Turbidity

Turbidity is a term used to describe the cloudiness or cloudiness of a liquid or gas due to the presence of suspended particles. It is an optical phenomenon where light is refracted or scattered by these particles, causing reduced light penetration and reduced media transparency. The term is often used in relation to water, especially in water quality assessment or monitoring confusion in water resources and water treatment.

Turbidity can be measured using instruments called turbidimeters or nephelometers. Measurement results are often expressed in NTU (nephelometric turbidity units) or FTU (formazine turbidity units).

Turbidity can be the result of a variety of factors, including the presence of suspended particles, bacteria, algae, sand, clay, organic compounds and other impurities. Increased turbidity in drinking water can be a sign of pollution and signal the potential presence of pathogenic microorganisms. In water treatment processes, turbidity monitoring is used to check the efficiency of water purification and treatment.

Turbidity is also an important factor in the ecology of aquatic ecosystems because changes in water turbidity can affect the availability of light for algae and plant photosynthesis and affect the ecosystem as a whole.
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