<br/>Water sources can have many things dissolved in them if they are not properly treated. Total dissolved solids (TDS) is one measure of the many things dissolved in water. These solids can include ions, salts and/or metals. The EPA sets the maximum contaminant level standard for TDS to be no more than 500 ppm. TDS that are over the limit can cause undesirable effects such as: taste of water (i.e. salty, metallic, bitter, odor), and/or food cooked with the water. TDS over the limit can also have harmful effects because the minerals that are found in the water can be harmful to the body (i.e. fluorides, copper, sulfates, nitrates, etc.). Total dissolved solids can be measured using a TDS meter, which measures the conductivity of ions, and therefore only measures electrolytes, not neutral organics.<br/>For this project, well water and treated water from sources in the local Ohio Valley region are tested for total dissolved solids. They are compared against two standards: deionized water and a treated sample directly from the water treatment plant in Wheeling, WV. The TDS meter used, a HM Digital TDS-4 Pocket Size TDS Meter, can measure up to 9990 ppm with a 1 ppm resolution and a +/- 2% readout accuracy. The TDS meter is calibrated with a 342 ppm NaCl solution provided by the manufacturer. Water samples are compared to the standards set by the EPA to see if they fall within the range of allowance or above.

Determination of total dissolved solids (TDS) in local drinking water using a TDS meter

2019 Spring National Meeting

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