A turbidimeter is a device used to measure the turbidity of a liquid. These devices can also define the size and concentration of suspended particles by scattering light in a tube.
Before continuing with the definition, it is important to mention that turbidimeter is not a term that is part of the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE). The accepted name for this type of instrument is a nephelometer. Turbidimeters or nephelometers, in short, measure turbidity, that is, how cloudy the fluid is. Something blurs, however, when it is altered or mixed with elements that take away transparency or clarity.
What the turbidimeter does is perform an optical analysis that allows you to measure suspended particles in a dissolved gas or liquid. To do this, it uses a light source and a light detector (a photocell) that is fixed perpendicular to the original beam. The photocell, also called photoresistor or photoresistor, is an electronic piece that, when detecting an increase in light, registers a change in its resistance. Depending on the geometric arrangement of the light source, the turbidimeter has different characteristics. According to the light that the particles reflect towards the photoresistor, their density is estimated. However, the amount of light reflected by a given particle density depends on several factors, including the color and shape of the particles. The turbidity unit used by turbidimeters is called the Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU).
