Which property of a solution is measured to assess its acidity?

The property measured to assess the acidity of a solution is pH. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14 and indicates how acidic or basic a solution is. A pH value below 7 signifies that the solution is acidic, while a value above 7 indicates a basic or alkaline solution. A pH of exactly 7 is considered neutral.

This measurement is crucial because it affects various chemical reactions and biological processes in wastewater treatment. Knowing the pH helps in managing the treatment process effectively as many processes are dependent on the acidity or alkalinity of the solution.

In contrast, conductivity measures the ability of a solution to conduct electricity, which is more related to the concentration of ions in the solution rather than its acidity. Alkalinity refers to the ability of water to resist changes in pH when an acid is added, relating more to base content than acidity. Hardness is a measure of the concentration of calcium and magnesium ions in water and does not provide information about the solution's acidity. Thus, pH is the definitive property to assess acidity.