems or altering the original conditions of the test
3.295
inoculum
inoculation material
fraction of a culture of micro-organisms used to start a new culture, or an exponentially growing pre-
culture, in fresh culture medium
[SOURCE: ISO 19040-2:2018, 3.9.]
3.296
instrument performance check solution
solution used to determine and control the instrument drift for relevant analytes

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.297
internal standard
analogue, such as isotope-labelled, of an analyte (3.31) added to samples prior to extraction against
which the concentrations of native analytes are calculated
3.298
interstitial water
water which is retained terstices (or spaces) between solid particles.in the interstices (or spaces)
between solid particles in the terstices (or spaces) between solid particles
3.299
intertidal zone
region of shoreline between the limits of mean high and mean low tide levels
3.300
ion exchange
process by which certain anions or cations in water are replaced by other ions by passage through a
bed of ion-exchange material
3.301
ion-exchange material
material capable (without substantial structural changes) of reversible exchange of ions between itself
and a liquid in contact with it
3.302
ionic balance
algebraic sum of the product of the molar concentration and ionic charge of each cationic and anionic
species present
Note 1 to entry: In all waters this sum shall be equal to zero. Any deviation from zero, of the balance calculated
from the actual analytical results, is an indication either of the incompleteness of the determination (some ions
not determined) or errors in analysis.
3.303
ionic strength
defined as I = 0,5 ∑Ci(Zi)2
where
I is the ionic strength (in mol/l),
Ci is the concentration of ion (in mol/l) and
Zi is the charge number of ion i

Note 1 to entry: The ionic strength is necessary for the calculation of the activities of the individual ions in water
containing a mixture of ions.
3.304
iron bacteria
group of bacteria which is able to derive energy by oxidizing iron (II)
Note 1 to entry: Iron(III) hydroxide obtained after oxidation of iron(II) can then be deposited inside or outside
the bacterial sheaths.
3.305
irrigation water
water which is applied to soils or plant growth substrates in order to increase their moisture content,
to provide the necessary water for normal plant growth and/or to prevent the accumulation of excess
salts in the soil

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.306
isokinetic sampling
technique in which the sample from a water stream passes into the orifice of a sampling probe with a
velocity equal to that of the stream in the immediate vicinity of the probe
3.307
isotope dilution
method using isotopically labelled internal standards to correct for losses during sample preparation
and analysis
3.308
keeper solvent
high-boiling-point solvent added to the sampling standard solution or sample extract to ensure analytes
of interest are not lost during concentration
3.309
laboratory sample
sample(s) or subsample(s) sent to or received by the laboratory
3.310
lag phase
time from the start of a test until adaptation and selection of the degrading micro-organisms are
achieved and the degree of biodegradation of a chemical compound or organic matter has increased to
about 10 % of the biodegradation maximum level
[SOURCE: ISO 14855-2:2018, 3.7.]
Note 1 to entry: Lag phase is expressed in days.
3.311
lagoon
shallow body of water, such as a pond or lake, close to the sea and usually with a shallow, restricted
inlet from the sea
3.312
lake
inland body of water of considerable area
Note 1 to entry: Large saline lakes are often called seas.
3.313
land treatment
treatment (and usually disposal) of wastewater, by irrigation onto land
3.314
Langelier index
value obtained by subtracting the saturation pH (pHs) from the measured pH of a water sample
Note 1 to entry: The pHs is the calculated pH that would be obtained if the water were in equilibrium with solid
calcium carbonate.
3.315
leachate
water which has percolated through tipped refuse or other specified permeable material
3.316
Legionella specie
genus of gram-negative bacilli microorganisms. The primary growth factor required is L-cysteine, iron
is also essential, and other compounds are necessary for optimal growth
Note 1 to entry: Obligate aerobes, the bacteria grow at temperatures ranging from 20 °C to 42 °C. Some strains,
especially Legionella pneumophila infects humans, and cause legionellosis (legionnaire’s disease).

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.317
Leptospira specie
bacteria (3.53) excreted by rats, mice, dogs, and certain other wild and domestic animals
Note 1 to entry: genus of spirochaete bacteria, excreted by rats, mice, dogs, and certain other wild and domestic
animals may infect humans (particularly through damaged skin) who come into contact with water and soil
polluted by such excretions, causing leptospiral jaundice (Weil's disease, leptospirosis).
3.318
lethal concentration
LC50
concentration of a toxic substance which kills one half of a group of test organisms
Note 1 to entry: Usually the exposure to the substance is continuous and the LC50 is defined by reference to a
specified exposure period.
3.319
LIDegg
dilution within a test batch in which at least 90 % of the fish eggs do not show any effect
3.320
limit of quantification
lowest concentration of a measurand (3.31) that can be determined with acceptable precision under the
stated conditions of the test
Note 1 to entry: as such defined, LOQ is based on evaluation of precision. This does not encompass neither any
eventual bias, nor laboratory measurement uncertainty at LOQ level`
3.321
linearity
ability to provide measured quantity values that are directly proportional to the value of the measurand
(3.31) in the sample
Note 1 to entry: For each concentration, a mean and standard deviation is calculated and a segment is calculated
as twice the standard deviation. If the straight line obtained by linear regression of all measurements crosses
every calculated segment, then the sensor is said to be linear.
Note 2 to entry: Straight line relationship between the (mean) result of measurement (signal) and the quantity
(concentration) of the component to be determined.
3.322
littoral zone
shallow marginal zone of a body of water where light penetrates to the bottom; usually colonized by
rooted vegetation
3.323
lowest ineffective dilution
LID
toxicity testing of waste water by means of a defined dilution (D) most concentrated test batch at which
no inhibition, or only effects not exceeding the test specific variable, are observed
3.324
lowest observed effect concentration
LOEC
lowest tested concentration of the test sample at which a significant effect (usually at p u < 0,05) is
observed when compared with the control
[SOURCE: ISO 12890:1999, 3.2]

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.325
luminescent bacteria
group of bacteria capable of transforming into light a specified portion of energy released by metabolism
Note 1 to entry: See also ISO 11348.
3.326
lysimeter
bed or columnar container of soil adapted for measurement of evapo-transpiration, percolation and
leaching losses under controlled conditions
3.327
macroscopic organism
algae (3.21) and animals that are visible without magnification equipment (≥1 mm) and which can be
recorded in the field
Note 1 to entry: Certain macroscopic organisms can require microscopic inspection for identification. For
microscopy of collected material, the lower size limit is set to 1 mm.
3.328
macrophyte
large aquatic vegetation, visible to the naked eye, including phanerogams, bryophytes, colonial algae
(3.21) (including cyanobacteria (3.149)) and macroalgae
3.329
mass balance
relationship between input and output of a specified substance in a defined system
Note 1 to entry: For example in a lake, river or sewage treatment works, taking into account the formation or
decomposition of that substance in the system.
3.330
matrix potential
combination of forces, independent of gravity, acting on soil water (water contained within the pores of
a soil/rock matrix) that exists as a result of the attraction of solid surfaces to water and the attraction
of water molecules to each other
Note 1 to entry: Generally, the smaller the particle size, the higher the matrix potential.
3.331
mean relative difference
unweighted mean RD
value obtained by calculating the average of the relative differences between N paired counts
3.332
mean result
average value of n results, calculated as intensity (ratio) or as mass concentration (ρ)
Note 1 to entry: The mass concentration is expressed in units of milligrams per litre, mg/l.
3.333
membrane filtration
technique for removing or concentrating particles, including microorganisms (but not free viruses)
from fluids by filtration through a filter of known pore size
Note 1 to entry: The technique has various physico-chemical and microbiological applications, such as the
“sterilization” of liquids and gases and the separation of microorganisms from free viruses for their separate
examination and/or quantitative assessment.

