The Use of Advanced Analytical Technology to MonitorGlobal Water Quality

摘要

Safe drinking water is becoming ever more precious and hard to find. More than a billion people in the developing countries do not have clean water to drink. There are thousands of chemicals ( including pesticides , human and veterinary medicines , drugs , personal care products , and other organic compounds ) that enter our water resources by various approaches. In many cases , people still rely on water from polluted rivers, lakes and unsafe groundwater supplies. The shortage of clean water may lead to dire consequences, such as outbreaks of serious diseases that can spread around the globe. Millions of young children in the developing world die from diarrheal diseases caused by unsafe water, inadequate sanitation and hygiene. Millions more are at significant risk of exposure to life — threatening water — borne infections, such as dysentery, cholera and typhoid fever, etc. In order to source for safe and suitable drinking water from lakes , reservoirs and rivers , water quality , safety and monitoring are key factors for the protection of human health today. Using advanced technology to monitor water quality is very important. The first step is to be able to detect the pollutants in water. Next is to be able to reach a higher sensitivity as some organic contaminants, even at very low levels, may cause serious hurt to the human health. Today, more and more pharmaceuticals, drugs, chemicals and other industrial materials are present in wastewater, which may cause potential diseases in humans. The advanced instruments and analytical methodologies can detect the contaminants at very low levels and trace the water pollution source. This paper will discuss the details of water quality , advanced monitoring technology and methods. The monitoring areas of organic , inorganic , microbiology and biology will be included.