UNIT IV - Module 4 - 2
UNIT IV - Module 4 - 2
UNIT IV - Module 4 - 2
Introduction
Water is nature’s most wonderful, abundant, useful compound and is an essential without it one cannot
survive. It occupies a unique position in industries. Its most important use is as an engineering material
in the steam generation. Water is also used as coolant in power and chemical plants. It is also used in
other fields such as production of steel, rayon, paper, atomic energy, textiles, chemicals, ice and for air-
conditioning, drinking, bathing, sanitary, washing, irrigation, etc.
Occurrence:
Water is widely distributed in nature. It has been estimated that about 75% matter on earth’s surface
consists of water. The body of human being consists of about 60% of water. Plants, fruits and vegetables
contain 90-95% of water.
Sources of Water:
Different sources of water are:
Surface Waters: Rain water (purest form of natural water), River water, Lake Water, Sea water (most
impure form of natural water).
Underground Waters: Spring and Well water. Underground waters have high organic impurity.
Since all environmental processes involve water, the characteristics of water play an important role in
identifying environmental processes.
I. WATER CHEMISTRY
A. Physical properties of water
Water, due to its high boiling point, occurs primarily in its liquid state in a range of
conditions where life thrives, while the other two forms, ice and steam, play an important role
in shaping the environment.
Water has a high surface tension. Surface tension forces overpower gravity and viscous
forces, and the air-water interface becomes an essentially impenetrable barrier. This is now a
significant influence in the climate and lifestyle of small insects, bacteria and other
microorganisms.
c. specific gravity, s
s = ρ/ρo = /o
= 1000 kg/m3
= 9.81 kN/m3
2. Suspended solids
o Defined as those solids that can be filtered by a glass fiber filter disc and are properly
called filterable solids. Suspended solids can be removed from water by physical methods
such as sedimentation, filtration and centrifugation.
3. Colloidal Particles
o The size range between dissolved substances and suspended particles
o They are in a solid state and can be removed from the liquid by physical means such as
very high-force centrifugation or filtration through membranes with very small pose
spaces
Tyndall Effect
o When light passes through a liquid containing colloidal particles, the light is reflected by
the particles
Turbidity
o Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a liquid created by a significant number of
individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, comparable to smoke in
the air.
o The dynes to which a colloidal suspension reflects light at a 90 o angle to the entrance
beam.
Figure 1. Turbidity is measured in a unit called NTUs. The lower the NTU, the lower the turbidity
http://www.clevelandwater.com/blog/understanding-turbidity-and-why-it-matters.
4. Color
o Combination of dissolved and colloidal materials
o Caused by colloidal iron or manganese complexes, although the most common cause of
color is from complex organic compounds that originate from the decomposition of
organic matter. One common source of color is the degradation of soil humus, which
produces humic acids – imparts reddish-brown color to water
Chemical Units
Used to perform stoichiometric calculations
1. Weight percent, P
o Employed to express appropriate concentration of commercial chemicals or of solid
concentrations of sludge.
W
P= ×100 %
W+W0
Analyst usually give results directly in mass per volume (mg/L) for very dilute solution, the pressure
of the substance does not change the density of water:
Since 1 mL = 1 g water
1 mg 10-3 mL 10-3 mL 1 mL
= = 3 = 6 = 1 ppm
L L 10 mL 10 mL
1 mg/L = 1 ppm
In chemical reaction:
N = nM
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Example 1:
1. Commercial sulphuric acid, H2SO4, is often purchased as a 93-weight percent solution. Find the
mg/L of H2SO4 and the molarity and normality of the solution sulfuric acid has a specific gravity of
1.839.
Solution:
1 L HW = 100 g
1 L H2SO4 of 100% H2SO4: 1000(1.839) = 1839 g
1710 g / L
M= = 17.45 mole/ L or 17.45 M
98 g / mol
Solution:
Concentrations can also be reported in moles per liter (molarity) or in gram-equivalents per liter
(normality). In the case of chemical reactions, molarity concentrations or normality can be used.
Molarity is related to milligrams per liter.
The molecular weight of NaHCO3 is 84; therefore, the mass that must be added can be determined
by
MW NaHCO3 = 84
mg/L = (1 mole/L) (84 g/mole) = 84 g/L
N = nM = 1 normal
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Example 3.
Find the equivalent weight of each of the following: Ca2+, CO32-, CaCO3
Solution:
Atomic or MW mg
EW = =
n meq
Ca2+: n=2
CO32-: n=2
CaCO3: n=2
[OH-] ions:
H 2O H OH
The equilibrium for pure water is [H+] × [OH-] = Kw = 10-14 =10-7 × 10-7
- pH is a critical measurement. Life depends upon it. For instance, human blood is basic with a
pH between 7.3 and 7.5.
o If the blood pH drops < 7.3, acidosis occurs (diabetes).
o If blood pH rises > 7.5, alkalosis occurs (Tums OD).
o Below 7.0 and above 7,8, death occurs
pH describes a water’s relative acidity, provides no measure of how the water will tolerate
addition of acid or base to the system.
pH is measured according to electrometric principles based on the Nernst equation. Temperature
is the only variable.
pH affects nearly every water and wastewater treatment function (wherever some chemistry is
involved)
C. Hardness of water
Hardness of water is a characteristic property by which water “prevents lathering of soap”. This is
due to presence of certain salts like Ca2+, Mg2+ and other heavy metals dissolved in water.
Hard Water: The water which does not give lather with soap is called hard water. This is due to
presence of certain salts like Ca2+, Mg2+ and other heavy metals dissolved in water
2 C 17 H 35COONa CaCl2 / MgCl2 C17 H 35COO Ca / Mg 2 NaCl 2
soap (soluble) salts (soluble) insoluble scum
Thus the cause of hardness is the precipitation of the soap and hence prevents lathering at first. When the
hardness causing ions are removed as insoluble soaps, water becomes soft and forms lather.