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.334
mesophilic digestion
anaerobic digestion of sludge at a temperature of from 40 °C to 45 °C, thereby encouraging the growth
of micro-organisms that grow best in this temperature range, that is to say mesophilic micro-organisms
3.335
mesophilic microorganism
microorganism whose optimum temperature for growth lies between about 20 °C and 45 °C
3.336
mesotrophic water
water of intermediate nutrient status, naturally occurring or due to nutrient enrichment, between
oligotrophy and eutrophic states
3.337
metalimnion
thermocline
layer in a thermally stratified body of water in which the temperature gradient is at a maximum
3.338
methaemoglobinaemia
condition of the blood which occurs in infancy due to methaemoglobin excess when nitrites, formed
in the gut mainly by bacterial reduction of ingested nitrates, become attached to haemoglobin, and
interfere with oxygen uptake and transport, thus causing cyanosis
3.339
methyl red endpoint alkalinity
arbitrary measurement of the total alkalinity of water obtained by titration of the methyl red indicator
end point (pH 4,5)
3.340
micropollutant
anthropogenic chemicals that occur in the aquatic environment above a natural background level due
to human activities but with concentrations remaining at trace levels (i.e. up to the microgram per litre
range)
3.341
microstrainer
rotating cylindrical frame covered with a very fine mesh, usually of stainless-steel wire
Note 1 to entry: It rotates about a horizontal axis, is largely submerged in the water being screened and is
backwashed to remove solids.
3.342
migration
spontaneous or induced movement of dissolved or particulate matter or organisms in a body of water
3.343
mineral water
water which contains more mineral substances than normal potable water (3.193)
3.344
mineralization
breakdown of organic matter to carbon dioxide, water and the hydrides, oxides or mineral salts of any
other elements present
3.345
mixed bed
intimate physical mixture of anion-exchange material and cation-exchange material

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.346
mixed liquor suspended solid
MLSS
concentration of solids, expressed in a specified dried form, in the mixed liquor
3.347
mixed media filtration
water treatment process whereby the water is passed through two or more layers in a downward or
upward direction
Note 1 to entry: The upper layer consists of large particles of low density. In each following layer the particles are
smaller, but the density of the particles is higher.
3.348
mobile sediment
solid material which is amenable to movement within a body of water
Note 1 to entry: The amenability is related to the mass of the sediment and the flowrate of the water.
3.349
monitoring
programmed process of sampling, measurement and subsequent recording or signalling, or both, of
various water characteristics, often with the aim of assessing conformity to specified objectives
3.350
most probable number
MPN
maximum likelihood estimate of the number of microorganisms in a specified volume of water, derived
from the combination of positive and negative results in a series of volumes of the sample examined by
standard tests
Note 1 to entry: The multiple tube or wells in a tray method are a set of these standard tests for determining the
MPN.
3.351
multi‑level sampler
single installation for sampling groundwater from discrete depths within the sub-surface
Note 1 to entry: The device can be driven directly into the ground, installed in a pre-existing borehole or installed
in a purpose-drilled hole. When installed in a borehole, integral packers are used to isolate individual sample
ports.
3.352
multiple boreholes
group of individual boreholes or piezometers installed separately to form a monitoring network that is
adequate for the purpose of an investigation
3.353
mutagen
substance capable of causing genetic changes in living organisms
3.354
mutation
chromosomal mutation
permanent hereditary change in the genetic material (DNA (3.189) or RNA (3.482)) of living organisms
or viruses, usually in a single gene, which may be in the form of a loss (deletion), gain (translocation),
or exchange (transduction) of genetic material (one or more nucleotides), resulting in a change of the
genetic code which can alter the function of the gene
Note 1 to entry: Substances capable of inducing mutations are called mutagens or mutagenic, and affected
organisms are called mutants.

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.355
negative control
<ecotoxicology> test which does not contain any analyte (3.31) in the sample and therefore no response
or result is expected
3.356
nested piezometers
group of piezometers installed within a single larger-diameter borehole
Note 1 to entry: In general, each piezometer should be designed to allow sampling over a specific depth interval
within the aquifer. Piezometer tips are isolated from each other by installing a permanent impermeable seal
between them.
3.357
net intensity ratio
net intensity divided by the intensity of a reference element
3.358
night soil
human wastes accumulated in a container and removed periodically
Note 1 to entry: These used to be removed at night, hence the name.
3.359
nitrification
oxidation of ammonium compounds by bacteria
Note 1 to entry: Usually the intermediate product is nitrite and the end product nitrate.
3.360
non‑ionic surface active agent
surface active agent which does not produce ions in an aqueous solution
Note 1 to entry: The solubility in water of non-ionic surface active agents is due to the presence in the molecules
of functional groups which have a strong affinity for water.
3.361
no observed effect concentration
NOEC
test concentration immediately below the lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) (3.324)
[SOURCE: ISO 12890:1999, 3.4.]
3.362
non-point source pollution
diffuse source pollution
pollution of surface or ground waters which arises not from a single point but rather in a widespread
manner
EXAMPLE Leaching from the land.
3.363
nucleic acid
hereditary genetic material typically in the form of a double helix consisting of nucleotides linked
together in a specific sequence which determines the genetic code
3.364
nucleotide
one of the components of the genome (adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine or uracil) which is linked
together by sugar and phosphate groups to form nucleic acid strands (chains), the sequence of which
determines the genetic code of the genome

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.365
number of revertants
number of mutants
number of visible mutant colonies per dish (plate of diameter approximately 9 cm) at the termination of
the assay
Note 1 to entry: Most applicable in Salmonella microsome mutagenicity assay
3.366
nutrient removal
biological, physical and chemical processes used in water and waste-water treatment specifically for
the removal of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus
3.367
obligate aerobe
organism that requires oxygen to grow
3.368
obligate anaerobe
organism that is killed in normal atmospheric oxygen concentrations (20,95 %) and some are only able
to grow at an oxygen concentration of less than 0,5 %
3.369
odour threshold
minimum level of odour detectable by the olfactory senses of a panel of judges
Note 1 to entry: There is no absolute value for odour threshold due to the inherent variability in individual
olfactory sensitivity, but a value is estimated by serially diluting a sample with odour-free water until the odour
is just not detectable.
3.370
oligosaprobic
highly oxygenated aquatic environment in which little organic material and a minimum of fermentation
is present
3.371
oligotrophic
description of a body of water which is low in nutrients that is usually accompanied by an abundance
of dissolved oxygen, high transparency, low biomass and bottom deposits which contain only small
amounts of organic matter
3.372
organic nitrogen
difference between the nitrogen contents of a sample derived from the determination of Kjeldahl
nitrogen and ammoniacal nitrogen
3.373
organoleptic
descriptive attributes of water (e.g. colour, taste, odour and appearance) that are perceptible by the
sense organs
3.374
overlap error
crowding error
<microbiology> systematic depression of colony counts due to confluence of colonies
Note 1 to entry: Quantitatively, overlap error depends primarily on the fraction of available growth space
occupied by colonial growth.

