EXPERIMENT NO-01

Determination of Total Hardness and Calcium Hardness.

AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT: To determine the Total and Calcium Hardness in a given water
sample.
APPARATUS REQUIRED:
1. Burette of 50ml capacity with burette stand.
2. Conical flask
3. Beaker
4. Measuring cylinder
5. Funnel
CHEMICALS/REAGENTS REQUIRED:
1. Ammonia Buffer Solution.
2. 0.01M EDTA standard solution
3. Murexide indicator (C8H8N6O6)
4. 1N sodium hydroxide buffer solution
Murexide indicator
THEORY:
Hardness is caused by divalent metallic cations. These are capable of reacting with the soap
to form precipitation. The principal hardness causing cations are Calcium (Ca +2), Magnesium
(Mg+2), Strontium (Sr+2) and Ferrous(Fe+2). Total hardness is to be estimated as the total dissolved
salts of calcium and magnesium particularly of bicarbonate, carbonate, sulphate, chloride,
hydroxide etc. Hardness not being a single entity and to have uniform comparison with other
equivalent analytical parameter like alkalinity and acidity, hardness result are normally expressed in
mg/l as CaCO3 . When total hardness greater than sum of carbonate and bicarbonate alkalinity, the
amount of excess of alkalinity is called the non carbonate hardness.
Ethylene Diamine Tetracetic Acid (EDTA) or its disodium salt forms soluble chelate
complex with many metal ions, preferably with divalent metal ion like Ca, Mg, Sr, Fe, etc.

M2+ + EDTA = M-EDTA complex (solute)

In presence of soluble metal ion indicator like Erichrome Black T (EBT) indicator at a
soluble pH of 8.5 to 10 shall form soluble complexes with metal.
M2+ + In- -------- M-In
Then these metal ion indicator react with EDTA solution to term Metal-EDTA soluble
complex and metal ion indicator form the complex.
M-In + EDTA ---------------- M-EDTA + In (free)
Therefore this is a typical complexometric titration and reaction involved here are complex
in nature.
PROCEDURE:
DETERMINATION OF TOTAL HARDNESS
1. Take 100 ml of supplied water sample in a 250 ml conical flask.
2. Add 1 ml of ammonia buffer solution to the sample to maintain a constant pH of 10.
3. Load 0.01M EDTA solution acid in a 50 ml burette fitted with a burette stand.
4. Then add 3- 4 drops of EBT indicator showing M-In complex as wine red colour.
5. Titrate the sample against standard 0.01M EDTA solution till the colour changes from wine
red to deep blue indicating the end point of the reaction.
6. Calculate the titration volume in ml from the difference in initial and final reading.
DETERMINATION OF CALCIUM HARDNESS
Calcium salts contribute the major amount of hardness salt. Calcium hardness are determined
separately by using different indicator.
1. Take 100 ml of supplied water sample in a 250 ml conical flask.
2. Add 1 ml of 1N NaOH buffer solution to the sample to maintain a constant pH of 12.
3. Then add a pinch of complex metal ion indicator showing a pink colour of metal ion
complex.
4. Titrate the sample against standard 0.01M EDTA solution till the colour changes from pink
to purple colour indicating the end point of the reaction.
5. Calculate the titration volume in ml from the difference in initial and final reading.

OBSERVATION TABLE:
Table-1 Observation table for Total Hardness:
Sl.No.

Burette readings (ml)

Vol. Of Sample Taken (V1 Initial reading
Final reading
ml)

Vol. Of EDTA
consumed (V2 ml)

Table-2Observation table for Calcium Hardness:

Sl.No.

Burette readings (ml)

Vol. Of Sample Taken (V4 Initial reading
Final reading
(ml)

CALCULATION:
Basis of calculation: 1000 ml of EDTA solution = 100 gm of CaCO3
Total hardness in mg/L CaCO3

= Titration value in ml (v2) *1000

Volume of sample taken (v1)

Calcium hardness in mg/L CaCO3 = Titration value in ml (v3) *1000

Volume of sample taken(v4)
ENVIORNMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE:

Vol. Of EDTA
consumed( V3)