What is the difference between turbidimetry and nephelometry?

Answer 1

Chemical analysis based on the phenomenon whereby light, passing through a medium with dispersed particles of a different refractive index from that of the medium, is attenuated in intensity by scattering.

In turbidimetry, the intensity of light transmitted through the medium, the unscattered light, is measured.

In nephelometry, the intensity of the scattered light is measured, usually, but not necessarily, at right angles to the incident light beam.

Answer 2

Turbidimetry measures the decrease in light intensity as it passes through a sample, while nephelometry measures the scattered light at a specific angle. Turbidimetry is more sensitive to larger particles and higher concentrations, while nephelometry is better suited for smaller particles and lower concentrations. Both techniques are used to quantify the amount of particles in a sample, but they measure different aspects of light interaction.