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.375
overnight culture
culture started late in the afternoon and incubated overnight (usually about 16 h) to be ready during
the following morning for purposes such as the inoculation of a preculture
3.376
oxidation ditch
oxidation channel
system for treating crude or settled sewage, often taking the form of parallel channels joined at the
ends to form a closed circuit and equipped with aeration rotors
3.377
oxidation pond
basin used for the retention of wastewater before final disposal, in which biological oxidation of
organic material is affected by transfer of oxygen from air to the water, either naturally or artificially
accelerated
3.378
oxidation-reduction potential
redox potential
ORP
electrical potential between an electrode of an inert metal, such as platinum, or of carbon, and the
standard hydrogen electrode
Note 1 to entry: The more positive the potential, the more oxidized the environment, and the more negative the
potential, the more reduced the environment.
3.379
oxygen deficit
difference between the actual dissolved oxygen concentration of an aqueous system and its oxygen
saturation value
3.380
oxygen sag curve
curve resulting from plotting the concentration of dissolved oxygen against distance or time of flow in
a river downstream from a source of pollution that has an oxygen demand
3.381
oxygen saturation value
concentration of dissolved oxygen in equilibrium, either with air (natural systems) or with pure oxygen
(oxygen waste-water treatment systems)
Note 1 to entry: It varies with temperature, partial pressure of oxygen and salinity.
3.382
ozonization
ozonation
addition of ozone to water or wastewater for the purpose of, for example, disinfection, oxidation of
organic matter, or the removal of unpleasant taste and odour
3.383
package plant
prefabricated compact water or sewage treatment plant usually designed to treat small flows
3.384
packer
device or material for temporarily isolating specified vertical sections within boreholes in order to
attempt groundwater sampling from discrete zones or locations within the borehole or aquifer (3.40,
3.41, 3.42)

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.385
parallel count
microbiological measurement of particle, colony numbers, tubes and wells in equal analytical portions
drawn from the same sample
Note 1 to entry: Parallel determinations are particle or colony numbers counted from replicate samples.
3.386
parameter
property of a substance used to characterize it
Note 1 to entry: For example, water.
3.387
pasteurization
process involving the elevation of temperature for an appropriate period of time, for the purpose of
either inactivating microorganisms, particularly pathogens, or decreasing their number for a limited
period of time, to a specified level or to a value below the infective dose
3.388
pathogen
organism capable of producing disease in a susceptible plant or animal, including humans
3.389
pattern
chromatographic fingerprint of any series of isomers in the same chemical family, e.g. PCB PBDE, SCCP
3.390
pelagic organisms
organisms living in a free body of water beyond the littoral zone (3.322)
3.391
perched water table
isolated body of groundwater, which is limited in lateral and vertical extent, located within the
unsaturated zone overlying a much more extensive groundwater body
3.392
permanent culture
<microbiology> culture stored frozen in order to preserve its genetically determined characteristics
3.393
permanganate index
<water> mass concentration of oxygen equivalent to the amount of permanganate ion consumed when
a water sample is treated with that oxidant under defined conditions
3.394
permeability
property of a membrane or other material characterizing its ability to selectively permit substances to
pass through it
3.395
phenolphthalein endpoint alkalinity
measurement by titration to the phenolphthalein endpoint (pH 8,3) of that portion of alkalinity
arbitrarily attributed to all the hydroxyl and half the carbonate content of a water
Note 1 to entry: Phenolphthalein endpoint alkalinity is often used in conjunction with methyl red endpoint
alkalinity.
3.396
photoautotrophic bacteria
bacteria (3.53) which obtain their energy from light, and whose sole source of carbon is inorganic, such
as CO2

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.397
photosynthesis
synthesis of organic matter from carbon dioxide and water in the presence of light by living organisms,
employing photochemically reactive pigments
3.398
physico‑chemical treatment
combination of physical and chemical treatments to achieve a specific result
3.399
phytoplankton
free floating flora and bacteria found in fresh or saline water bodies including diatoms, dinoflagellates,
cyanobacteria (3.149) and algae (3.21)
3.400
piezometer
device consisting of a tube or pipe with a porous element or perforated section (surrounded by a filter)
on the lower end (piezometer tip) which is installed and sealed into the ground at an appropriate level
3.401
piezometric ground water level
level to which water rises naturally in a well
3.402
pile-up
processing by a radiation spectrometer of pulses resulting from the simultaneous absorption of
particles, or photons, originating from different decaying nuclei, in the radiation detector
Note 1 to entry: As a result, they are counted as one single particle or photon with an energy between the
individual energies and the sum of these energies.
3.403
pile-working
process whereby the specific density of a bottom sediment sample is increased by the forces created
inside a core tube when downward pressure is applied to the sampling device
Note 1 to entry: These compressional forces occur as a result of friction against the side wall of the tube and the
resistance of the main body of the material being sampled.
3.404
plankton
organisms drifting or suspended in water, consisting mostly of unicellular algae and micro invertebrate
animals
3.405
plate
solidified mixture of dilution water, agar and other possible constituents (such as inorganic salts) in a
petri dish
3.406
plate count
colony count
estimate of the numbers of viable microorganisms in a given volume of sample, obtained from the
number of colonies which form in, or on, a given culture medium under specified condition
Note 1 to entry: Viable microorganisms include bacteria, yeasts and moulds.
3.407
plateau phase
time from the end of the biodegradation phase to the end of the test
[SOURCE: ISO 17556:2019, 3.9.]

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.408
plug-flow system
system that theoretically, if not in practice, achieves complete mixing in the cross-section of a channel
but allows no mixing or diffusion in the direction of flow
3.409
plumbo-solvent
type of a water which is able to dissolve lead from pipes and fitting
3.410
plume
distribution of water, from a point source, discharging into a body of water of different physical and/or
chemical properties before mixing has occurred
3.411
point mutation
gene mutation
mutation resulting from a change in a single-base pair (pair of nucleotides) in a gene, referred to as a
deletion (loss of a nucleotide), insertion (addition of a nucleotide) or frameshift mutation (change in
sequence of nucleotides)
3.412
point source pollution
pollution arising from an identified single point
EXAMPLE Example A polluted factory effluent (3.201).
3.413
Poisson distribution
discrete frequency distribution which gives the probability of a number of independent events
occurring in a fixed time
3.414
pollution
alteration of water, air or soil quality, mainly by discharge of organic, microbiologic and chemicals
substances coming from anthropic activities or from natural sources (e.g. volcanic ash)
3.415
pollution load
quantity of pollutants entering a treatment plant or discharged into a receiving water during a given
period
3.416
Polychlorinated biphenyls
PCB
biphenyls having chlorine substituents
Note 1 to entry: By convention, it is a collective term for biphenyls having chlorine substitutes, but in practice, it
also includes monochlorinated biphenyls.
3.417
polyelectrolyte
polymer having ionized groups, some types of which are used for coagulating colloidal particles and/or
flocculating suspended solids

