CONDUCTIVITY, SALINITY

AND TOTAL DISSOLVED

SOLIDS

BY: DOLORES A. TUMBOS, CHE

SECTION OVERVIEW

• WHAT IS CONDUCTIVITY?
CONDUCTIVITY UNITS
SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE
RESISTIVITY
CONDUCTANCE
• WHAT IS SALINITY?
o ABSOLUTE SALINITY
o SALINITY UNITS
• WHAT ARE TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS?
o TDS UNITS
• WHY IS CONDUCTIVITY IMPORTANT?
o AQUATIC ORGANISM TOLERANCE
o CHANGE INDICATES POLLUTION
o OCEAN CONVECTION
• WHERE DO TDS AND SALINITY COME FROM?
o FRESHWATER CONDUCTIVITY SOURCES
o SALTWATER CONDUCTIVITY SOURCES
• WHEN DOES CONDUCTIVITY FLUCTUATE?
o TEMPERATURE
o WATER FLOW
o WATER LEVEL
o STRATIFICATION
• TYPICAL LEVELS
o DEIONIZED WATER
o CONSEQUENCES OF UNUSUAL LEVELS
• CITE THIS WORK
• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
INTRODUCTION TO
CONDUCTIVITY
Salts dissolve in
water to produce
an anion and a
cation. These ions
make up the basis
of conductivity in
water.
 CONDUCTIVITY
• CONDUCTIVITY IS A MEASURE OF WATER’S CAPABILITY TO PASS ELECTRICAL
FLOW. THIS ABILITY IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE CONCENTRATION OF IONS IN
THE WATER.
• THESE CONDUCTIVE IONS COME FROM DISSOLVED SALTS AND INORGANIC
MATERIALS SUCH AS ALKALIS, CHLORIDES, SULFIDES AND CARBONATE
COMPOUNDS.
• . COMPOUNDS THAT DISSOLVE INTO IONS ARE ALSO KNOWN AS ELECTROLYTES .
THE MORE IONS THAT ARE PRESENT, THE HIGHER THE CONDUCTIVITY OF
WATER. LIKEWISE, THE FEWER IONS THAT ARE IN THE WATER, THE LESS
CONDUCTIVE IT IS. DISTILLED OR DEIONIZED WATER CAN ACT AS AN
INSULATOR DUE TO ITS VERY LOW (IF NOT NEGLIGIBLE) CONDUCTIVITY VALUE .
SEA WATER, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAS A VERY HIGH CONDUCTIVITY.
 WHY IONS CONDUCT ELECTRICITY?

• IONS CONDUCT ELECTRICITY DUE TO THEIR POSITIVE

AND NEGATIVE CHARGES . WHEN ELECTROLYTES
DISSOLVE IN WATER, THEY SPLIT INTO POSITIVELY
CHARGED (CATION) AND NEGATIVELY CHARGED (ANION)
PARTICLES. AS THE DISSOLVED SUBSTANCES SPLIT IN
WATER, THE CONCENTRATIONS OF EACH POSITIVE AND
NEGATIVE CHARGE REMAIN EQUAL. THIS MEANS THAT
EVEN THOUGH THE CONDUCTIVITY OF WATER INCREASES
 CONDUCTIVITY UNITS
• MICRO- OR MILLISIEMENS PER CENTIMETER (US/CM OR
MS/CM)
• MICROMHOS OR MILLIMHOS/CENTIMETER (UMHOS/CM OR
MMHOS/CM)
• ONE SIEMEN IS EQUAL TO ONE MHO
• MICROSIEMENS PER CENTIMETER IS THE STANDARD UNIT
FOR FRESHWATER MEASUREMENTS
• ON SEAWATER CONDUCTIVITY USE MICRO-, MILLI- AND
AND SOMETIMES EVEN JUST SIEMEN/MHO PER
SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE
Specific conductance at 25 degrees C is used as a standard of
comparison for different water sources as conductivity ratios change
with temperature.

