All suspended or dissolved substances in water and wastewater are called solids. After evaporation of these waters and drying in an 103 oven, all of the remaining solids are solids.

Groundwater is generally very clean in terms of solids and does not contain much solids in them. Because as these waters go underground, the soil acts as a natural filter. Therefore, if groundwater is used, the solids concentration is low and there is no problem of removing these waters from solids. However, rivers, rivers, lakes and seas are heavily loaded with solids and if such surface waters are used, solids in the water need to be removed.

Three types of solids are measured in authorized laboratories:

• In total solids measurements, the sample of well-mixed water is evaporated in a capsule and dried until a constant weight of 103 is obtained. The weight gain in the empty capsule, ie the amount of evaporation residue, is the total amount of solids.
• In order to determine the amount of suspended solids, a standard glass fiber, which is brought to constant weight, is filtered and the weight of the residue is measured. If suspended solids clog the filter during measurement and extend the filtration time, then the total amount of suspended solids is the difference between total solids and total dissolved matter.
• In order to measure the volatile suspended solids, the filter residue obtained for measuring suspended solids is then burned in an ash furnace at 550. The amount of solids remaining at the end of the weight loss is the amount of suspended solids. This value gives an idea about the amount of organic matter present in industrial wastewater and is useful in the supervision of wastewater treatment plants.

 

Total solids are also determined by accredited laboratories within the scope of water and wastewater measurements.