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.418
polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon
PAH
organic compound composed of two or more benzene rings where the adjacent rings share two carbon
atoms, non-aromatic rings may also be present
Note 1 to entry: Some PAHs, including benzo[a]pyrene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]-pyrene and benzo[b]fluoranthene, have
been shown to be carcinogenic to laboratory animals and may be carcinogenic to humans.
3.419
polysaprobic water
extremely polluted water characterized by a heavy load of organic matter, serious deoxygenation, a
marked change of aquatic population structure and composition, and high bacterial numbers
3.420
pond
shallow, inland body of fresh water of small dimensions
3.421
ponding
occurrence of pools of liquid on a biological filter caused by blockage of its interstices
3.422
positive control
test which contains a known amount of the analyte (3.31) in the test material which will produce a
known response
3.423
post-chlorination
chlorination (3.110) following water or waste-water treatment
3.424
practical salinity
Sp
dimensionless value which, for the purposes of checking water quality, may be regarded as an estimate
of the concentration, in grams per kilogram, of the dissolved salts in seawater
Note 1 to entry: It is defined algorithmically, in terms of the ratio (K15) of the electrical conductivity of the
sample, at 15 °C and 101,3 kPa (1 atm), to that of a defined potassium chloride solution (32,436 6 g kg–1 of sample)
at the same temperature and pressure.
3.425
prechlorination
preliminary treatment of raw water with chlorine in order to arrest or substantially reduce bacterial,
plant or animal growth, to oxidize organic and inorganic matter, to assist flocculation (3.234) and/or to
reduce odour
3.426
precision
closeness of agreement between indications or measured quantity values obtained by replicate
measurements on the same or similar objects under specified conditions
3.427
preconditioning
pre-incubation of an inoculum under the conditions of the test in the absence of the chemical compound
and/or organic matter, with the aim of improving the performance of the test by acclimatization (3.4) of
the micro-organisms to the test conditions
[SOURCE: ISO 9439:1999, 2.14.]

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.428
preculture
culture of micro-organisms grown under conditions which promote their adaptation to the test
conditions as part of the preparation of an inoculum for a particular test, such as genotoxicity assays
3.429
pre-exposure
pre-incubation of an inoculum in the presence of a chemical compound and/or organic matter, with
the aim of enhancing the ability of this inoculum to biodegrade the test material by adaptation and
selection of the micro-organisms
[SOURCE: ISO 10708:1997, 3.12.]
3.430
preliminary treatment of wastewater
removal or disintegration of gross sewage solids and the removal of grit
Note 1 to entry: It can include the removal of grease and oil from sewage prior to sedimentation and pre-aeration
and neutralization.
3.431
pressure filtration
water treatment process whereby water is passed through an enclosed system under pressure
Note 1 to entry: Pressure filtration is similar to rapid sand filtration.
3.432
presumptive count
colony count or most probable number (MPN) (3.350) estimate based on the number of colonies, wells or
fermentation tubes that have an outward appearance that is interpreted as typical of a target organism
count” (see confirmed count (2.132)
3.433
primary anaerobic biodegradation
level of degradation achieved when a test compound undergoes any structural change, other than
complete mineralization (3.344), as a result of anaerobic microbial action
[SOURCE: ISO 11734:1995, 3.2.]
3.434
primary biodegradation
structural change (transformation) of a chemical compound by micro-organisms resulting in the loss of
a specific property
[SOURCE: ISO 10708:1997, 3.2.]
3.435
primary degradation
degradation of the molecular structure of a substance to an extent sufficient to remove some
characteristic property
3.436
primary productivity
<ecology> rate of photosynthesis (3.397) of algae (3.21) or plants in a community

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.437
primary validation
full validation
establishment of the specifications for the performance of a new method and/or experimental
verification that a method meets theoretically derived quality criteria
Note 1 to entry: See also ISO 13843 and ISO 17994 for water microbiology.
3.438
profundal zone
lower region of deep water characterised by the absence of photosynthesis (3.397) (aphotic zone (3.37))
and the prevalence of organic degradation mechanisms (tropholytic zone)
3.439
prokaryote
unicellular organism which does not have a nucleus with a membrane nor other specialised membrane
bound organelles
3.440
propagule
germ
viable entity, such as vegetative cell, group of cells, spores, spore cluster, fungal mycelium, seed, plant
cutting, capable of growth in a nutrient medium
3.441
proportional sampling
technique for obtaining a sample from flowing water in which the frequency of collection (in the case of
discrete sampling), or the sample flow rate (in the case of continuous sampling), is directly proportional
to the flow rate of the sampled water
3.442
proportionality
measure of bias change throughout the analyte (3.31) concentration range for an analytical method,
analytical instrument, or analytical sensor
Note 1 to entry: Proportionality is determined by measuring a selection of reference samples throughout the
operational range and plotting the bias against the reference values.
Note 2 to entry: All the reference samples are created by dilution from a common root (parent) sample, whereas
for the similar parameter “linearity”, each reference sample is independent.
3.443
protista
prokaryotic bacteria and eukaryotic algae, fungi and protozoa of microscopic size
3.444
protozoa
phylum of unicellular eukaryotic animals varying from simple uninucleate organisms to cell colonies or
highly organized structures and with a considerable diversity of forms and nutrition
3.445
Pseudomonas specie
group of aerobic, Gram-negative, oxidase-positive, catalase-positive, non-sporeforming bacteria which
are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment and which can utilize many simple organic and inorganic
substances for growth
Note 1 to entry: Many of them produce soluble, fluorescent or coloured pigments.
Note 2 to entry: Some strains, especially Pseudomonas aeruginosa, infect humans, and cause infection and serious
disease".

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.446
psychrophilic microorganism
microorganism which grows at temperatures below 20 ± 2 °C.
3.447
pulse dose
almost instantaneous addition of a known quantity of tracer chemical or reagent to flowing water, for
example, by up-ending a container
3.448
putrefaction
uncontrolled decomposition of organic matter due to anaerobic microbial action, with the production of
offensive odour
3.449
pycnocline
layer in a stratified body of water in which the density gradient is at a maximum
3.450
qualitative method
method of analysis whose response is either the presence or absence of the analyte (3.31) in a sample
3.451
quantitative repeatability
measurement repeatability
measurement precision under repeatability conditions of measurement which are the same
measurement procedure, same operators, same measuring system, same operating conditions and
same location, and replicate measurements on the same or similar objects over a short period of time
3.452
quantitative reproducibility
measurement reproducibility
measurement precision under reproducibility conditions of measurement such as different locations,
operators, measuring systems, and replicate measurements on the same or similar objects
3.453
radioactive tracer
radiochemical tracer
substance labelled with one or more radionuclides used to trace the course of a biological, chemical or
physical process
3.454
rainwater
water arising from atmospheric precipitation, which has not yet collected soluble matter from the
Earth's surface
3.455
random error
component of measurement error that in replicate measurements varies in an unpredictable manner
3.456
raw sewage
untreated sewage
3.457
raw water
water which has received no treatment whatsoever, or water entering a plant for treatment or further
treatment

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.458
reach
length of water course with defined upstream and downstream limits
3.459
readily biodegradable substance
substance which can be degraded biologically to a specified degree according to specified tests for
ultimate biodegradability (3.68)
3.460
re‑aeration
process whereby air is re-introduced to increase the concentration of dissolved oxygen after the oxygen
has been depleted by some chemical or biological process
3.461
receiving water body
water body which receives an input of material, of either natural or anthropogenic origin
Note 1 to entry: The term often appears in the context of contamination (for example effluent (3.201) from
municipal waste‑water outlets or industrial processed water). Receiving water body surveys describe the state
of contamination in a given area.
3.462
receptor
entity that is vulnerable to the adverse effect(s) of a hazardous substance or agent
3.463
recirculation
return of a portion of partially or fully treated waste from any unit process in a waste-water treatment
system to a preceding unit process
3.464
recovery
particles estimated in a test portion or sample, with the understanding that there is a true (although
unknown) number of particles of which 100 % or less are "recovered" by the employed methodology
3.465
recovery standard
analogue, such as isotope labelled, of an analyte (3.31) added to samples prior to a reaction, like injection
into a gas chromatograph, to facilitate calculation of the recovery of the analytes
3.466
reference method
prescribed analytical method by a qualified authority to analyse a given group or species of
microorganisms
Note 1 to entry: As a rule, the reference method is a standard or commonly used method.
3.467
reference station
one or more sampling stations chosen to represent environmental conditions in a given area, for
instance free from direct anthropogenic influences
3.468
regeneration
ion exchange process of restoring an ion-exchange material after use to its operationally effective state
3.469
relative accuracy
<method> degree of correspondence between the response obtained by the reference method and the
response obtained by the alternative method on identical samples