Specific conductance is a conductivity measurement made at or

corrected to 25° C 3. This is the standardized method of reporting
conductivity. As the temperature of water will affect conductivity
readings, reporting conductivity at 25° C allows data to be easily
compared 3. Specific conductance is usually reported in uS/cm at 25° C

If a conductivity measurement is made at 25° C, it can simply be

reported as the specific conductance. If a measurement is made at a
different temperature and corrected to 25° C, then the temperature
coefficient must be considered. The specific conductance temperature
coefficient can range depending on the measured temperature and ionic
composition of the water 32. A coefficient of 0.0191-0.02 is commonly
used based on Specific conductance is a conductivity measurement
made at or corrected to 25° C 3. This is the standardized KCl standards
3,32. NaCl-based solutions should have a temperature coefficient of
0.02-0.0214 33.
RESISTIVITY
- Conductivity is formally defined as the
reciprocal of resistivity
- measurement of water’s opposition to
the flow of a current over distance
- Pure water has a resistance of 18.2
Mohm*cm
- Resistivity decreases as the ionic
concentration in water increases
- – mho and ohm are the same letters, in
reverse.
 CONDUCTANCE
• CONDUCTANCE IS PART OF CONDUCTIVITY, BUT IT IS NOT A
SPECIFIC MEASUREMENT ON ITS OWN. ELECTRICAL
CONDUCTANCE IS DEPENDENT ON THE LENGTH OF THE
CONDUCTOR, JUST AS RESISTANCE IS . CONDUCTANCE IS
MEASURED IN MHOS OR SIEMENS . CONDUCTIVITY IS THE
CONDUCTANCE (S) MEASURED ACROSS A SPECIFIED DISTANCE (1
CM), WHICH IS INCORPORATED INTO THE UNITS (S/CM) . AS SUCH,
THE CONDUCTANCE OF WATER WILL CHANGE WITH THE
DISTANCE SPECIFIED. BUT AS LONG AS THE TEMPERATURE AND
COMPOSITION REMAINS THE SAME, THE CONDUCTIVITY OF
WATER WILL NOT CHANGE.
 SALINITY
• SALINITY IS AN AMBIGUOUS TERM. AS A BASIC DEFINITION,
SALINITY IS THE TOTAL CONCENTRATION OF ALL DISSOLVED SALTS
IN WATER.
• THESE ELECTROLYTES FORM IONIC PARTICLES AS THEY DISSOLVE,
EACH WITH A POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE CHARGE.
• SALINITY IS A STRONG CONTRIBUTOR TO CONDUCTIVITY.
• WHILE SALINITY CAN BE MEASURED BY A COMPLETE CHEMICAL
ANALYSIS, THIS METHOD IS DIFFICULT AND TIME
CONSUMING .SEAWATER CANNOT SIMPLY BE EVAPORATED TO A
DRY SALT MASS MEASUREMENT AS CHLORIDES ARE LOST DURING
THE PROCESS .
THE MOST COMMON IONS IN SEA WATER.
- SALINITY MEASUREMENTS BASED ON CONDUCTIVITY VALUES ARE UNITLESS, BUT ARE OFTEN
FOLLOWED BY THE NOTATION OF PRACTICAL SALINITY UNITS (PSU)
- MAJOR IONS IN SEAWATER (WITH A PRACTICAL SALINITY OF 35) ARE: CHLORIDE, SODIUM,
MAGNESIUM, SULFATE, CALCIUM, POTASSIUM, BICARBONATE AND BROMINE . MANY OF THESE
IONS ARE ALSO PRESENT IN FRESHWATER SOURCES, BUT IN MUCH SMALLER AMOUNTS
- THE IONIC COMPOSITIONS OF INLAND WATER SOURCES ARE DEPENDENT ON THE
SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT. MOST LAKES AND RIVERS HAVE ALKALI AND ALKALINE
EARTH METAL SALTS, WITH CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM, SODIUM, CARBONATES AND CHLORIDES
MAKING UP A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THE IONIC COMPOSITION 4. FRESHWATER USUALLY HAS A
HIGHER BICARBONATE RATIO WHILE SEAWATER HAS GREATER SODIUM AND CHLORIDE
CONCENTRATIONS 39.
 ABSOLUTE SALINITY
- The Gibbs function is the basis of calculating absolute salinity
