Advances on Water Quality Detection by UV-Vis Spectroscopy

Water resources are closely linked to human productivity and life. Owing to the deteriorating water resources environment, accurate and rapid determination of the main water quality parameters has become a current research hotspot. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy offers an effective tool for qualitative analysis and quantitative detection of contaminants in a water environment. In this review, the principle and application of UV-Vis technology in water quality detection were studied. The principle of UV-Vis spectroscopy for detecting water quality parameters and the method of modeling and analysis of spectral data were presented. Various UV-Vis technologies for water quality detection were reviewed according to the types of pollutants, such as chemical oxygen demand, heavy metal ions, nitrate nitrogen, and dissolved organic carbon. Finally, the future development of UV-Vis spectroscopy for the determination of water quality was discussed.