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.470
relative difference between means
relative difference calculated from the average counts of two sets of results
3.471
relative recovery
<microbiology> ratio of colony counts obtained using method A relative to the colony counts (3.131)
obtained using method B, when equal test portions of the same suspension are used, and method B is
the reference method
3.472
repeatability limit
r
repeatability critical difference for a specified probability of 95 %
3.473
representativeness
extent to which the composition of the samples reflects conditions in the body of water of interest
[SOURCE: ISO 5667-14:2014, 3.4, modified — Condition changed to composition".]
3.474
reproducibility conditions
set of conditions that includes different locations, operators, measuring systems, and replicate
measurements on the same or similar objects
3.475
reproducibility limit
R
reproducibility critical difference for a specified probability of 95 %
3.476
reproducibility standard deviation
standard deviation of test results or measurement results obtained under reproducibility conditions
3.477
reservoir
construction, partially or wholly man-made, for storage and/or regulation and control of water
3.478
residual chlorine
chlorine remaining in solution after chlorination, present in the form of free chlorine or combined
chlorine, or both
3.479
respiration
exchange of gases between an organism and its environment resulting from the oxidation of substrate
with the release of energy
Note 1 to entry: It may be accomplished either aerobically or anaerobically.
3.480
reverse osmosis
flow of water through a membrane from a more concentrated to a less concentrated solution, as a result
of applying pressure to the more concentrated solution in excess of the normal osmotic pressure
3.481
river
natural body of water flowing continuously or intermittently along a well-defined course into an ocean,
sea, lake, inland depression, marsh or other watercourse

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.482
RNA
ribonucleic acid
usually known as part of the genetic material, which in the case of RNA viruses is the sole constituent
of the genome (3.253)
Note 1 to entry: Differs from DNA in having uracil instead of thymine as one of the nucleotides.
3.483
robustness
ruggedness
insensitivity of an analytical method to small changes in procedure
3.484
S9 fraction
< Salmonella microsome test >supernatant at 9 000 g of a tissue homogenate in 0,15 mol/l KCl, obtained
from livers of male rats (200 g to 300 g) pretreated with a substance or substance combination
appropriate for enzyme induction
3.485
S9 mix
< Salmonella microsome test >mixture of S9 fraction and co-factor solution
3.486
saline water
water containing dissolved solids at a concentration higher than acceptable standards for intended use
Note 1 to entry: The concentration of total dissolved solids in brackish water can vary from 1 000 mg/l to
10 000 mg/l. Brackish water is less saline than sea water (1 000 to 10 000 mg/l of TDS for brackish vs up to
35 000 mg/l for sea water).
Note 2 to entry: The concentration of total dissolved solids of many brackish waters can vary considerably over
space and/or time.
3.487
Salmonella specie
salmonellae
genus of aerobic and facultatively anaerobic rod-shaped Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, oxidase-
negative enteric bacteria which fail to ferment lactose
Note 1 to entry: See also ISO 19250.
Note 2 to entry: They can be further identified serologically, by bacteriophage typing or by molecular techniques
for epidemiological and other purposes. They can cause intestinal infections (salmonellosis) in man and animals,
and are a common cause of food poisoning in humans. Salmonella typhi causes typhoid fever in humans. Salmonella
species are excreted in the faeces of patients cases and healthy carriers (both in humans and animals), and may,
therefore, occur in sewage and farm wastes.
3.488
salmonid
salmonid fish
fish belonging to the biological family Salmonidae, often used as indicators of water quality
EXAMPLE Atlantic salmon, brown trout or char.
3.489
sample
portion, ideally representative, taken from a specified body of water, from air, sludge, soil and other
types of materials, either discretely or continuously, for the purpose of examination of various defined
characteristics

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.490
sample stabilization
process which is intended to minimize, by addition of chemicals or change of physical conditions, or
both, the changes in characteristics of species of interest during the period from time of sampling to the
time of examination
3.491
sampling station
precise location where recording is carried out and any samples are collected
Note 1 to entry: A sampling station is defined by its geographical position (OS National Grid Reference, latitude,
longitude), its depth (relative to chart datum and normalized to mean low water as given in tide tables) and any
other information on physical conditions such as substrate type, slope and orientation.
3.492
sampler
device used to obtain a sample of water, sludge, soil and other types of materials either discretely or
continuously, for the purpose of examination of various defined characteristics
3.493
sampling
process of removing a portion of water from a water body or supply (dam, river, pipe, tap, pond or process
unit), intended to be representative, for the purpose of examination of various defined characteristics
3.494
sampling line
conduit which leads from the sampling probe to the sample delivery point or the analysing equipment
3.495
sampling network
system of predetermined sampling locations designed to monitor one or more specified sites
3.496
sampling point
precise position within a sampling location from which samples are taken
3.497
sampling probe
part of sampling equipment which is inserted into a body of water and into which the water sample
initially passes
3.498
saprobic
associated with decaying organic matter
3.499
saturated zone
part of an aquifer in which the pore spaces of the formation are completely filled with water
3.500
scale deposit
adherent inorganic deposit formed on surfaces by water which has become supersaturated with respect
to one or more solutes, or destabilized by loss of carbon dioxide, for example, by boiling
3.501
scissor grab
bottom-sediment sampling device consisting of two open-topped mutually hinged buckets which close,
whilst the sample is being taken, in a manner analogous to scissor blades closing

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.502
screen
device for removing solids from a flow of water or sewage by retention
EXAMPLE Wire mesh, manually or mechanically raked bars, moving bands, rotating discs or drums of
perforated metal sheet or of wire.
3.503
sea
salty water body generally forming a delineated part of the ocean
3.504
secondary validation
demonstration by experiment that an established method functions according to its specifications in
the user's hands
3.505
sediment
matter which settles to the bottom of a liquid, often transported in water before settlement occurs
3.506
sedimentation
process of settling and deposition, under the influence of gravity, of suspended matter carried by water
3.507
seeding
inoculation of a biological system for the purpose of introducing appropriate micro-organisms
3.508
self‑purification
natural processes of purification in a polluted body of water
3.509
semi-static toxicity test
toxicity test in which the greater part (>95 %) of the test solution is replaced batchwise only after
relatively prolonged intervals, for example 12 h or 24 h
Note 1 to entry: It can also be a toxicity test in which the organism is transferred at periodic intervals (usually
every 24 h) to a new solution of the substance at the same concentration as the initial concentration.
3.510
sensitivity
quotient of the change in an indication of a measuring system and the corresponding change in a value
of a quantity being measured
Note 1 to entry: Sensitivity of a measuring system can depend on the value of the quantity being measured.
Note 2 to entry: The change considered in a value of a quantity being measured must be large compared with the
resolution.
3.511
septic
descriptive of a condition produced by putrefaction, resulting from the absence of dissolved oxygen
3.512
septic tank
usually a closed, vented sedimentation tank through which sewage flows and in which detained solids
are left to decompose by anaerobic bacterial action
Note 1 to entry: The necessary frequency of emptying for removal of residues is thus reduced.