- considers the entire system as a whole instead of relying solely
on conductivity.
- TEOS-10, determines absolute salinity as opposed to the
practical salinity derived from conductivity.
- Absolute salinity provides an accurate and consistent
representation of the thermodynamic state of the system .
- Absolute salinity is both more accurate and more precise than
practical salinity and can be used to estimate salinity not only
across the ocean, but at greater depths and temperature ranges .
- TEOS-10 is derived from a Gibbs function, which requires
more complex calculations, but offers more useful information .
 SALINITY UNITS
• PARTS PER THOUSAND OR GRAMS/KILOGRAM (1 PPT = 1 G/KG) USED
TO BE THE STANDARD
• . IN SOME FRESHWATER SOURCES, THIS IS REPORTED IN MG/L 4, 37.
NOW SALINITY VALUES ARE REPORTED BASED ON THE UNITLESS
PRACTICAL SALINITY SCALE (SOMETIMES DENOTED IN PRACTICAL
SALINITY UNITS AS PSU) .
• AS OF 2010, AN ABSOLUTE SALINITY CALCULATION WAS
DEVELOPED, BUT IS NOT USED FOR DATABASE ARCHIVES .
• ABSOLUTE SALINITY IS REPORTED IN G/KG AND IS DENOTED BY
THE SYMBOL SA.
• OFFERS PRE-PROGRAMMED EQUATIONS TO CALCULATE ABSOLUTE
SALINITY.
• METHODS AND UNITS OF SALINITY MEASUREMENTS ALL RELY ON A REFERENCE POINT OF
35 FOR SEAWATER.
• THE UNITS PSU, PPT AND SA G/KG ARE NEARLY EQUIVALENT (AND OFTEN INTERCHANGED)
. ALL THREE METHODS ARE BASED ON AN APPROXIMATE SALINITY VALUE OF 35 IN
SEAWATER . -- PRACTICAL SALINITY UNITS ARE DIMENSIONLESS AND ARE BASED ON
CONDUCTIVITY STUDIES OF POTASSIUM CHLORIDE SOLUTIONS AND SEAWATER .
• THESE STUDIES WERE DONE WITH 32.4356 G/KG KCL SOLUTION AND “COPENHAGEN
WATER” WHICH HAS A CHLORINITY OF 19.374 PPT .
• THIS NORTH ATLANTIC SEA WATER WAS GIVEN A SET PRACTICAL SALINITY OF 35 PSU 25.
THE PRACTICAL SALINITY SCALE IS CONSIDERED ACCURATE FOR VALUES BETWEEN 2 AND
42 PSU .
• THESE ARE THE MOST COMMON UNITS USED, AND PRACTICAL SALINITY REMAINS THE
MOST COMMON SALINITY VALUE STORED FOR DATA ARCHIVES 24.
• THE HISTORICAL DEFINITION OF SALINITY WAS BASED ON CHLORIDE CONCENTRATION
(WHICH COULD BE DETERMINED BY TITRATION) . THIS CALCULATION USED THE
FOLLOWING EQUATION:
• DETERMINING TOTAL SALINITY BASED ON CHLORIDE CONCENTRATIONS IN ONLY ACCURATE
IN WATER SOURCES WITH A KNOWN CHLORIDE-SALINITY RATIO, SUCH AS SEAWATER.
• THIS METHOD IS ONLY ACCEPTABLE FOR SEAWATER, AS IT IS LIMITED IN ESTUARIES,
BRACKISH AND FRESHWATER SOURCES . WHILE SALINITY AND CHLORINITY ARE
PROPORTIONAL IN SEAWATER, EQUATIONS BASED ON THIS ARE NOT ACCURATE IN
FRESHWATER OR WHEN CHLORINITY RATIOS CHANGE .
• ABSOLUTE SALINITY IN G/KG IS BEST FOR STUDIES THAT REQUIRE VERY PRECISE DATA. IT IS
CONSISTENT WITH OTHER SI UNITS AS A TRUE MASS FRACTION, AND IT ENSURES THAT ALL
THERMODYNAMIC RELATIONSHIPS (DENSITY, SOUND, SPEED AND HEAT CAPACITY) REMAIN
CONSISTENT . THESE UNITS ALSO HELP DETERMINE SPECIFIC IONS’ CONTRIBUTIONS TO
SALINITY VALUES . ABSOLUTE SALINITY ALSO OFFERS A GREATER RANGE AND MORE
ACCURATE VALUES THAN OTHER SALINITY METHODS WHEN IONIC COMPOSITION IS KNOWN .
TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS
• THE EPA, USPHS AND AWWA RECOMMEND AN UPPER
LIMIT OF 500 MG/L TDS, THOUGH THIS IS EXCEEDED IN
SOME REGIONS WITH LITTLE ILL EFFECT .
• TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS (TDS) COMBINE THE SUM OF
ALL ION PARTICLES THAT ARE SMALLER THAN 2 MICRONS
