Question

Suggest four measures to check water pollution.

Answer 1

Hint: The quality of water can be detected by checking the physical as well as chemical properties of the water which is present in the water body. There are many ways by which we can detect the chemical and physical properties of water.

Complete answer:
Water is one of the basic requirements for all the organisms and one should check its quality from time to time. We can check water pollution by CDOM Monitoring, Chlorophyll Fluorescence Analysis, Measuring the Dissolved Oxygen Levels, and also by pH and KH testing.

Additional Information:
-CDOM Monitoring- Coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM) occurs naturally in water bodies. This organic matter absorbs the ultraviolet and decomposes to release tannin, an organic pollutant that causes the water to show murky. CDOM levels are often measured using electrical optical sensors that use fluorometers and sapphire lenses. These sensors gauge the sunshine availability in water bodies counting on the water level and indicate the concentration of dissolved organic matter (DOM).
-Chlorophyll Fluorescence Analysis- Chlorophyll fluorescence, measured using algae toximeters, indicates the share of wet-chemical chlorophyll and active chlorophyll within the water sample under illumination. This is often an efficient method to stay in check on the excessive algal growth and monitor the water quality.
-Measuring the Dissolved Oxygen Levels- The dissolved oxygen (DO) may be a measure of the quantity of oxygen available to the flora and fauna and is reported as percent saturation or mg/L. The oxygen levels in the water go down due to the decomposition of organic material like dead plants and animals and human wastes. A dissolved oxygen level of but 6 mg/L is often harmful to the ecosystem of water bodies. The dissolved oxygen concentration is measured by using the electrochemical or optical sensor, the colorimetric method, and many more.
-pH and KH testing- An increasing pH level is very dangerous to the ecosystem of the water body. A normal pH range for a pond or a lake is found between 6.0 to 8.0. Certain factors like overgrowth of algae and pollution alter the pH of the water and increase the amount of toxic ammonia. pH is often tested using water test kits that are color-coded and offer a good range of pH measurement.

Note: Water quality is often affected by pollution from point sources and nonpoint sources. Point sources can be defined as identifiable points like a pipe or channel, which discharge directly into a body of water. Non-point sources are commonly known as those where pollution arises over a wider area and it's often difficult to locate the precise place of origin. For instance, fertilizer or pesticide can be easily washed from a field by rain that may seep into a river or stream at many places both on the surface and through the soil.