By: Jessica Robertson
The number of techniques for
assuring water quality is surprisingly high. However, without detailed testing
within a laboratory, few techniques are capable of testing all the important
parameters of what really constitutes quality water, but portable water quality
tests give more accurate information on what the current state of the water may
be. Given the limitations of the
portable tests, any particular test could pass water as drinkable when, based
on incomplete information, certain pollutants could be present. This situation
makes water quality a major issue for poorer communities who cannot afford
laboratory analysis, or those who utilize a natural resource for their water
supply.
Using an existing technology known as UV-Vis
spectrometry, which is often used in water testing, a team of researchers from
North Carolina State University has created a set of algorithms that combines several
testing parameters to increase the amount of and quality of information in each
water test. Since UV-Vis spectrometry works by measuring the wavelength of
light absorbed by the water, the technology capitalizes on its ability to
collect data often, getting a reading as often as every 15 seconds, and over an
extended time period. These are definite advantages over traditional water
sampling, where a sample of water must be collected and analyzed in a lab
setting. Typically, UV-Vis technology only measures a few key information
points about water quality, but with the algorithms the researchers are using,
the data is comparable to what could be done within a lab setting.
Since the
technique increases frequency of testing without eliminating accuracy, natural
resource managers and those without laboratory access will be more assured that
their sources are suitable for use, that treatments are appropriate, and that
the population is not put at risk.
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