(0.0002 CM) . THIS INCLUDES ALL OF THE DISASSOCIATED
ELECTROLYTES THAT MAKE UP SALINITY
CONCENTRATIONS, AS WELL AS OTHER COMPOUNDS
SUCH AS DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER. IN “CLEAN”
WATER, TDS IS APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO SALINITY . IN
WASTEWATER OR POLLUTED AREAS, TDS CAN INCLUDE
ORGANIC SOLUTES (SUCH AS HYDROCARBONS AND
- Total dissolved solids concentrations outside of a normal range can
cause a cell to swell or shrink. This can negatively impact aquatic
life that cannot compensate for the change in water retention.
- While TDS measurements are derived from conductivity, some
states, regions and agencies often set a TDS maximum instead of a
conductivity limit for water quality . At most, freshwater can have
2000 mg/L of total dissolved solids, and most sources should have
much less than that .
- Depending on the ionic properties, excessive total dissolved solids
can produce toxic effects on fish and fish eggs. Salmonids exposed
to higher than average levels of CaSO4 at various life stages
experienced reduced survival and reproduction rates . When total
dissolved solids ranged above 2200-3600 mg/L, salmonids, perch
and pike all showed reduced hatching and egg survival rates 37.
- Dissolved solids are also important to aquatic life by keeping cell
density balanced . In distilled or deionized water, water will flow
into an organism’s cells, causing them to swell . In water with a very
high TDS concentration, cells will shrink. These changes can affect
an organism’s ability to move in a water column, causing it to float
or sink beyond its normal range .
- TDS can also affect water taste, and often indicates a high alkalinity
or hardness 12.
 TDS UNITS
-MG/L
- CAN BE MEASURED BY GRAVIMETRY (WITH AN EVAPORATION DISH) OR CALCULATED BY
MULTIPLYING A CONDUCTIVITY VALUE BY AN EMPIRICAL FACTOR
- MORE TIME-CONSUMING
- USEFUL WHEN THE COMPOSITION OF A WATER SOURCE IS NOT KNOWN
- DERIVING TDS FROM CONDUCTIVITY IS QUICKER AND SUITED FOR BOTH FIELD MEASUREMENTS
AND CONTINUOUS MONITORING
- WHEN CALCULATING TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS FROM A CONDUCTIVITY MEASUREMENT, A TDS
FACTOR IS USED. THIS TDS CONSTANT IS DEPENDENT ON THE TYPE OF SOLIDS DISSOLVED IN
WATER, AND CAN BE CHANGED DEPENDING ON THE WATER SOURCE. MOST CONDUCTIVITY
METERS AND OTHER MEASUREMENT OPTIONS WILL USE A COMMON, APPROXIMATED CONSTANT
AROUND 0.65. HOWEVER, WHEN MEASURING MIXED WATER OR SALINE WATER (WITH A
CONDUCTIVITY VALUE GREATER THAN 5000 US/CM), THE TDS CONSTANT SHOULD BE HIGHER:
AROUND 0.735 AND 0.8 RESPECTIVELY 20. LIKEWISE, FRESH OR NEARLY PURE WATER SHOULD
HAVE A LOWER TDS CONSTANT CLOSER TO 0.47-0.50
• STANDARD METHODS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF WATER AND WASTEWATER
ACCEPTS A TDS CONSTANT OF 0.55-0.7, THOUGH IF THE WATER SOURCE IS KNOWN
TO BE HIGH IN CALCIUM OR SULFATE IONS, A CONSTANT OF 0.8 MAY BE USED 13.
SEVERAL CONDUCTIVITY METERS WILL ACCEPT A CONSTANT OUTSIDE OF THIS
RANGE, BUT IT IS RECOMMENDED TO REANALYZE THE SAMPLE BY
EVAPORATION TO CONFIRM THIS RATIO
 SOLUTIONS WITH THE SAME CONDUCTIVITY VALUE, BUT DIFFERENT IONIC
CONSTITUTIONS (KCL VS NACL VS 442) WILL HAVE DIFFERENT TOTAL
DISSOLVED SOLID CONCENTRATIONS. THIS IS DUE TO THE DIFFERENCE IN
MOLECULAR WEIGHT 40. IN ADDITION, THE IONIC COMPOSITION WILL
CHANGE THE RECOMMENDED TDS CONSTANT.

