Total Suspended Solids (TSS) measurements quantify particles larger than 2 microns found in a water column. These can include inorganic compounds (gravel, sand, silt) or organics (algae, plankton, and decaying plant or animal matter). TSS contributes to the optical clarity or turbidity of water, but also includes solids that can settle at the bottom of a body of water.
Using standard EPA methods 2540C and 2540D, TSS can be quantified via gravimetric analysis1.2. A water sample is filtered through a pre-weighed glass fiber filter, capturing the solids larger than 2 um. Then, the filter is dried in an oven to remove remaining water and weighed again. The weight difference over the sample volume provides the TSS concentration in mg/L. An interesting technology advancement for TSS testing