Total dissolved solids (TDS)

is a measure of the combined content of

all inorganic and organic substances contained in a liquid in molecular,
ionized or micro-granular (colloidal sol) suspended form. Generally the
operational definition is that the solids must be small enough to survive
filtration through a filter with two-micrometer (nominal size, or smaller)
pores. Total dissolved solids are normally discussed only for freshwater
systems, as salinity includes some of the ions constituting the definition of
TDS. The principal application of TDS is in the study of water
quality forstreams, rivers and lakes, although TDS is not generally
considered a primary pollutant (e.g. it is not deemed to be associated with
health effects) it is used as an indication of aesthetic characteristics
of drinking water and as an aggregate indicator of the presence of a broad
array of chemical contaminants.

.Total suspended solids

TSS of a water sample is determined by pouring a carefully measured
volume of water (typically one litre; but less if the particulate density is high,
or as much as two or three litres for very clean water) through a pre-
weighed filter of a specified pore size, then weighing the filter again after
drying to remove all water. Filters for TSS measurements are typically
composed of glass fibres.
[2]
The gain in weight is a dry weight measure of
the particulates present in the water sample expressed in units derived or
calculated from the volume of water filtered (typically milligrams per litre or
mg/L)


Volatile suspended solids
Volatile suspended solids is a water quality measure obtained from
the loss on ignition of total suspended solids..

Carbon footprint

A carbon footprint is historically defined as "the total sets of greenhouse
gas emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person."
[1]

The total carbon footprint cannot be calculated because of the large
amount of data required and the fact that carbon dioxide can be produced
by natural occurrences. It is for this reason that Wright, Kemp, and
Williams, writing in the journal Carbon Management, have suggested a
more practicable definition:
A measure of the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO
2
)
and methane (CH
4
) emissions of a defined population, system or
activity, considering all relevant sources, sinks and storage within the
spatial and temporal boundary of the population, system or activity of
interest. Calculated as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO
2
e) using the
relevant 100-year global warming potential (GWP100).
[


Biochemical oxygen demand

Biochemical oxygen demand or B.O.D is the amount
of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic biological organisms in a body of
water to break down organic material present in a given water sample at
certain temperature over a specific time period. The term also refers to a
chemical procedure for determining this amount. This is not a precise
quantitative test, although it is widely used as an indication of the organic
quality of water.
[1]
The BOD value is most commonly expressed in
milligrams of oxygen consumed per litre of sample during 5 days of
incubation at 20 C and is often used as a robust surrogate of the degree of
organic pollution of water.