At the same conductivity value, each solution will have a different concentration of dissolved solids and thus a different TDS
 WHY IS CONDUCTIVITY IMPORTANT?

Factors that affect water volume (like heavy rain or evaporation) affect conductivity. Runoff or flooding over
soils that are high in salts or minerals can cause a spike in conductivity despite the increase in water flow.
Conductivity, in particular specific conductance, is one of the most useful and commonly measured water
quality parameters 3. In addition to being the basis of most salinity and total dissolved solids calculations,
conductivity is an early indicator of change in a water system. Most bodies of water maintain a fairly constant
conductivity that can be used as a baseline of comparison to future measurements 1. Significant change,
whether it is due to natural flooding, evaporation or man-made pollution can be very detrimental to water
quality.
- SALINITY IS IMPORTANT IN PARTICULAR AS IT AFFECTS
DISSOLVED OXYGEN SOLUBILITY .
- THE HIGHER THE SALINITY LEVEL, THE LOWER THE
DISSOLVED OXYGEN CONCENTRATION. OXYGEN IS ABOUT
20% LESS SOLUBLE IN SEAWATER THAN IN FRESHWATER AT
THE SAME TEMPERATURE .
- THIS MEANS THAT, ON AVERAGE, SEAWATER HAS A LOWER
DISSOLVED OXYGEN CONCENTRATION THAN FRESHWATER
SOURCES.
- THE EFFECT OF SALINITY ON THE SOLUBILITY OF DISSOLVED
GASES IS DUE TO HENRY’S LAW; THE CONSTANT USED WILL
CHANGES BASED ON SALT ION CONCENTRATIONS .
AQUATIC ORGANISM TOLERANCE
Euryhaline species have the widest salinity
tolerance range as they travel between both
saltwater and freshwater.
Most aquatic organisms can only tolerate a
specific salinity range . The physiological
adaption of each species is determined by the
salinity of its surrounding environment. Most
species of fish are stenohaline, or exclusively
freshwater or exclusively saltwater. However,
there are a few organisms that can adapt to a
range of salinities. These euryhaline
organisms can be anadromous, catadromous
or true euryhaline. Anadromous organisms
live in saltwater but spawn in freshwater.
Catadromous species are the opposite – they
live in freshwater and migrate to saltwater to
spawn . True euryhaline species can be found
in saltwater or freshwater at any point in their
life cycle . Estuarine organisms are true
euryhaline.
Most aquatic organisms prefer
either freshwater or saltwater.
Few species traverse between
salinity gradients, and fewer
still tolerate daily salinity
fluctuations.
Oil or hydrocarbons can reduce the
conductivity of water. (photo credit:
Lamiot via Wikimedia Commons)
A sudden increase or decrease in
conductivity in a body of water can
indicate pollution. Agricultural runoff or a
sewage leak will increase conductivity due
to the additional chloride, phosphate and
nitrate ions 1. An oil spill or addition of
other organic compounds would decrease
conductivity as these elements do not
break down into ions 34. In both cases, the
additional dissolved solids will have a
negative impact on water quality.
Salinity’s affect on water density is one of the driving forces behind ocean convection.
Salinity affects water density. The higher the dissolved salt concentration, the higher the
density of water 4. The increase in density with salt levels is one of the driving forces behind
ocean circulation 22. When sea ice forms near the polar regions, it does not include the salt
ions. Instead, the water molecules freeze, forcing the salt into pockets of briny water 22. This
brine eventually drains out of the ice, leaving behind an air pocket and increasing the salinity
of the water surrounding the ice. As this saline water is denser than the surrounding
WHERE DO TDS AND SALINITY COME FROM?
• CONDUCTIVITY AND SALINITY VARY GREATLY
BETWEEN DIFFERENT BODIES OF WATER.
MOST FRESHWATER STREAMS AND LAKES