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.513
service reservoir
storage unit (under or above ground) for treated water in a distribution system, used for storage and/
or regulation
3.514
settleable solids
portion of the initially suspended solids capable of being removed by sedimentation after a specified
settling period under specified conditions
3.515
settled sewage
sewage from which the gross solids and most of the settleable solids have been removed by settlement
3.516
sewage
domestic wastewater
water-borne wastes of a community
3.517
sewage effluent
treated sewage or wastewater discharged from treatment works
3.518
sewage fungus
adherent growth, consisting of communities of filamentous bacteria (e.g. Sphaerotilus natans) and fungi
(e.g. Fusarium aqueductum) and other species, including protozoa, which can occur in sewage treatment
plants or in streams as a result of the discharge of incompletely treated sewage, effluent (3.201) or
industrial waste water
3.519
Shewhart control chart
control chart to show if a process is in statistical control, i.e. a chart using attributes (e.g. proportion
nonconforming) or variables (e.g. average and range) for evaluating a process
3.520
sink
<environment> compartment, such as a body of water, which acts as a repository for pollutants
3.521
slick
film of material floating on the sea, or other body of water
EXAMPLE Oil.
3.522
sloughing
vernal sloughing
continuous release of zoogloeal film (3.613) material from the supporting medium
3.523
sodium absorption ratio
SAR

ISO 6107:2021(E)

<irrigation water> ratio used to express the relative activity of sodium ions in exchange reactions with
soil
Na+ 
SAR =
( Ca2+  + Mg2+  ) / 4
Note 1 to entry: [Na+], [Ca2+] and [Mg2+] are the concentrations, in millimoles per litre, of sodium, calcium and
magnesium ions, respectively.
3.524
soft agar
agar medium with low gel strength containing sodium chloride, histidine, biotin and dilution water
Note 1 to entry: Most applicable to Salmonella microsome test.
Note 2 to entry: Minimal soft agar contains only traces of histidine and is used for the determination of mutants.
Note 3 to entry: Maximal soft agar contains histidine in excess and is used for the determination of titres.
3.525
soft detergent
detergent containing a surface-active agent which is susceptible to biodegradation and whose surfactant
properties are substantially reduced in the biological treatment of sewage
3.526
soft water
water that contains low concentrations of ions and in particular is low in ions of calcium and magnesium
Note 1 to entry: See hard water (3.268)
3.527
softening
partial or complete removal from water of calcium and magnesium ions which are responsible for
hardness
3.528
solids
objects or large particles found in raw sewage that may affect treatment adversely
3.529
sparging
treatment process in which a vigorous stream of air or other gas from a perforated or open-ended pipe
is passed through water
3.530
specificity
ability of an assay to measure on particular organism or substance, rather than others
3.531
spike
known quantity of determinand (3.172) which is added to a sample, usually for the purpose of estimating
the systematic error of an analytical system by means of a recovery exercise
[SOURCE: ISO 5667-14:2014, 3.7.]
3.532
spring
groundwater emerging naturally through the surface of the land

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.533
stability test
methylene blue test
test for biologically treated sewage in which methylene blue is added to a sample of the effluent (3.201)
Note 1 to entry: The time taken to decolorize the dye in the absence of air is a measure of the stability of the
effluent (3.201).
3.534
stabilization
biological or chemical process whereby readily degradable organic substances (dissolved or particulate)
are oxidized to materials which are either inorganic or very slowly degradable
3.535
stagnant water
body of water or supply water through which there is little or no flow and in which adverse quality
changes may take place over a long period of time
3.536
standard uncertainty
uncertainty of the result of a measurement expressed as a standard deviation
3.537
static toxicity test
toxicity test without renewal
test in which no replacement of the test solution takes place within the test period
3.538
statistical performance characteristic
quantification, for measured values, of the possible deviations resulting from the random part of the
measuring process, such as repeatability or instability
3.539
sterilization
process which inactivates or removes all living organisms (including vegetative and spore forms) as
well as viruses
3.540
stock culture
culture of a strain of organisms maintained under conditions (e.g. frozen in a suitable medium) so as to
preserve its original features such as nucleotide sequences
Note 1 to entry: Stock cultures are used for purposes such as starting overnight cultures and pre-cultures in
genotoxicity assays.
3.541
stock solution
solution with accurately known analyte concentration(s), prepared from chemicals with an appropriate
purity
Note 1 to entry: Stock solutions are reference materials within the meaning of ISO Guide 30.
3.542
storm water
storm water run‑off
surface water draining to a watercourse as a result of heavy rainfall
3.543
stratification
existence or formation of distinct layers in a body of water identified by thermal or salinity
characteristics or by differences in oxygen or nutrient content

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.544
stream
water course
water flowing continuously or intermittently along a well-defined course, as for a river, but generally on
a smaller scale
3.545
sublittoral zone
subtidal zone
zone below the eulittoral zone (3.213), which is submersed with the upper part occasionally emerging
at extreme low water levels
Note 1 to entry: Biologically, this zone is defined as the zone between the upper limit of laminarians and the
lower limit of algal vegetation.
3.546
subsample
defined portion of a sample obtained by suitable sample division and identical in terms of composition
3.547
sulphur bacteria
bacteria (3.53) able to oxidize hydrogen sulphide to sulphur, temporarily store sulphur in the cell and
oxidize sulphur to sulphate
3.548
sullage
household waste water, other than faecal and urinary wastes
3.549
sulphite‑reducing clostridia
large group of Gram-positive anaerobic bacteria which form spores
Note 1 to entry: See also ISO 6461-1 and 6461-2.
Note 2 to entry: Their natural habitat is the soil or the large intestine of humans and animals. Most species are
saprophytic organisms in the soil. Their spores can survive for long periods in faeces, soil, dust and water. Their
presence in water can be used to detect remote or intermittent faecal pollution. They are able to reduce sulphites
to sulphides.
3.550
supply water
water, which usually has been treated, that passes into a distribution network or a service reservoir
3.551
supralittoral zone
zone above the eulittoral zone (3.213), which is reached by spray water
Note 1 to entry: Its upper limit is normally determined by the upper limit of Verrucaria (black lichen belt),
cyanobacteria (usually Calothrix scopulorum) or littorinid snails.
3.552
surface active agent
chemical compound possessing surface activity which when dissolved in a liquid, in particular water,
lowers the surface tension or interfacial tension by preferred adsorption at the liquid/vapour surface
or other interfaces
Note 1 to entry: The chemical compound must include in its molecules at least one group with an affinity to
markedly polar surfaces, ensuring in most cases its dissolution in water, and a non-polar group which has little
affinity to water.
Note 2 to entry: The rate is usually expressed as cubic metres per square metre per day.

