Applying Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy to Predict Water Quality in Aceh River

Water quality in the river or in ground well is highly correlated and influenced by human activities. In order to determine water quality and other materials, several methods are widely employed. However, most of these method are based on standard laboratory analysis which normally laborious, time consuming, expensive, and involve chemical materials. Thus, a rapid, robust, effective and simple alternative method is required to assess water quality. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is considered to be applied due to its advantages. The main aim of this present study is to investigate the potential ability of NIRS technology in assessing water quality indices: Salinity and total dissolved solids. Transmission spectra data were acquired for water samples from 9 different site points along Krueng Aceh river basin in wavelength range from 1000 to 2500 nm. Spectra data were corrected and enhanced using mean normalization (MN) standard normal variate (SNV) and baseline shift correction (BSC). Prediction models, used to determine and predict TDS content were established by using principal component regression (PCR) and validated by leverage validation method. Obtained results showed that NIRS technology appears feasible to determine TDS rapidly. Achieved maximum correlation coefficient (r) and RPD index were 0.91; and 2.41 for TDS prediction. It may conclude that NIRS technology has the potential ability to determine total dissolved solids satisfactory. Keywords— Water, NIRS, Krueng Aceh, River, Prediction. ——————————  ——————————