HAVE LOW SALINITY AND CONDUCTIVITY
VALUES. THE OCEANS HAVE A HIGH
CONDUCTIVITY AND SALINITY DUE TO THE
HIGH NUMBER OF THE DISSOLVED SALTS
PRESENT.
FRESHWATER CONDUCTIVITY SOURCES
Many different sources can contribute to
the total dissolved solids level in water.
In streams and rivers, normal
conductivity levels come from the
surrounding geology 1. Clay soils will
contribute to conductivity, while granite
bedrock will not 1. The minerals in clay
will ionize as they dissolve, while
granite remains inert. Likewise,
groundwater inflows will contribute to
the conductivity of the stream or river
depending on the geology that the
groundwater flows through.
Groundwater that is heavily ionized
from dissolved minerals will increase
the conductivity of the water into which
it flows.
 SALTWATER CONDUCTIVITY SOURCES
•MOST OF THE SALT IN THE OCEAN COMES FROM RUNOFF, SEDIMENT AND TECTONIC ACTIVITY 17.
RAIN CONTAINS CARBONIC ACID, WHICH CAN CONTRIBUTE TO ROCK EROSION. AS RAIN FLOWS
OVER ROCKS AND SOIL, THE MINERALS AND SALTS ARE BROKEN DOWN INTO IONS AND ARE
CARRIED ALONG, EVENTUALLY REACHING THE OCEAN 17. HYDROTHERMAL VENTS ALONG THE
BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE DISSOLVED MINERALS 17. AS HOT WATER SEEPS OUT OF
THE VENTS, IT RELEASES MINERALS WITH IT. SUBMARINE VOLCANOES CAN SPEW DISSOLVED
MINERALS AND CARBON DIOXIDE INTO THE OCEAN 17. THE DISSOLVED CARBON DIOXIDE CAN
BECOME CARBONIC ACID WHICH CAN ERODE ROCKS ON THE SURROUNDING SEAFLOOR AND ADD
TO THE SALINITY. AS WATER EVAPORATES OFF THE SURFACE OF THE OCEAN, THE SALTS FROM
THESE SOURCES ARE LEFT BEHIND TO ACCUMULATE OVER MILLIONS OF YEARS 27.
•DISCHARGES SUCH AS POLLUTION CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO SALINITY AND TDS, AS WASTEWATER
EFFLUENT INCREASES SALT IONS AND AN OIL SPILL INCREASES TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS 1.
 WHEN DOES CONDUCTIVITY FLUCTUATE?
• CONDUCTIVITY IS DEPENDENT ON WATER
TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY/TDS 38. WATER FLOW AND
WATER LEVEL CHANGES CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO
CONDUCTIVITY THROUGH THEIR IMPACT ON SALINITY.
WATER TEMPERATURE CAN CAUSE CONDUCTIVITY
LEVELS TO FLUCTUATE DAILY. IN ADDITION TO ITS
DIRECT EFFECT ON CONDUCTIVITY, TEMPERATURE
ALSO INFLUENCES WATER DENSITY, WHICH LEADS TO
STRATIFICATION. STRATIFIED WATER CAN HAVE
DIFFERENT CONDUCTIVITY VALUES AT DIFFERENT
CONDUCTIVITY AND TEMPERATURE
CONDUCTIVITY IS TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT.
WHEN WATER TEMPERATURE INCREASES, SO WILL
CONDUCTIVITY 3. FOR EVERY 1°C INCREASE,
CONDUCTIVITY VALUES CAN INCREASE 2-4% 3.
TEMPERATURE AFFECTS CONDUCTIVITY BY
INCREASING IONIC MOBILITY AS WELL AS THE
SOLUBILITY OF MANY SALTS AND MINERALS 30. THIS
CAN BE SEEN IN DIURNAL VARIATIONS AS A BODY OF
WATER WARMS UP DUE TO SUNLIGHT, (AND
CONDUCTIVITY INCREASES) AND THEN COOLS DOWN
AT NIGHT (DECREASING CONDUCTIVITY).
 CONDUCTIVITY AND WATER FLOW
• THE EFFECT OF WATER FLOW ON CONDUCTIVITY AND
SALINITY VALUES IS FAIRLY BASIC. IF THE INFLOW IS A
FRESHWATER SOURCE, IT WILL DECREASE SALINITY AND
CONDUCTIVITY VALUES 29. FRESHWATER SOURCES
INCLUDE SPRINGS, SNOWMELT, CLEAR, CLEAN STREAMS
AND FRESH GROUNDWATER 21. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE SPECTRUM, HIGHLY MINERALIZED GROUNDWATER
INFLOWS WILL INCREASE CONDUCTIVITY AND SALINITY
1. AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF, IN ADDITION TO BEING HIGH
IN NUTRIENTS, OFTEN HAS A HIGHER CONCENTRATION OF
DISSOLVED SOLIDS THAT CAN INFLUENCE CONDUCTIVITY
 • RAIN ITSELF CAN HAVE A HIGHER CONDUCTIVITY THAN PURE WATER DUE TO
THE INCORPORATION OF GASES AND DUST PARTICLES 23. HOWEVER, HEAVY
RAINFALL CAN DECREASE THE CONDUCTIVITY OF A BODY OF WATER AS IT
DILUTES THE CURRENT SALINITY CONCENTRATION 29.

