Assess Turbidity in Water
turbidity

As explained [in @donblair's primer](/notes/donblair/08-25-2015/turbidity-001), measuring turbidity means "measuring the amount of suspended solids in water -- solids that haven't fully dissolved". That is, "turbidity, an optical technique for assessing suspended solids in liquid -- is an important water quality parameter. Typically, light is shone into a liquid sample, and the amount of light scattered back out of the sample (off of particles suspended in it) is measured; the intensity of this scattered light is considered to be related to the amount of suspended solids in the sample." ([reference](/wiki/turbidity_sensing)) _image credit: https://castlebrookestreamstudy.weebly.com/_ This page needs help! * Info about regulations * Info about ecological or human health impacts * Advocacy leverage points * Constraints we're working within: cost, complexity, sensitivity, time There are a LOT of resources available on these pages by @donblair and others: * https://publiclab.org/notes/donblair/08-25-2015/turbidity-001 * https://publiclab.org/wiki/turbidity_sensing **** ## Questions [questions:turbidity] **** ## Sensors Here's a list of different turbidity sensors and measurement systems. See below for some Do-It-Yourself approaches to measuring turbidity, and [this page](https://publiclab.org/wiki/turbidity_sensing) for more information on how turbidity sensors works. * Kelley et al., An Affordable Open Source Turbidimeter http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/14/4/7142/pdf * Hackteria.org, Turbiduino: http://hackteria.org/wiki/DIY_turbidity_meters * Lambrou et al., A Nephelometric Turbidity System for Monitoring Residential Drinking Water Quality: http://www2.ucy.ac.cy/~faniseng/publications/SENSAPPEAL09.pdf - Fondriest review: http://www.fondriest.com/environmental-measurements/equipment/measuring-water-quality/turbidity-sensors-meters-and-methods/ - Hach overview: http://www.hach.com/asset-get.download-en.jsa?code=61798 (see [Water sensors](https://publiclab.org/wiki/water-sensors) for more, and [click here to add to this table](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UwjRqU8kHTwEcnDdO2Zxkr8zkFkaGfyePJ-cdnxJzw0/edit#gid=28737041)) **** ## Activities Activities for people to test methods (these develop over time) [activities:turbidity] **** ## Existing work [notes:turbidity] ...


Author Comment Last activity Moderation
tatmanelectric "How can we get involved? T " | Read more » about 5 years ago
warren "Hi Will! What do you think of a really basic version of this, shipped assembled, something like a "Simple Turbidity Sensor"? This could help us ju..." | Read more » about 5 years ago
Markos "Hi wmacfarl, Some more info. This type of sensor does not measure turbidity exactly. It measures the absorbance, or attenuation of light when pas..." | Read more » about 5 years ago
Markos "Hi wmacfarl , I've been thinking about affordable ways to calibrate diy photometric devices without having to use commercial standards like formaz..." | Read more » about 5 years ago
warren "Looks like there is an issue with reply by email, or possibly the list => email system, but Alan Marchiori responded on the plots-waterquality l..." | Read more » about 5 years ago
isak_hannisdal "Where can I find the arduino code: riffle_turbidity.ino? " | Read more » almost 6 years ago
humanetechnologies "Hi @warren, I am sorry for the delayed response. Thanks much for your understanding. I have just modified the page to avoid any such confusion. Tha..." | Read more » almost 6 years ago
warren "Thanks for the clarification! Would you mind changing it on this page as well? I appreciate your sharing of the plans, even if you aren't able to f..." | Read more » about 6 years ago
humanetechnologies "Hi @warren, thank you for the question and providing us the open-source hardware definition. After going through it, we agree that our MicrobeMeter..." | Read more » about 6 years ago
warren "Hi, thank you for posting! This looks like a really interesting project; thanks for sharing. I wanted to ask for a clarification -- you mention th..." | Read more » about 6 years ago
sixtwo_037 "Yes it is possible to redesign it for two Gclub Royal cuvette at one time would just need to widen the area toward the spectrometer and double the ..." | Read more » about 6 years ago
zpope "@MadTinker Great project and approach here. I just finished my first prototype of the same thing, only the sensor is tethered to a weather proof bo..." | Read more » about 6 years ago
stevie "Yes! here's the report back on the event https://publiclab.org/notes/Delaney/05-04-2018/water-quality-testing-at-turkey-creek " | Read more » about 6 years ago
belkinsa "Is the report ready? " | Read more » about 6 years ago
Aleksi12358 "What contaminants exactly you are talking about? There is photometer reagents for many different chemicals. For example this shop has many differen..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
xose "Impressive Jeff. As soon as we check the outcome, this analysis will be carried on the pictures obtained ;) " | Read more » over 6 years ago
warren "@xose check this prototype out for your river timelapse project... Very crude but interesting? " | Read more » over 6 years ago
warren "Looks like @shantler, @anngneal and @donblair have written a bit about this! https://publiclab.org/notes/shanlter/07-03-2017/monitor-transparency-..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
Ag8n "Thanks! Give me a couple of days and I'll email you a more detailed description. The help is appreciated! " | Read more » over 6 years ago
stevie "Woah interesting question! can you give me some context or background for it? I'll volunteer to do some hunting for someone who can help answer :) " | Read more » over 6 years ago
Ag8n "A partial answer. Each block of analyzers is heated to 37.0 C . They do not use a spectrometer. Instead, each cell in the analyzers has a led (a..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
MadTinker "@youshen I think with the modifications that have been suggested, the particular RTC module that I've been using will work fine and support running..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
youshen "Wow, this is a cool project. By the way, have you solved the problem that the RTC module can not be compatible with 5V? I also used this RTC module..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
cfastie "That will be an interesting project to make a 5v Pro Mini data logger. I guess it will also include a 5v microSD module (the ones in the Mini Pearl..." | Read more » over 6 years ago