Assessment of water quality and the related instrumental techniques

Abstract

To assess and monitor the quality of water/water bodies. required observations range from simple colour. odour. presence of suspended matter to complicated physical analysis of spectral image for surface mapping of natural water bodies for colour and temperature and chemical analysis for natural and man-made organics, inorganics and radio nuclides. The routine instruments to meet the above requirement comprise of pH meters for acidity and alkalinity measurements, nephelometers fur turbidity, conductivity meters for salt content, spectrophotometers for nutrients and major elements, atomic absorption spectrophotometers for metals including toxic ones. ion selective electrodes for oxygen and halides; gas chromatography for organic contaminants/traces. scintillation and Geiger-Mueller counters for radio nuclides measurements, Analytical methods pertaining to the water quality analysis and the instruments employed were briefed.