Flooding can increase conductivity when it washes salts and minerals from the soil into a
water source.
CONDUCTIVITY AND WATER LEVEL
As water flow fluctuates in an estuary, so
will salinity levels.
The conductivity of water due to water level
fluctuations is often directly connected to
water flow. Conductivity and salinity
fluctuations due to water level changes are
most noticeable in estuaries. As tides rise,
saltwater from the ocean is pushed into an
estuary, raising salinity and conductivity
values 29. When the tide falls, the saltwater
is pulled back toward the ocean, lowering
conductivity and salinity 29.
TYPICAL CONDUCTIVITY AND SALINITY LEVELS
• WHILE FRESHWATER SOURCES HAVE A LOW CONDUCTIVITY AND SEAWATER HAS
A HIGH CONDUCTIVITY, THERE IS NO SET STANDARD FOR THE CONDUCTIVITY OF
WATER. INSTEAD, SOME ORGANIZATIONS AND REGIONS HAVE SET LIMITS ON
TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS FOR BODIES OF WATER 14,37. THIS IS BECAUSE
CONDUCTIVITY AND SALINITY CAN DIFFER NOT ONLY BETWEEN OCEANS AND
FRESHWATER, BUT EVEN BETWEEN NEIGHBORING STREAMS. IF THE
SURROUNDING GEOLOGY IS DIFFERENT ENOUGH, OR IF ONE SOURCE HAS A
SEPARATE INFLOW, CONDUCTIVITY VALUES OF NEIGHBORING WATER BODIES
WILL NOT BE THE SAME.
 THE FOLLOWING CHART OFFERS
APPROXIMATE SALINITY VALUES IN PPT
(PARTS PER THOUSAND)
• DEIONIZED WATER

