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WISP-3: in situ water quality instrument

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WISP-3: in situ water quality instrument

The WISP-3 is an easy to operate hand-held instrument for water quality instrument for measurements of surface waters. A fixed mounted system is available for continuous monitoring. WISP-3 measures in situ and in real time, without the need for laboratory analysis. WISP-3 is fast and up to 50% more cost-effective in comparison with traditional lab analysis. Furthermore, instant availability and extensive analysis of the measurement results are available using the WISP-3 web portal.

Methodology

WISP-3 uses the spectral information of upwelling light from the water body. Based on 20 years of sound university research at the Institute of Environmental Studies (VU University Amsterdam) and others, know-how and techniques have been developed to determine the concentrations of water quality parameters from this spectral information with accuracies comparable to laboratory analyses.

 

Parameters

The WISP-3 determines the concentration of the following parameters:

    •  Chlorophyll as proxy for algal biomass;
    •  Phycocyanin as proxy for cyanobacterial biomass;
    •  suspended sediments (TSM);
    •  Coloured Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) (after additional processing via
       portal);
Additional parameter derived by the WISP-3 are:
    •  water transparency: PAR and for separate spectral bands;
    •  Secchi Disk depth (after additional processing via portal);
    •  occurrence of floating layers of cyanobacteria.
 
Application
 
The WISP-3 is designed for:
    •  monitoring of water supply reservoirs;
    •  monitoring water quality at swimming water locations;
    •  intensive monitoring during periods of expected algal blooms;
    •  flexible and fast monitoring of ecological restoration projects.
 
Due to its speed, flexibility and instantaneous data availability, usage of the WISP-3 and its web portal enables day to day decision support systems of water management organizations where algal blooms affect:
  • drinking water safety;
  • ecological status/ environmental protection;
  • swimming water safety.

 

Download the WISP-3 flyer

Download the Quick start guide for the WISP-3

 

Links:

SenterNovem about the WISP-3 (in Dutch)

Article on the WISP-3 in International Environmental Technology