Experiment on determination of total alkalinity of water

Aim: To determine the total alkalinity of given water sample

Apparatus: Burette, pipette, conical flask,250ml measuring cylinder, standard

flask, wash bottles, beakers.

Chemicals Required: Standard H2SO4, Phenolphthalein indicator, ethyl orange

indicator, distilled water.

Principle:
1. Alkalinity is determined by titrating the sample with a standard solution of
strong mineral acid to bicarbonates and carbonic acid equivalence point.
2. Alkalinity is expressed in terms of CaCo3 equivalent.
3. For samples whose pH is above 8.3titration is done in two steps
4. pH is lowered to 8.3,which is indicator loosing the pink colourand becoming
colourless.
5. In second phase of titration the ph is loweed to above 4.5which is indicated
by methyl orange indicator changing colour from yellow to orange red
colour.

Environmental significance:
1. Alkalinity is important for fish and aquatic life because it protects or buffers
against rapid ph changes.
2. Higher alkalinity level in surface water will buffer acid rain and other acid
base and prevent ph changes that are harmful to aquatic life.
3. Large amount of alkalinity imparts bitter taste in water.
4. The principle objection of alkalinity of water is the reactions that can occur
between alkalinity and certain cations in water.
5. The resulted precipitate can corrode pipe and other accessories of other
water distribution system.
6. Waste water containing excess caustic alkalinity are not to be discharged
into natural water bodies or sea wells.
7. Alkalinity has carbonate and bicarbonate of saline water is very important in
tertiary recovery process in recovering petroleum.
 8. Alkaline water offers better wetting to formation rocks and improve oil
release.
9. As the additional benefit ions that provide alkalinity absorb on rock surface
occupying .. and decrease in loss of recovery chemical by absorption
the alkalinity value is necessary in the calculating of carbonate scaling
tendency of saline water.
10.The alkalinity acts as a ph buffer in coagulation and lime soda softening of
water.
11.In waste water treatment alkalinity is an important parameter in determining
the abidability of ways to the treatment process and control of process such
as anaerobic digestion where bicarbonate alkalinity , total alkalinity and any
fraction contributed by volatile acid salts become consideration.

Procedure:
1. Take 20 ml of the given water sample in flask (V).
2. Add 2 drops of Phenolphthalein indicator the sample turns pink if ph is
above 8.3.
3. Run down 0.05N standard sulphuric acid till the solution turns to colour
less.
4. Note down the volume of H2SO4 added(V1).
5. Add 2 drops methyl orange indicator which turns sample to yellow colour.
6. Repeat titration till the colour of the solution turns to orange.
7. Note down the total volume of H2SO4 run down (V2).
8. Repeat the experiment until two concurrent readings obtained.

Observation:
Sl.no Volume of Vol of H2SO4 Vol of H2SO4 Total vol of
water sample run down for run down for H2SO4 run
 (V)ml Phenolphthalei methyl orange down
n (V2)ml (V3)ml
(V1)ml

Calculations:
Phenolphthalein alkalinity expressed as mg/lit(CaCo3)

P=(V1*50*1000*0.05N)/vol of sample

= ..mg/lit.

Methyl orange alkalinity expressed as mg/lit(CaCo3)

M=(V2*50*1000*0.05N)/vol of sample

=mg/lit.

Total alkalinity expressed as mg/lit(CaCo3)

T=(V3*50*1000*0.05N)/vol of sample.

=mg/lit.

Result:
Phenolphthalein alkalinity is .mg/lit.

Methyl orange indicator is mg/lit.

Total alkalinity is .mg/lit.