• IT IS IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT JUST BECAUSE DEIONIZED

WATER OR ULTRA-PURE WATER HAS NO EXTRANEOUS IONS, THAT
DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT HAS A CONDUCTIVITY OF 0 US/CM 45. THE
CONDUCTIVITY VALUE WILL BE VERY SMALL, AND IN MOST
SITUATIONS, NEGLIGIBLE, BUT EVEN DEIONIZED WATER HAS H+ AND
OH- IONS PRESENT. AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, THE CONCENTRATION
OF BOTH H+ IONS AND OH- IONS IS 10⁻⁷ M (THINK PH – DEIONIZED
WATER WILL HAVE A NEUTRAL PH OF 7 WITHOUT ATMOSPHERIC
CONTACT) CREATING A VERY SMALL CONDUCTIVITY VALUE 46.
DESPITE THIS LOW CONDUCTIVITY VALUE, DEIONIZED WATER WILL
STILL HAVE A SALINITY OF ZERO; THERE ARE NO SALT IONS PRESENT,
ONLY H+ AND OH-, WHICH NATURALLY EXIST IN PURE WATER.
• CONSEQUENCES OF UNUSUAL LEVELS
• UNUSUAL CONDUCTIVITY AND SALINITY LEVELS
ARE USUALLY INDICATIVE OF POLLUTION 1. IN
SOME CASES, SUCH AS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL OR
DROUGHT, THEY CAN BE CONNECTED TO
EXTREME NATURAL CAUSES. REGARDLESS OF
WHETHER THE RESULT WAS CAUSED BY
MANMADE OR NATURAL SOURCES, CHANGES IN
CONDUCTIVITY, SALINITY AND TDS CAN HAVE AN
IMPACT ON AQUATIC LIFE AND WATER QUALITY.
• MOST AQUATIC SPECIES HAVE ADAPTED TO SPECIFIC SALINITY
LEVELS 4. SALINITY VALUES OUTSIDE OF A NORMAL RANGE CAN
RESULT IN FISH KILLS DUE TO CHANGES IN DISSOLVED OXYGEN
CONCENTRATIONS, OSMOSIS REGULATION AND TDS TOXICITY
4,21,37.
• WHEN CONDUCTIVITY AND SALINITY VALUES EXTEND TOO FAR
FROM THEIR USUAL RANGE, IT CAN BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE
AQUATIC LIFE RESIDING IN A BODY OF WATER. THIS IS WHY FEWER,
BUT PERHAPS HARDIER, SPECIES HAVE ADAPTED TO LIFE IN
ESTUARIES, WHERE SALINITY IS CONSTANTLY IN FLUX. ESTUARINE
LIFE CAN TOLERATE RAPIDLY CHANGING SALINITY LEVELS BETTER
THAN BOTH THEIR FRESHWATER AND MARINE COUNTERPARTS 4.
BUT EVEN THESE BRACKISH-WATER SPECIES CAN SUFFER IF THE
REFERENCES

• FONDRIEST ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. “CONDUCTIVITY, SALINITY AND TOTAL

DISSOLVED SOLIDS.” FUNDAMENTALS OF ENVIRONMENTAL MEASUREMENTS. 3
MAR 2014. WEB. < HTTPS://WWW.FONDRIEST.COM/ENVIRONMENTAL-
MEASUREMENTS/PARAMETERS/WATER-QUALITY/CONDUCTIVITY-SALINITY-TDS/
>.
THANK YOU!