ISO compliant Photometric Solutions for Wastewater Testing: meet regulations

Discover Spectroquant^® Prove plus photometers and test kits for analyzing key chemical parameters.

Improper wastewater management contributes to water pollution, with 80% of global wastewater discharged without treatment. Industrial water consumption accounts for 22% of global water use, worsening the issue. Wastewater should be seen as a resource rather than a burden, with the potential to provide water, energy, and nutrients sustainably. Chemical analysis plays a crucial role in preventing environmental pollution, in compliance with wastewater standards and regulations.

The Spectroquant^® Prove plus solutions offers reliable instruments and test kits for monitoring key parameters and ensuring compliance with regulations. Learn about common pollutants, regulations, and testing parameters for wastewater treatment and discover reliable Spectroquant^® photometric solutions for wastewater analysis.

Wastewater standards and regulations require treatment facilities to comply with minimum quality requirements to safely release treated wastewater into the environment. These standards and regulations for wastewater analysis can vary from country to country, but most are based on, or aligned to, international standards and are typically defined in national guideline values. Read in our article some examples of the common regulations for wastewater analysis:

• World Health Organization (WHO) for Water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) Quality
• ISO Standards including ISO 14001 on environmental management systems
• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
• European Union Water Framework Directive (EU WFD)
• Local regulations may also apply. These regulations can be site-specific and are designed to protect local ecosystems and public health.

In general, regulations require wastewater treatment facilities to monitor a range of parameters, such as pH, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and nutrient levels, to ensure compliance with limit values. Facilities are also required to report their monitoring results regularly, and in most cases, are subject to inspections by regulatory authorities. Measurements need to be done on a routine basis and should be reliable and efficient. Our Spectroquant^® line of instruments, test kits and standards enable a reliable photometric testing of key chemical parameters like COD, phosphate, nitrogen, ammonium, surfactants, and disinfectants like chlorine. These easy-to-use test kits and methods support wastewater treatment facilities in controlling levels to stay within regulations. The cell test kits for ammonium, nitrate and total nitrogen are corresponding to recently published ISO norms 23695, 23696-1, and 23697-1, “small-scale sealed tube methods”. Just like for Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) tests kits, there are now standard norms describing the use of these cell test kits as alternative of standard laboratory methods for some of the most important water analysis parameters, increasing their acceptance for use in accredited labs.

The Spectroquant^® test kits for all the key parameters and more are compatible with the Spectroquant^® Prove plus instruments, our benchtop range of spectrophotometers. Spectroquant^® Prove plus instruments range of spectrophotometers are specifically designed for the chemical analysis of drinking water, wastewater, and process water. The Spectroquant^® Prove plus line is developed for routine, sensitive, or complex analyses, respectively. These high-quality smart devices are engineered to provide reliable results with exceptional sensitivity, tailored to meet the demands of your specific application. They offer precision, speed, and easy handling. Pre-programmed for a wide range of test kits, water analysis has never been so easy and intuitive.

Compliance with the regulations is essential for wastewater treatment plants to prevent legal implications, avoid penalties and to contribute our safety and preservation of our planet. Safely managed wastewater is an affordable and sustainable source of water, energy, nutrients and other recoverable materials. The Spectroquant^® line of photometers and test kits provide an efficient and reliable support to monitor key performance parameter for process control and reporting to stay compliant with regulations.