Experiment- Date:

Department of Chemistry
Name: Branch:
Registration Number: Duration: 90 min.
ESTIMATION OF TYPES OF ALKALINITY IN WASTE WATER
SAMPLE
Aim

To determine the extent and type of alkalinity present in the given water sample.

Principle:

Alkalinity in water is due to the presence of OH -, CO32- and HCO3- ions. The alkalinity of a

given sample of water can be obtained by neutralizing the above mentioned ions with standard

HCl. Titrating the given sample of water to a pH of 8.3 or till the pink color which appears on

addition of Phenolphthalein indicator) disappears which will indicate the complete neutralization

of OH- ions and half of CO32- ions (CO32- will get converted to HCO3-). Titrating the same sample

of water at a pH of 4.4 or till a sharp color change from yellow to orange of methyl orange

indicator will indicate the total alkalinity i.e. the amount of OH -, CO32- and HCO3- present in the

given sample

OH − + H + → H 2 O

HCO3− + H − → [ H 2CO3 ] → H 2O + CO2

OH- and HCO3- ions cannot exist in water together because they combine instantaneously to form

CO32- ions.

OH − + HCO3− → CO32− + H 2O

NaOH + NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 + H 2O

It is for this reason, the three ions OH-, CO32- and HCO3- cannot exist together.
Experiment- Date:

Requirements

Reagents and solutions:

Hydrochloric acid (0.1N), water sample, methyl orange and phenolphthalein indicator solutions.
Apparatus: Burette, pipette, conical flask, standard flask and burette stand
Procedure
Titration I: Estimation of Alkalinity
To the given water sample in a 100 mL standard volumetric flask, add distill water up to the
mark to make up the volume of 100 mL. Pipette out 20 mL of the given water sample into a clean
250 mL conical flask. To this add 2 drops of phenolphthalein indicator and titrate the solution
against HCl taken in the burette. The end point is disappearance of pink colour. The
corresponding burette reading is noted and it is denoted as phenolphthalein end point [P].
To the same solution, add two drops of methyl orange indicator and continue the titration. The
end point is color change from pale yellow to orange. This end point indicates complete
neutralization of alkalinity present in water sample and is known as methyl orange end point [T].
Repeat the titration for concordant titre values.
OBSERVATION AND CALCULATION
Titration : Estimation of Alkalinity
Concordant
Burette reading (mL)
value (mL)
Volume
Final
of Water
S. No.
Sample
Initial At At [P] [T]
(mL)
phenolphthalein methyl orange
end point [P] end point [T]
1

Concordant titre value

Phenolphthalein alkalinity (mg/L) as CaCO3

[P] mL of HCl X Normality of HCl X 50 X 1000

= -------------------------------------------------------------------
Volume of water sample taken

= _________________ ppm [P]

Experiment- Date:

Methyl orange alkalinity (mg/L) as CaCO3 (Total alkalinity)

[T] mL of HCl X Normality of HCl X 50 X 1000

= -----------------------------------------------------------------
Volume of water sample taken

= __________________ ppm [T]

ALKALINITY TABLE:

Volume of p Alkalinity due to

and m (mL) OH- CO32- HCO3-

[p] = 0 0 0 [M]

[p] = [m] [M] 0 0

[p] = ½ [m] 0 2[P] 0

[p] > ½[m] 2[P] - [M] 2[M] - 2[P] 0

[p] < ½[m] 0 2[P] [M] – 2[P]

Result
The given water sample contains _________ and _______________ ions.

Amount of ___________________ alkalinity = __________________ ppm

Amount of ___________________ alkalinity = __________________ ppm

Total alkalinity or methyl orange alkalinity of the water sample = __________ppm

Evaluation of result

Sample Experimental Actual Value Percentage of Marks awarded

number value error

Space for Calculations

Experiment- Date: