RESULT AND ANALYSIS

Description
Weight of the clean filter paper (g)
Weight of the filter paper and the
residue (g)
Weight of residue (g)
Volume of sample (mL)

W1
W2

Weight (g)
0.1308
0.1490

W
V

0.0182
15

1) Total Suspended Solid (TSS) can be calculated by using Standard Methods for
Examination for Water and Wastewater (Method 2540D):
Weight of residue , W=W 2W 1
W =0.14900.130 8

W =0.0182

TSS=

( W 2W 1 ) X 1000
sample volume , mL

0.1490
0.1308

] X 100 0
3
10
103

15
[

1213.33

)(

mg/ L

2) In your opinion, is it possible to discharge the sample used in this test to be

discharged to the river?. Give your reason.
No because most of river water is used as source of drinking water. From this
experiment the Total Suspended solid is 1213.33 mg/L and can be classified in Class
V based on Malaysia: Interim National Water Quality Standard (NWQS). Refer to
table 1.4 and table 1.5. From these table Class V is not suitable for anything.

DISCUSSION
1) What is the impacts of total suspended solid on health of the river?
High concentrations of suspended solids can cause many problems on health of river
which include stream health and aquatic life.
High total suspended solid can block light from reaching the bottom of the river
which has vegetation. As the amount of light passing is reduced the rate of
photosynthesis is also decrease. Low rates of photosynthesis caused less of dissolved
oxygen. If the light is completely blocked from reaching the bottom, the plants will
stop producing oxygen and will die. As plants are decomposed, bacteria will use up
more oxygen from the water. Low dissolved oxygen can kill aquatic life.
High Total suspended solid also can increase surface water temperature because the
particles absorb heat from the sunlight. This will decrease the dissolved oxygen.
The decrease in water clarity can affect the ability of fish to see and catch food.
Suspended sediment can clog fish gills, reduce growth rates and decrease resistance to
disease. Settling sediments can fill in spaces between rocks which could have been
home for aquatic life.
High TSS in a water body can often mean higher concentrations of bacteria, nutrients,
pesticides, and metals in the water. These pollutants may attach to sediment particles
on the land and be carried into water bodies with storm water. In the water, the
pollutants may be released from the sediment or travel farther downstream (Federal
Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group, 1998).