Comprehensive Analysis of Core Parameters of Water Quality Analyzers: Understanding the Significance Behind Indicators such as pH, ORP, and Conductivity
Water quality safety is a critical issue for environmental protection and human health. Water quality analyzers provide a scientific basis for water quality assessment through the detection of multiple key parameters. This article deeply analyzes the meanings and application scenarios of core parameters in water quality analyzers, including pH, ORP, conductivity, residual chlorine, total chlorine, DO, and COD.
Definition: The pH value reflects the acid-base balance of water bodies, ranging from 0 (strongly acidic) to 14 (strongly alkaline), with 7 being neutral.
Significance:
- Drinking Water Standards: 6.5–8.5. Excessive or insufficient pH can inhibit microbial activity and affect the water's self-purification capacity.
- Industrial Applications: For example, pH must be controlled in boiler water to prevent corrosion, and adjusting pH in wastewater treatment can optimize reaction efficiency.
-
Definition: ORP is measured in millivolts (mV) and evaluates the oxidizing or reducing properties of water. Higher positive potentials indicate stronger oxidizing capacity.
Application Scenarios:
- Disinfection Effect Monitoring: During residual chlorine disinfection, the ORP value must exceed 650 mV to ensure sterilization efficacy.
- Ecological Assessment: A decrease in ORP in natural water bodies may indicate organic pollution or intensified microbial activity.
- Electrode Selection: Platinum electrodes are ideal for ORP measurement due to their strong corrosion resistance and fast response.
Definition: Conductivity reflects the total ionic content in water, measured in μS/cm. Pure water has extremely low conductivity, while higher salt content leads to higher values.
Functions:
- Water Quality Classification: Differentiates seawater (high conductivity), drinking water (medium-low conductivity), and ultrapure water (close to 0).
- Pollution Warning: A sudden increase in conductivity may signal industrial wastewater or salt leakage pollution.
- Residual Chlorine: Free active chlorine (such as hypochlorous acid) in water, directly determining sustained bactericidal capacity. The standard limit for drinking water is 0.3–4 mg/L.
- Total Chlorine: Includes free chlorine and combined chlorine (such as chloramines), used to assess whether the total disinfectant dosage meets standards.
Definition: The amount of dissolved oxygen in water, measured in mg/L, affected by factors such as temperature and salinity.
Ecological Significance:
- Aquatic Organism Survival: When DO is below 2 mg/L, fish may suffocate and die.
- Pollution Indicator: A sharp drop in DO often accompanies organic pollution (such as increased COD), leading to intensified oxygen consumption.
Definition: An indicator measuring water pollution by organic matter—the higher the value, the more severe the pollution.
Risks:
- Oxygen Depletion: High COD causes water hypoxia and disrupts ecological balance.
- Health Risks: Enriched through the food chain, it may trigger chronic poisoning in humans.
Modern water quality analyzers often integrate multi-parameter detection functions. Through cross-analysis of data such as pH, ORP, and conductivity, they can comprehensively assess water quality and health status.
Your message must be between 20-3,000 characters!