EXPERIMENT NO: 3

Determination of Total Solids, Dissolved Solids

and Suspended Solids in Water By Oven Dry Method

3.1 OBJECTIVE:
To determine out TS, TDS and TSS of given waste
water sample.

3.2 THEORY:
Environmental engineering is concerned with the solid
material in a wide range of natural waters and wastewaters. The usual
definition of solids (referred to as "total solids") are the total of all solids
in a water sample evaporated at 103-105°C.
They include the total suspended solids and total dissolved solids.
Total Suspended Solids (TSS) is the amount of filterable solids in a water
sample. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) are those solids that pass through
a filter with a pore size of 2.0 micron (1/1000000th of a meter, Also
known as a Micrometer) or smaller. They are said to be non-filterable.
3.2.1 CLASSIFICATION OF WATER:
Water with a TDS concentration less than 3,000 mg/L can be considered fresh
water. Water from 3,000-10,000 mg/L TDS will be considered brackish
Water in excess of 10,000 mg/L will be considered saline. Ground
water with salinity greater than seawater (about 35,000 mg/L) is typically
referred to as brine.
The various components of "total solids" can be simplified as follows:
3.3 PRINCIPLE:
The measurement of solids is by means of the gravimetric
procedure. The total solids concentration of a sample can be found
directly by weighing the sample before and after drying at 103°C.
However, the remaining forms, TDS and TSS require filtration of the
sample. For liquid samples, all these solids levels are reported in mg/L.
3.4 APPARATUS:
1. Oven
2. Evaporating dish
3. Measuring Cylinder
4. Weight balance
5. Water sample
6. Desiccator
3.5 PROCEDURE: (For TS)
1. Take a china dish, dry it & weight it as “A”.
2. Take a known volume of water sample i.e. 50 ml.
3. Put this known volume of water sample into pre-weighed china
dish.
4. Keep the dish+ water sample into oven at 105°C to evaporate for a
period of 24 hrs.
5. Take out the china dish+ residue from the oven after drying, keep
in desiccator to cool and weight it as “B”.
3.6 CALCULATIONS:
1. Weight of empty china dish (A):_________gm
2. Weight of china dish+ residue (B):_______gm
Total solids (TS) mg/l = {(B-A) x 106 / ml of sample (V)
 DETERMINATION OF TSS (B)
3.1 OBJECTIVE:
To find out the total suspended solids of given w/w sample.
3.2 PRINCIPLE:
The measurement of solids is by means of the gravimetric procedure.
The residue which remains on filter paper after filtration. The dry weight
of this residue is termed as total suspended
solids.
3.3 APPARATUS:
1. Whatman filter paper
2. Measuring cylinder
3. Funnel
4. Beaker
5. Weight balance
6. Oven
7. W/w sample
3.4 PROCEDURE:
1. Take a whatman filter paper, dry it and weigh it as “W1”.
2. Take a known volume of w/w sample.
3. Now place the Whatman filter paper three folded on the funnel
having a flask below it.
4. Pour the well mixed sample on the Whatman filter paper.
5. Wait for some time so as to drain out the water sample completely.
 6. Now remove the Whatman filter paper and keep it in the oven at
105°C for 24 hrs.
7. Take out filter paper+ residue from the oven and weigh it as “W2”.
3.6 CALCULATIONS:
1. Initial weight of filter paper (W1): __________ gm.
2. Final weight of filter paper with residue (W2): __________ gm.
Total suspended solids (TSS) mg/l = (W2-W1) x106/ml of sample
(V)

DETERMINATION OF TDS (C)

3.1 APPARATUS:
1. Oven
2. Evaporating dish
3. Measuring Cylinder
4. Weight balance
5. W/W sample
3.2 PROCEDURE:

1. Take a china dish, dry it & weight it as “A”.

2. Take a known volume of water sample i.e. 50 ml.
3. Put this known volume of filtered water sample into pre-weighed
china dish.
4. Keep the dish+ water sample into oven at 105°C to evaporate for a
period of 24 hrs.
5. Take out the china dish+ residue from the oven after drying, keep
in desiccator to cool and weight it as “B”.
3.3 CALCULATIONS:
1. Weight of empty china dish (A):_________ gm
2. Weight of china dish+ residue (B):_______ gm
Total Dissolved solids (TDS) mg/l ={(B-A) x106/ml of sample (V)

3.4 RESULT:

1. Amount of Total solids present in the sample = …………..mg/lit

2. Amount of Dissolved Solids present in the sample=…………mg/lit
3. Amount of Suspended Solids present in the sample=………..mg/lit

3.5 DISCUSSION:

Discuss according to your Results obtained.

3.6 PRECAUTIONS;

1. Non-representative particulates such as leaves, sticks, fish and lumps of

fecal matter should be excluded from the sample if it is determined that
their inclusion is not desired in the final result.

2. We should be aware prolonged drying may result in loss of constituents,

particularly nitrates and chlorides.