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Practical Notes On Turbidity

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12 views3 pages

Practical Notes On Turbidity

Uploaded by

sagar khanal
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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To Measure Turbidity of Water Sample Using Turbidity Meter

(Nephelometer).

Theory:
Turbidity is the technical term referring to the cloudiness of a solution and it is a qualitative
characteristic which is imparted by solid particles obstructing the transmittance of light through a
water sample. Turbidity often indicates the presence of dispersed and suspended solids like clay,
organic matter, silt, algae and other microorganisms.
Turbidity in water may be caused by a wide variety of suspended matter suspended matter, such
as clay, silt, finely divided organic and inorganic matter, soluble colored organic compounds,
and other organisms. During rainy season, great amounts of topsoil are washed to receiving
streams, as the rivers pass through urban areas, the domestic and industrial wastewaters may be
added to the nearby streams, lakes, which also cause turbidity.
Turbidity in open water may be caused by growth of phytoplankton. Human activities that
disturb land, such as construction, mining and agriculture, can lead to high sediment levels
entering water bodies. Surface water are more turbid than ground water.
It is measured in terms of ppm (parts per million), mg/l, NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit) or
JTU (Jackson Turbidity Unit), FTU (Formazin Turbidity Unit).
1 mg SiO2/L =1 unit of turbidity.
40 NTU are about equivalent to 40 JTU.

Apparatus Required:
1. Turbidity Meter
2. Measuring Cylinder
3. Distilled Water
4. Tissue Papers

Chemicals Required:
1. Hexamethylenetetramine
2. Hydrazine sulphate

Reagents Preparation:
 Solution I: Weight 10-gram Hexametheleyane tetramine and place in standard 100ml
capacity bottle, add 100 ml distilled water.
 Solution II: Weight 1-gram Hydrazine Sulphate and place in standard 100 ml capacity
bottle, add 100ml distilled water.
Mix 5 ml solution I and 5 ml solution II in 100 ml BOD bottle, for 24 hrs.
After 24 Hrs. shake well and add 90 ml distilled water to get standard stock solution.
After getting standard stock solution we can prepare required working solutions (lower value
turbidity solutions) using Normality Equation i.e. (N1V1 = N2V2).
Procedure:
Three major steps are involved in the experiment. They are
1. Preparation of Reagents
2. Calibrating the Instrument
3. Testing of Sample

Principle:
Turbidity is based on the comparison of the intensity of light scattered by the sample under
defined conditions with the intensity of the light scattered by a standard reference solution under
the same conditions. The turbidity of the sample is thus measured from the amount of light
scattered by the sample taking a reference with standard turbidity solution. The higher the
intensity of scattered light the higher is the turbidity.

Significance:
Turbidity is an important consideration in these three major characteristics aesthetic, disinfection
and filtration. Turbid water has cloudy, muddy appearance and aesthetically unattractive or
unpleasing in view. So we avoid, may have objection on such water. In natural water bodies,
turbidity may impart a brown or other color to water and may interfere with light penetration and
photosynthetic reaction in streams and lakes. Which reduce the level of dissolved oxygen (DO).
DO is essential for aquatic life for their survival.

Disinfection of turbid water is difficult because of the adsorptive characteristics of some colloids
and because the solids may partially shield organisms from disinfectant. Turbidity increases the
load on filtration plant, and reduce it’s efficiency; furthermore, if excess turbidity exists then the
filter may go out of operation.
Turbidity measurements are used to determine the effectiveness of treatment produced with
different chemicals and the dosages needed. Turbidity measurements are useful to determine the
optimum dosage of coagulants to treat domestic and industrial wastewaters. Turbidity
determination is used to evaluate the performance of water treatment plants.

Fig: Turbidity Meter Fig: Different Turbidity Meter Solutions

Drinking Water Quality Guidelines


WHO Guideline Value Nepal Drinking Water Quality Standard
5 NTU 5 (10**) NTU
* these standard indicates the minimum and maximum limits.
Figure in paranthesis are upper range of the recommended standard.

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