Limiting Factors of Simultaneous Measurement Method for Turbidity and Total Suspended Solids Based on Image Processing Approaches

Abstract

Image processing is one of the computational approaches that can be applied to measure fluctuations in surface water pollutant concentrations. Identifying factors that can affect and become a limitation in the development of image processing-based simultaneous measurement methods is the focus of the discussion in this article. Nineteen variables have been identified from the three-factor categories of hardware configuration, software settings, and the measured suspension characteristics. Measurements were made on thirty images extracted from video captured with a USB Mechanic-DX-230 camera with a 23-megapixel resolution Panasonic CMOS sensor equipped with a macro lens in 130X magnification on the S-EYE-1.6.0.11 interface. Image frame extraction was performed with VirtualDub2 build 4428/release, followed by digital image processing and analysis with ImageJ 1.46r. The lens’s focal length to the sample cell is 5 cm, setting the brightness parameter minimum of 90 and maximum of 255 and minimum threshold settings of 209 and maximum of 255, which is a controlled factor to achieve the best repeatability rate. It is indicated by a relative standard deviation of up to 6% in the measurement chamber with a dark background. Complying with the stated factors is essential to ensure measurement results’ reliability and validity.