TDS is the abbreviation for total dissolved solids. The total dissolved solid (TDS) is a measure of the amount of total dissolved material in a water sample. TDS is usually expressed in parts per million (ppm).
The water quality parameters like pH, chlorine, Hardness, Turbidity and TDS are tested in drinking water quality testing laboratories or at home by referring to TDS reader metres.
The Normal TDS of water is used as an indicator to test the purity of water and its quality. The higher the concentration of TDS, the more contaminated your drinking water. The ideal range for drinking water should be below 500 ppm of TDS.
If your TDS level exceeds 500 ppm then you should replace your existing water purifiers with higher capacity ones that can handle more TDS load in order to avoid any health issues related to drinking contaminated water.
What Is TDS?
TDS, i.e., Total dissolved Solids, measures all the inorganic and organic substances dissolved in water. Water is a universal solvent that can dissolve almost everything in it.
The common inorganic substance which can be dissolved in water is Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium. These minerals are healthy for human health at a certain level, but any value that is more or less than an absolute value is considered unhealthy.
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TDS has a direct impact on the taste of your water as well as its health benefits or disadvantages. For example, if you have high TDS value in your drinking water then it will give you hard water and this will affect your skin and hair by giving them dryness, flaking etc.
How To Check The TDS Of The Water At Home?
#1. Using Digital TDS Meter
Precautions to Be Taken While Using Digital TDS Metre:
1. Never use the metre in places where there is a danger of electrostatic discharge. The digital TDS metre should not be used near any moving machinery or equipment because it may cause damage to it.
2. Never place your hand on the probe of the digital TDS metre when you want to take a reading. This is because moisture from your hands might affect the readings given by the digital metre.
3. Ensure to keep your TDS metre away from direct sunlight or heat as this can affect its performance and make it inaccurate while measuring dissolved solids concentration level in water samples.
4. Always keep your digital meter dry at all times, so that its functions don’t get affected by moisture content present in its outer casing or display screen etc.
#2. Using Filter Paper And A Scale
Step 1: Take a clean and sterilized glass beaker or container and add 50 ml of water to it.
Step 2: Now take a filter paper and soak it in the water sample for about one minute.
Step 3: Now remove the filter paper from the water sample and gently squeeze out excess water from it.
Step 4: Place the filter paper on an evaporating dish and allow it to dry completely at room temperature (in open air).
Step 5: Once dried, weigh the filter paper along with its contents on a weighing scale or machine.
#3. Extract The Filtrate
Pour the water sample through the filter paper in the other container. Repeat this process three times to ensure that the whole particulate matter collection is in the filter paper.
The resulting filter paper will appear dirty. This is expected since it will contain most of the particulate matter, which we will now need to remove from our types of water sample.
Once your filter paper has been filled with particulate matter, remove it from the container and place it under running water. The running water should wash away all of the particulate matter from your filter paper, leaving behind only clean water.
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