Whilst not always representing a direct risk to public health, Lovibond explains the importance of turbidity as a well-recognised parameter for evaluating water quality.
Turbidity is a measure of the degree to which water loses clarity due to the presence of suspended particles that scatter or absorb transmitted light. The more suspended solids are in the water, the murkier it seems and the higher the turbidity. Turbidity is also affected by the size of particles that affect the scattering or absorption of light and is considered an indicator parameter that provides valuable information about the quality of water quickly, reliably and at a relatively low cost.
Importantly, turbidity can indicate the presence of pathogenic microorganisms and be an effective indicator of hazardous events throughout the water supply system – but the human eye cannot reliably detect turbidity below 20 NTU. Monitoring with state-of-the-art instruments is therefore important for applications and industries including laboratory analysis, environmental analysis, industrial water control, wastewater monitoring and drinking water.
Read more about turbidity analysis from leading industry experts HERE.