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.553
surface water
water which flows over, or rests on, the surface of a land mass
3.554
suspended solid
solid remaining in suspension in water which can be removed by sedimentation, filtration or
centrifugation
3.555
swallow hole
sink hole
direct connection between the surface watercourse and the groundwater aquifer, arising from localized
geological features
3.556
synergism
increase in intensity of an effect (chemical or biological) by one substance or organism due to the
presence of another substance or organism, where the combined effect is greater than the additive
effects of the separate substances or organisms
3.557
systematic error
consistent repeatable error which in the course of a number of test results for the same characteristic
remains constant or varies in a predictable way
3.558
temporal trend monitoring
surveys of the hard substrate community in response to temporal changes in chemical and/or physical
conditions in the surrounding waters to document either pollution or natural variation over time
3.559
test batch
mixture of the culture medium, inoculum and dilution batch
3.560
test mixture
mixture of test sample (pure or diluted with dilution water), respectively negative or positive control
(3.355 and 3.422), bacterial suspension, soft agar and S9-mix or buffer
3.561
test portion
discrete portion of a sample which will be subjected to examination
3.562
test sample
sample to be tested, after completion of all preparation steps such as centrifugation, filtration,
homogenization, pH adjustment, and/or determination of ionic strength
Note 1 to entry: Not applicable to microbiology
3.563
test sample solution
solution prepared with the fraction (test portion) of the test sample according to the appropriate
specifications, such that it can be used for the envisaged measurement
3.564
theoretical oxygen demand
ultimate oxygen demand
amount of oxygen which should be consumed in the total oxidation of a given amount of organic
substrate to inorganic end products

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.565
thermal water
water of a hot or warm mineral spring
3.566
thermocline
layer in a thermally stratified body of water in which the temperature gradient is at a maximum
3.567
thermophilic microorganism
microorganism which grows at temperatures above 45 °C
3.568
tidal limit
location beside a river at which the rise and fall of water at equinoctial spring tide are just perceptible
Note 1 to entry: If there is a dam or sluice then this may be the tidal limit.
3.569
tidal water
any part of the sea or of a river water within the ebb and flow of the equinoctial spring tides
3.570
titre determination
<microbiology> method for the determination of the number of bacteria in an overnight culture and the
possible bacteriotoxic effects of the test sample
3.571
total ammonia
sum of ammonium ions and free ammonia, in compatible units
3.572
total carbon
sum of the total organic carbon and total inorganic carbon present in water
3.573
total carbon dioxide
sum of free carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide combined in the form of carbonates and hydrogen
carbonates in water
3.574
total chlorine
chlorine present in the form of free chlorine or combined chlorine, or both
3.575
total count method
method in which the final count is equal to the primary count
Note 1 to entry: Two-stage methods, in which all colonies or fermentation tubes are transferred to a confirmation
test before reading the result, also belong to this class.
3.576
total element concentration
concentration of elements determined on an unfiltered sample following digestion or the sum of
concentrations of elements as determined in the dissolved state and bound in the particulate fraction
of a sample
3.577
total inorganic carbon
TIC
quantity of carbon present in the inorganic matter which is dissolved or suspended in water

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.578
total organic carbon
TOC
quantity of carbon present in the organic matter which is dissolved or suspended in water
3.579
total oxidized nitrogen
total amount of elemental nitrogen present as nitrate and nitrite in water, expressed in terms of
concentration
3.580
total solids
sum of dissolved and suspended solids
3.581
total solids concentration
mass obtained by drying a known volume of sludge, water, solvent and other liquids or suspensions
under specified conditions
3.582
toxicity test
test in which solutions of a substance or a mix of substances in water at different prescribed
concentrations are brought into contact with specified organisms in order to estimate the toxic effects
of the substance(s) on them
3.583
toxic equivalent quantity
TEQ
sum of toxic equivalents of each individual congener
Note 1 to entry: congeners are member of the same kind, class, or group of chemicals such as dioxins and PCBs
3.584
toxic range
range of concentration of a test material over which 0 % to 100 % inhibition occurs
3.585
transpiration
loss of water, as vapour, through the leaves of plants, the water having been transported from the soil
through the roots
3.586
treated sewage
treated wastewater
sewage (wastewater) that has received partial or complete treatment for the removal and mineralization
(3.344) of organic and other material
3.587
trueness
closeness of agreement between the average of an infinite number of replicate measured quantity
values and a reference quantity value
Note 1 to entry: Measurement trueness is not a quantity and thus cannot be expressed numerically, but measures
for closeness of agreement are given in ISO 5725-1.
Note 2 to entry: Measurement trueness is inversely related to systematic measurement error, but is not related to
random measurement error.
Note 3 to entry: “Measurement accuracy” should not be used for "measurement trueness".

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.588
turbidity
reduction of transparency of a liquid caused by the presence of undissolved matter
3.589
turnover
rapid breakdown of stratification in a body of fresh water (such as a lake or reservoir) by natural forces,
often induced by winds
3.590
type A evaluation of uncertainty
evaluation of a component of measurement uncertainty by a statistical analysis of measured quantity
values obtained under defined measurement conditions
Note 1 to entry: For various types of measurement conditions, see repeatability condition of measurement,
intermediate precision condition of measurement and reproducibility condition of measurement
3.591
type B evaluation of uncertainty
evaluation of a component of measurement uncertainty determined by means other than a type A
evaluation of measurement uncertainty
EXAMPLE Evaluation based on information
— associated with authoritative published quantity values,
— associated with the quantity value of a certified reference material,
— obtained from a calibration certificate,
— about drift,
— obtained from the accuracy (3.5) class of a verified measuring instrument,
— obtained from limits deduced through personal experience.
3.592
ultimate aerobic biodegradation
complete breakdown of a chemical compound or organic matter by micro-organisms in the presence
of oxygen to carbon dioxide, water and mineral salts of any other elements present (mineralization
(3.344)) and the production of new biomass
3.593
ultimate anaerobic biodegradation
complete breakdown of a chemical compound or organic matter by micro-organisms in the absence
of oxygen to carbon dioxide, methane, water and mineral salts of any other elements present
[mineralization (3.344)] and the production of new biomass
3.594
ultimate biodegradation
complete biodegradation (3.68) leading to complete mineralization (3.344)
3.595
ultrafiltration
use of microporous membranes for the separation of large molecules or very finely divided suspended
matter from water by filtration, often by means of applied differential pressure

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.596
umuC
UV mutagenesis and chemical repair
induction of the umuC-gene as part of the specific response of bacterial test strains to DNA damage
(3.190)
Note 1 to entry: Most applicable to genotoxicity tests.
3.597
umuC operon
sequence of genes which regulates the induction of the umuC gene
3.598
uncertainty of counting
relative standard deviation of results from repeated colony counting, wells, trays or particles of the
same plate(s) or field(s) under stipulated conditions (same person, different persons in one laboratory,
or different laboratories)
3.599
uncertainty of measurement
non-negative parameter characterizing the dispersion of the quantity values being attributed to a
measurand (3.31), based on the information used
Note 1 to entry: Measurement uncertainty includes components arising from systematic effects, such as
components associated with corrections and the assigned quantity values of measurement standards, as well
as the definitional uncertainty. Sometimes estimated systematic effects are not corrected for but, instead,
associated measurement uncertainty components are incorporated.
Note 2 to entry: In general, for a given set of information, it is understood that the measurement uncertainty is
associated with a stated quantity value attributed to the measurand. A modification of this value results in a
modification of the associated uncertainty.
3.600
unsaturated zone
vadose zone
part of an aquifer (3.40, 3.41, 3.42) in which the pore spaces of the formation are not totally filled with
water
3.601
viable bacteria
bacteria (3.53) that are capable of multiplication and/or metabolism
3.602
Vibrio specie.
group of Gram-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming bacteria which are widespread in surface waters
and include pathogenic species such as V. cholerae,V. parahaemolyticus and V. fisheri
3.603
viruses
large group of ultramicroscopic agents (20 nm to 300 nm in diameter) which essentially consist of
nucleic acid encased in a protein shell and which reproduce only in living cells
Note 1 to entry: Viruses can pass through filters which retain bacteria.
3.604
volatile fatty acid
short-chain saturated organic acid, mainly produced during anaerobic digestion

