Chemical water quality parameters

 Chemical water quality parameters are key indicators used to assess the chemical composition and state of water bodies. They reflect the chemical properties of water bodies and the degree of possible pollution. These parameters are not only crucial for water resource management and environmental protection, but also directly affect human health and ecosystem balance. The following are the main chemical water quality parameters and their significance:

1. pH value

The pH value measures the acidity and alkalinity of water bodies, and its range is usually between 0 and 14, where 7 is neutral, below 7 is acidic, and above 7 is alkaline.

The pH value in water bodies has an important influence on biological growth and chemical reaction processes, such as the ability of algae to absorb oxygen and the sensitivity of animals to food intake, which are affected by changes in pH.

In addition, pH value is also one of the important bases for judging whether there is an acid-base pollution problem.

2. Electrical Conductivity (EC)

Conductivity refers to the electrical conductivity of a unit volume of solution. It is closely related to the content of dissolved salts in water and can indirectly indicate the total amount of dissolved salts.

In the natural environment, conductivity is often used to monitor the total ion concentration in water, including the total amount of various chemicals, heavy metals and other conductive substances.

By measuring conductivity, other related parameters such as TDS (total dissolved solids) and salinity (SAL) can also be estimated.

3. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)

COD is an indicator used to measure the content of organic pollutants in water, specifically the amount of oxygen required to oxidize a certain amount of organic matter in a water sample.

A high COD value means that there are more organic pollutants in the water, which may lead to the deterioration of the living environment of aquatic organisms and reduce the self-purification ability of the water body.

Therefore, COD is a very important parameter for evaluating the degree of water pollution, especially organic pollution.

4. Total Hardness

Total hardness mainly refers to the total concentration of calcium and magnesium ions in water, but also includes divalent cations such as iron, manganese, and strontium, and even aluminum ions, trivalent iron ions and other components.

These metal ions exist in various forms. For example, the temporary hardness formed by carbonates and bicarbonates can be removed by boiling; while non-carbonate hardness is difficult to remove.

Although drinking water with too high hardness is harmless to the human body, it will affect the effectiveness of soap use and cause problems such as scaling in pipes.

5. Ammonia Nitrogen

Ammonia nitrogen refers to nitrogen compounds that exist in water in the form of free NH₃-N or ammonium ions NH₄⁺. It is one of the important factors in evaluating the eutrophication of water bodies.

When the ammonia nitrogen content in the water is too high, it will cause toxic effects on fish and other aquatic organisms, and will also promote excessive algae reproduction and cause red tides.

6. Total Phosphorus (TP)

Total phosphorus covers the total amount of phosphorus in all forms, including orthophosphates, polyphosphates and organic phosphorus.

Phosphorus is one of the essential elements for plant growth. It is conducive to maintaining a good ecological environment within an appropriate range; however, excessive input will cause eutrophication and even black and smelly phenomena in lakes and reservoirs.

The chemical water quality parameters mentioned above together constitute a basic system that comprehensively reflects the water quality status. By regularly testing and analyzing these parameters, we can effectively monitor the trend of water quality changes, discover potential risks in a timely manner, and take corresponding measures to ensure the safe use of water resources.