Causes of Hardness
Rain
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
Limestone
CaCO3(s) + H2SO3 → Ca(HCO3)2
MgCO3(s) + H2SO3 → Mg(HCO3)2
Hardness of water is due to the presence of Bicarbonates, Chlorides, Sulphates and Nitrates of Calcium
and Magnesium. These soluble salts get mixed with natural water due to the following reasons:
1. When natural water containing CO2 flows over the rocks of the limestone (CaCO3) and Dolamite
(CaCO3 and MgCO3), they get converted into soluble bicarbonates. Thus, water gets hardness.
CaCO3 H 2O CO2 Ca HCO3 2
insoluble soluble
2. When natural water flows over the rocks containing chlorides and sulphates and Nitrates of Calcium
and magnesium, these salts dissolve in water. Thus water gets hardness.
Note:
CaCO3 and MgCO3 are both insoluble in water but the bicarbonate is quite soluble.
Gypsum (CaSO4) and MgSO4 may also go into solution to contribute to the hardness
Disadvantages of Hardness
1. In Domestic use:
o Washing: Hard water, when used for washing purposes, does not producing lather freely with
soap. As a result, cleaning quality of soap is decreased and a lot of it is wasted.
o Bathing: Hard water does not lather freely with soap solution, but produces sticky scum on the
bath-tub and body. Thus, the cleaning quality of soap is depressed and a lot of it is wasted.
o Cooking: The boiling point of water is increased because of presence of salts. Hence more fuel
and time are required for cooking.
o Drinking: Hard water causes bad effects on our digestive system. Moreover, the possibility of
forming calcium oxalate crystals in urinary tracks is increased.
2. Industrial Use
o Textile Industry: Hard water causes wastage of soap. Precipitates of calcium and magnesium
soaps adhere to the fabrics and cause problem.
o Sugar Industry: The water which containing sulphates, nitrates, alkali carbonates are used in
sugar refining, cause difficulties in the crystallization of sugar.
o Dyeing Industry: The dissolved salts in hard water may reacts with costly dyes forming
precipitates.
o Paper Industry: Calcium, magnesium, Iron salts in water may affect the quality of paper.
o Pharmaceutical Industry: Hard water may cause some undesirable products while preparation
of pharmaceutical products.
Hardness of water is mainly two types: Temporary Hardness and Permanent Hardness
Ca HCO3 2
heating
CaCO3 H2O CO2
Mg HCO3
heating
Mg OH 2 2 CO2
2
- Permanent Hardness cannot be removed by boiling but it can be removed by the use of
chemical agents.
Total Hardness (TH) = Ca2+ + Mg2+ (mg/L as CaCO3 or meq/L)
TH = CH + NCH
The expression of hardness producing salts usually expressed in terms of an equivalent amount of
CaCO3. Calcium Carbonate is chosen as a standard because:
i Its molecular weight (100) and equivalent weight (50) is a whole number, so the calculations in
water analysis can be simplified.
ii It is the most insoluble salt that can be precipitated in water treatment.
CO32- 60 30 100/60
NaAlO2 82 82 100/164
Al2(SO4)3 342 57 100/114
FeSO4.7H2O 278 139 100/278
H+ 1 1 100/2
HCl 36.5 1 100/73
2. Units of Hardness
1. Parts per Million (ppm): The number of parts of calcium carbonate equivalent hardness presents
in 106 parts of water.
1 ppm = 1 part of CaCO3 eq hardness in 106 parts of water.
2. Milligrams per litre (mg/l): The number of milligrams of calcium carbonate equivalent hardness
presents in litre of water.
1 mg/L = 1 mg of CaCO3 eq hardness in 1 liter of water.
But one liter of water weights = 1 kg = 1000g = 1000 1000 mg = 106 mg = 1 ppm
3. Clark’s degree (°Cl): The number of parts of calcium carbonate equivalent hardness presents in
70,000 or (7 × 104) parts of water.
1° Clarke = 1 part of CaCO3 eq hardness per 70,000 parts of water
4. Degree French (°Fr): The number of parts of calcium carbonate equivalent hardness presents in 105
parts of water.
1° Fr = 1 part of CaCO3 hardness eq per 105 parts of water
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Example 4.
A sample of water is found to contains following dissolving salts in milligrams per liter Mg(HCO3)2 = 73,
CaCl2 = 111, Ca(HCO3)2 = 81, MgSO4 = 40 and MgCl2 = 95. Calculate temporary and permanent hardness
and total hardness.
Solution:
= 50 + 50 = 100 mgs/Lit.
Example 5.
A sample of water is found to contains following dissolving salts in milligrams per litre Mg(HCO3)2 =
16.8, MgCl2 = 12.0, MgSO4 = 29.6 and NaCl = 5.0. Calculate temporary and permanent hardness of water.
Solution:
Example 7.
A sample of water is found to contains following analytical data in milligrams per litre Mg(HCO3)2 =
14.6, MgCl2 = 9.5, MgSO4 = 6.0 and Ca(HCO3)2 = 16.2. Calculate temporary and permanent hardness of
water in parts per million, Degree Clarke’s and Degree French.
Solution:
= 20 ppm
= 15 ppm
Example 8.
Calculate the amount of temporary and permanent hardness of a water sample in Degree Clarke’s,
Degree French and Milligrams per Litre which contains following impurities. Ca(HCO3)2 = 121.5 ppm,
Mg(HCO3)2= 116.8 ppm, MgCl2 = 79.6 ppm and CaSO4 = 102 ppm.
Solution:
= 15 ppm
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References: