Module 3: Chemical Monitoring and

Management

1. Know the tests from Sections 6.9 and 6.11

the tests for identifying cations and anions.
- Otherwise, dont bother continuing, as
understanding the next section will be
difficult

This section is pretty useless dont even bother

Seriously, it is important to monitor water for the
presence of heavy metal cations, as many of them
are toxic to humans and other organisms.
Some cations, such as zinc and copper, are needed
in trace amounts but in higher concentrations are
harmful to humans.
Like before in Chapter 6, cations in solution are
identified through precipitation reactions. However,
one cation can interfere with the test for another.

Firstly, study Table 8.3

This section is really just about performing
additional tests to identify additional cations
Notice that there is no specific procedure for
identifying these cations in mixtures, unlike the
section in Chapter 6 for anions and cations.
It is difficult to create a sequence similar to the one
in Chapter 6 as we all have better things to do
Instead, the simplest procedure is to add chemicals
to each individual sample, and note the results

In environmental terms, heavy metals are the

transition metals plus lead.
A solution of sodium sulfide can be used to gain a
quick indication of whether or not any heavy metals
are present in a water sample.
The chemistry:
The test is based on the fact that hydrogen sulfide is a very
weak acid.
Copy down the notes on Page 282 should be swell

Cation
Lead
Copper (II)

Zinc

Chromium

Mercury

Tests
Add drops of KI solution if lead is present,
a yellow precipitate forms
Add drops of NaOH: if copper is present, a
pale blue precipitate forms; if ammonia is
added, the solution dissolve the precipitate,
leaving a blue solution
Add drops of NaOH: if zinc is present, a
white precipitate forms; addition of excess
NaOH or ammonia should dissolve the
precipitate
Add drops of NaOH: if chromium is present
a grey blue precipitate forms; addition of
excess NaOH should dissolve the ppt,
addition of ammonia should not have any
effect
Add drops of NaOH solution: if mercury is
present, a yellow or red precipitate forms.
Add drops of KI: if Hg is present, a red
precipitate forms, which dissolves in excess

Complete worksheet 14 in the blue book

This section should be gift marks in a test
Just memorise the results from the tests, and you
should be sweet.
Do questions from the book and past questions
from the HSC