You must have heard about TDS levels in drinking water, but do you know what TDS is and how to calculate the TDS of your water purifier? Here in the post, we'll be discussing what TDS is and how to calculate it.
In this post, we'll be sharing the complete details about TDS and how you can measure it, so you must read this post till the end. Let's get started
What Is TDS?
It is referred to as Total Dissolved Solids, and it is the measure of total organic and inorganic substances dissolved in water. Being the natural solvent, water can dissolve almost everything in it. The most common inorganic compound present in water is Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium. Although these substances are essential for our body, these substances are considered safe under a certain level. But anything higher than that certain level is considered unsafe for human consumption.
Why Should We Check The Water TDS Level?
According to the BIS, i.e. Bureau Of Indian Standard, the recommended TDS level in water is 500 mg/litres. However, WHO recommends that water with a TDS level less than 300 mg/litre is safe for human consumption. However, various water purifier industry experts suggest to maintain a TDS level of 50-150 mg/litre.
At Doctor Fresh, We Suggest You Avoid Drinking Water Having TDS Less Than 50 mg/litre
Major Substance Causing High TDS Level In Water
|
Calcium |
Potassium |
|
Magnesium |
Chloride |
|
Zinc |
Aluminium |
|
Lead |
Copper |
|
Arsenic |
Iron |
|
Sodium |
Fluoride |
|
Chlorine |
Bicarbonates |
|
Sulfates |
Pesticides |
|
Herbicides |
Bromide |
Now you must be thinking about why a low TDS level is necessary for water? Aren't you?
Drinking polluted water leads to various kinds of waterborne diseases, and a higher TDS level means a higher chance of getting waterborne diseases. Moreover, globally millions of people lose their life due to drinking contaminated water; thus, maintaining low TDS levels in water is necessary but ensure your drinking water TDS level is not less than 50 mg/litre.
How To Calculate Water TDS At Home?
There are various methods to check water TDS at home. Here we'll be discussing the 2 most crucial and widely accepted methods to check water TDS at home, which are
- Using Digital TDS meter
- Using Filter Paper & Scale
#1. How To Check Water TDS Using Digital TDS Meter?
Digital meter is one of the simplest methods to check water TDS, and it is a widely accepted method globally, and the main reason for this is, it does not require mathematical calculation to get an accurate reading. A digital TDS meter brings instant results.
Steps To Follow While Calculating Water TDS Using Digital TDS Meter
- Remove the protective cap of the Digital TDS meter and switch it “ON”
- Dip the Digital TDS meter in the water up to the maximum immersion level (Marking is used to indicating the immersion level in the Digital TDS meter)
- Stir the Digital TDS meter to remove the air bubbles if present in the water. Stirring will remove the air bubble from the water
- Now, wait for 10-15 seconds after placing the Digital TDS meter inside the water to measure the TDS level of the water
- Few brands digital TDS meters bring the reading by multiplying it by 10, but in some TDS meters, you need to multiply the value by 10
- After calculating the TDS level of the water, shake off the excess water from the digital meter and replace the protective cap
Precaution needs To Be Taken While Using TDS Meter
There are few precaution which you need to take while measuring water TDS at your house using a digital TDS meter, and these are
- Don't dip the digital TDS meter beyond the maximum immersion level. Although a digital TDS meter is watertight, still you need to ensure that you have dipped the TDS meter only up to the maximum immersion level
- Don't explore the digital TDS meter directly in the sunlight
#2. How To Check TDS Using Filter Paper & A Scale?
It is one of the conventional methods to check water TDS level, and methods need no equipment, but it needs few apparatus. Below we have listed steps that need to be followed for measuring water TDS using Filter paper & a Scale.
But before you start discussing crucial steps, let's discuss which apparatus are needed for measuring water TDS using Filter Paper & a Scale
Required Apparatus
- A clean & sanitized glass container
- Water sample for TDS determination
- Filter paper or Layers of Cotton
- Evaporating dish
- A sterile stirring stick
- A pipette to take 50ml water sample
- A weighing machine or scale
Steps To Follow For Measuring Water TDS Using Filter Paper & A Scale
Below we have listed complete steps that will help you in measuring water TDS levels.
- Weigh The Evaporating Dish: Measure the evaporating dish using a weighing machine and note the reading in mg. Before you measure the weight of the evaporating, ensure that the dish is completely empty, dry, and free from any extraneous matter
- Stir The Water Sample: Stir the water sample vigorously so that the matter present in the water can be dispersed equally throughout the water sample
- Collect The Water Sample: Take a 50ml water sample using a pipette. While taking the water sample, ensure that no matters are settled down on the container bottom. If the matter is settled down on the container's bottom, stir the water sample and then take a sample. Because if the matter is not dispersed equally, then reading will not be accurate
- Extract The Filtrate: Now, pour the water sample into the container through the filter paper. Repeat this process at least 3 times to ensure that the matter is entirely collected in the filter paper and transfer to the evaporating dish
- Weigh The Evaporating Dish With The Filtrate: Allow the present matter to dry completely, then weigh evaporating dish with extracted filtrate and note the reading in mg and calculate the TDS value
How To Calculate Water TDS Value
TDS= (A-B)*1000/Water sample in ml
Here
A= Evaporating dish weight with filter in mg taken in the last step
B= Empty evaporating dish weight in mg taken in step 01
