Question

How is water pollution measured?

Answer 1

Water pollution:

1. Also known as aquatic pollution is the polluting of water bodies, usually as a result of human activity, in such a way that its lawful uses are harmed.

Few methods for monitoring and measuring water pollution:

Temperature-

1. The rate of photosynthesis of aquatic plants, the foundation of the aquatic food web, is likewise affected by temperature.
2. At higher temperatures, pollutants can become more harmful.
3. As the water gets warmer, the amount of dissolved oxygen decreases. The temperature is expressed as Fahrenheit or Celsius.

Presence of Algae-

1. Algae thrive in ponds and lakes when the surface water is rich in minerals like phosphorus and nitrogen.
2. Algal overgrowth causes oxygen deprivation as well as elevated nitrogen and phosphorus levels, which can be hazardous to plants and fauna.
3. The percentage of wet-chemical chlorophyll and active chlorophyll in the water sample evaluated using algal taximeters reflects the percentage of algae in the water.
4. This is a practical way to keep an eye on excessive algal growth and monitor water quality.

Dissolved oxygen amount-

1. The amount of oxygen available to living aquatic creatures is known as dissolved oxygen (DO).
2. The amount of dissolved oxygen in rivers is used to determine how polluted the water is.
3. High water polluted bodies have low levels of dissolved oxygen.

Turbidity-

1. The clarity of the water, or how transparent it is, is referred to as turbidity.
2. This influences the amount of light that enters the water and its depth.
3. Turbidity can be caused by excessive soil erosion, dissolved solids, or microbial proliferation. All of these have the potential to obstruct light. Without light, plants die. There is less dissolved oxygen when there are fewer plants.
4. Organic waste, which microbes feed on, is also increased by dead plants. This will lower the amount of dissolved oxygen even more. Because there is no dissolved oxygen in the water, other aquatic life forms are unable to survive.

pH levels-

1. The ecosystem of the water body is threatened by rising pH levels.
2. An acceptable pH range for a pond or lake is 6.0 to 8.0. However, some variables such as algae overgrowth and pollution can change the pH of the water and raise harmful ammonia levels.