ISO 6107:2021(E)

3.605
warning limit
indication that the process is under control with a high degree of probability when the statistic under
consideration lies between the upper limit and the lower limit
Note 1 to entry: Usually warning limits are drawn as separate lines typically two standard deviations above and
below the centre line.
3.606
water quality criteria
set of defined parameters characterizing the quality of water to assess its suitability for specific uses
3.607
water quality regulatory value
value of water quality criteria permitted for specific types of water usage
3.608
water table
water level observed in an observation point that results from the piezometric pressure of the
groundwater encountered
3.609
watercourse
channel on or below the earth’s surface, through which water may flow
3.610
weir
overflow structure which may be used for controlling upstream surface level or for measuring
discharge, or for both
3.611
wet deposition
water precipitated from the atmosphere in either liquid (e.g. rain) or solid form (e.g. snow)
3.612
wet well
chamber, below ground level in a pumping installation that receives water to be pumped
3.613
zoogloeal film
mucilaginous layer containing bacteria, protozoa and fungi, which covers the wetted surfaces of the
medium in a mature biological filter, a slow sand filter, or the internal surface of the pipes in a sewer
3.614
zooplankton
animals present in plankton (3.404)

ISO 6107:2021(E)

Bibliography
[1] ISO Guide 31, Reference materials — Contents of certificates, labels and accompanying
documentation
[2] ISO Guide 34, General requirements for the competence of reference material producers
[3] ISO Guide 35, Reference materials — Guidance for characterization and assessment of homogeneity
and stability
[4] ISO 3534-2, Statistics — Vocabulary and symbols — Part 2: Applied statistics
[5] ISO 5725-1, Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results — Part 1:
General principles and definitions
[6] ISO 5667-12, Water quality — Sampling — Part 12: Guidance on sampling of bottom sediments
from rivers, lakes and estuarine areas
[7] ISO 5667-14, Water quality — Sampling — Part 14: Guidance on quality assurance and quality
control of environmental water sampling and handling
[8] ISO 6461-1, Water quality — Detection and enumeration of the spores of sulfite-reducing anaerobes
(clostridia) — Part 1: Method by enrichment in a liquid medium
[9] ISO 6461-2, Water quality — Detection and enumeration of the spores of sulfite-reducing anaerobes
(clostridia) — Part 2: Method by membrane filtration
[10] ISO 7827, Water quality — Evaluation of the "ready", "ultimate" aerobic biodegradability of organic
compounds in an aqueous medium — Method by analysis of dissolved organic carbon (DOC)
[11] ISO 7899-1, Water quality — Detection and enumeration of intestinal enterococci — Part 1:
Miniaturized method (Most Probable Number) for surface and waste water
[12] ISO 7899-2, Water quality — Detection and enumeration of intestinal enterococci — Part 2:
Membrane filtration method
[13] ISO 8689-1, Water quality — Biological classification of rivers — Part 1: Guidance on the
interpretation of biological quality data from surveys of benthic macroinvertebrates
[14] ISO 8689-2, Water quality — Biological classification of rivers — Part 2: Guidance on the
presentation of biological quality data from surveys of benthic macroinvertebrates
[15] ISO 9308-1, Water quality — Enumeration of Escherichia coli and coliform bacteria — Part 1:
Membrane filtration method for waters with low bacterial background flora
[16] ISO 9308-2, Water quality — Enumeration of Escherichia coli and coliform bacteria — Part 2: Most
probable number method
[17] ISO 9439, Water quality — Evaluation of ultimate aerobic biodegradability of organic compounds in
aqueous medium — Carbon dioxide evolution test
[18] ISO 10705-1, Water quality — Detection and enumeration of bacteriophages — Part 1: Enumeration
of F-specific RNA bacteriophages
[19] ISO 10708, Water quality — Evaluation in an aqueous medium of the ultimate aerobic
biodegradability of organic compounds — Determination of biochemical oxygen demand in a two-
phase closed bottle test
[20] ISO 11348, Water quality — Determination of the inhibitory effect of water samples on the light
emission of Vibrio fischeri (Luminescent bacteria test)

ISO 6107:2021(E)

[21] ISO 11734, Water quality — Evaluation of the "ultimate" anaerobic biodegradability of organic
compounds in digested sludge — Method by measurement of the biogas production
[22] ISO 12890, Water quality — Determination of toxicity to embryos and larvae of freshwater fish —
Semi-static method
[23] ISO 13829, Water quality — Determination of the genotoxicity of water and waste water using the
umu-test
[24] ISO 14855-2, Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials under
controlled composting conditions — Method by analysis of evolved carbon dioxide — Part 2:
Gravimetric measurement of carbon dioxide evolved in a laboratory-scale test
[25] ISO 19040-2, Water quality — Determination of the estrogenic potential of water and waste
water — Part 2: Yeast estrogen screen (A-YES, Arxula adeninivorans)
[26] ISO 19250, Water quality — Detection of Salmonella spp.
[27] ISO 20670, Water reuse — Vocabulary

ISO 6107:2021(E)

ICS 13.060.01; 01.040.13

Price group A
© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

ISO 6107 2021 (En)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ISO 6107 2021 (En)

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

ISO 6107 2021 (En)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Licensed to PT THERMALINDO SARANA LABORATORIA / Pamela Himadewi (pamela.himadewi@gmail.

Water quality — Vocabulary

Please share your feedback about

COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT

ii ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ iii

iv ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ v

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 6107:2021(E)

Water quality — Vocabulary

3 Terms and definitions

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 1

Note 3 to entry: See also ISO 13843 for water microbiology

2 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 3

4 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 5

6 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 7

8 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 9

10 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 11

σ is the standard deviation

12 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 13

c is the presumptive count (3.432);

p is the true positive rate;

n is the number of presumptive positives isolated for confirmation;

k is the number confirmed.

14 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 15

16 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 17

Note 2 to entry: The abbreviation LOD is sometimes used.

Note 3 to entry: The term “sensitivity” is discouraged for ‘detection limit’.

18 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 19

Note 2 to entry: See also total organic carbon (3.578).

Note 2 to entry: Adapted from ISO 13829.

20 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 21

Note 2 to entry: See also ISO 7899-1 and ISO 7899-2.

22 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 23

24 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 25

26 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 27

28 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 29

30 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

I is the ionic strength (in mol/l),

Ci is the concentration of ion (in mol/l) and

Zi is the charge number of ion i

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 31

32 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ﻿ 33

34 ﻿ © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

ii © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved iii

iv © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved v

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 6107:2021(E)

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 1

2 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 3

4 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 5

6 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 7

8 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 9

10 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 11

12 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 13

14 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 15

16 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 17

18 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 19

20 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 21

22 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 23

24 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 25

26 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 27

28 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 29

30 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 31

32 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 33

34 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 35

36 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 37

38 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 39

40 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 41

42 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 43

44 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 45

46 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 47

48 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 49

50 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 51

52 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 53

54 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 55

56 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 57

58 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 59

60 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 61

62 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 63

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved