
Instruction Manual TN-100/ T-100
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8 ADDENDUM 1: TURBIDITY
8.1 Definition
Turbidity is defined as an “expression of the optical property that causes
light to be scattered and absorbed rather than transmitted in straight lines
through the sample.”
1
That is, turbidity is the measure of relative sample
clarity, not colour.
Water with cloudy or opaque appearance will have high turbidity, while
water that is clear or translucent will have low turbidity. High turbidity value
is caused by particles such as slit, clay, microorganisms, and organic
matter. By definition, turbidity is not a direct measure of these particles but
rather a measure of how these particles scatter light.
8.2
Why Is It Important?
For drinking water application, a turbidity value may give an indication of
presence of bacteria, pathogens, or particles that can shelter harmful
organisms from disinfection process. Therefore, turbidity measurement is
particularly useful for water treatment plants to ensure cleanliness.
In industrial processes, turbidity can be part of quality control measure to
ensure efficiency in treatment or manufacturing process.
8.3
Measurement Principle
There are two internationally accepted standard specifications for turbidity
measurement. These are the international standard ISO 7027 and the US
EPA method 180.1.
Basically the ISO 7027 is a more stringent standard and requires the use
of a monochromatic light source. It also governs the design of a
turbidimeter in the following areas: (1) Light source’s wavelength; (2) Light
sources’ spectral bandwidth; (3) Measuring angle; (4) Aperture angle in
water sample; (5) Distance traversed by incident light and scattered light
within the sample; (6) Calibration standard.
The TN-100/ T-100 turbidimeter follows the ISO 7027 standard whose
specification allows for greater reproducibility of the measured values and
greater agreement between other measuring instruments.
1
Provided by “Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, APHA, AWWA
and WPCF, 16
th
Edition, 1985.
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