QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF TOTAL HARDNESS

IN DRINKING WATER BY COMPLEXOMETRIC EDTA

TITRATION

KENT HARRY P. CUMPIO
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES
DATE PERFORMED:
DATE SUBMITTED: MAY 12, 2014
MR. MOISES JEROME GARRERO



ABSTRACT






INTRODUCTION
In the industrial setting, one of the
considerations for equipment use is water
hardness. This indicates the level of calcium
and magnesium present in the water sample.
A high level of hardness can pose damages
and incur high costs on a company through
blockage of pipes, for example. The hardness
of water can be determined by
complexometric titration using
ethylenediammine tetra acetic acid (EDTA).
EDTA in the form of its di-sodium salt can
form a complex with Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions of
water sample. In this experiment, Eriochrome
Black T will be used as the indicator. Its
uncomplexed color is blue while its
complexed color is red. When Eriochrome
Black T (EBT) indicator is added to the hard
water at pH around 910, it gives wine red
colored unstable complex with Ca2+and
Mg2+ions of water sample. When this wine
red colored complex is titrated against EDTA
solution of known strength the Ca2+and
Mg2+ions form stable metal complex with
EDTA and color changes from wine red to
blue (color of EBT indicator) at the end point.
In this experiment, two sets of samples were
titrated with EDTA: calcium carbonate
solution for standardization and Viva mineral
water samples. The primary objective was to
apply the concept of complexometric titration
and buffers in establishing the truthfulness of
the advertised cationic levels.
METHODOLOGY
The EDTA titrant needed had a molarity of
0.0050. This was prepared from a 500-mL of
0.050 M stock EDTA solution. Two parts of
the experiment that required this were the
standardization of 0.01 M EDTA and the
analysis of a commercial drinking water
sample. To standardize EDTA, 0.0050 M
calcium carbonate which was dissolved in
water and hydrochloric acid was used. Before
beginning the titration, a buffer composed of
ammonium chloride and ammonia
maintained the pH at the desired level and 6
drops of Eriochrome Black T was placed to
determine the endpoint. The solutions were
titrated slowly before approaching the
endpoint to avoid overtitration.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

REFERENCES

APPENDIX