Lab report

Determination of Residual Chlorine

Introduction:
Chlorination of public water supplies has been practiced for almost 100 years in the United States. Although the pros and cons of disinfection with chlorine have been extensively debated, it remains the most widely used chemical for disinfection of water in the U.S. !arp, ".#. $000%. Chlorine usually is added to water as the gaseous form or as sodium or calcium hypochlorite. Chlorine gas rapidly hydroly&es to hypochlorous acid according to the following e'uation( Cl$ ) !$* + !*Cl ) !) ) Cl, Similarly, a'ueous solutions of sodium or calcium hypochlorite will hydroly&e according to( Ca *Cl% $ ) $!$* + Ca$) ) $!*Cl ) $*!, -a*Cl ) !$* + -a) ) !*Cl ) *!, .he two chemical species formed by chlorine in water, hypochlorous acid !*Cl% and hypochlorite ion *Cl,%, are commonly referred to as /free available0 chlorine. !ypochlorous acid is a wea1 acid and will disassociate according to( !*Cl + !) ) *Cl, 2n waters with p! between 3.4 and 5.4, the reaction is incomplete and both species !*Cl and *Cl% will be present. !ypochlorous acid is the more germicidal of the two. A relatively strong oxidi&ing agent, chlorine can react with a wide variety of compounds. *f particular importance in disinfection is the chlorine reaction with nitrogenous compounds,such as ammonia, nitrites and amino acids. Ammonia, commonly present in natural waters, will react with hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite ion to form monochloramine, dichloramine and trichloramine, depending on several factors such as p! and temperature. .ypical reactions follow(

Waleed Ahmad

Page 1

Lab report

-!6 ) !*Cl + -!$Cl monochloramine% ) !$* -!$Cl ) !*Cl + -!Cl$ dichloramine% ) !$* -!Cl$ ) !*Cl + -Cl6 trichloramine% ) !$* 7nown as /brea18point0 reactions, they are important in water disinfection. .he chloramines are potent biocides but not as effective as hypochlorous acid or the hypochlorite ion. 9igure shows typical brea18point chlorination curve. :rior to the brea1 point, /combined0 chlorine monochloramine plus dichloramine% predominates. 2n disinfection systems in which chloramination is practiced, the goal is to remain at the pea1 of the curve prior to the brea1 point. 2f the amount of unreacted ammonia is minimi&ed, monochloramine will be the predominant chloramine. After the brea1 point free chlorine hypochlorous acid plus hypochlorite% is the dominant disinfectant. .ypically free chlorine residual is ad;usted to maintain a minimum level of 0.$mg<# Cl$ throughout the distribution system.(White, G.C. 1992) .o fulfill the primary purpose of chlorination and to minimi&e any adverse effects, it is essential that proper testing procedures be used with a fore1nowledge of the limitations of the analytical determination. (Nicolson, N.J. 1965) .he starch8iodide titration method, one of the oldest methods for determining chlorine, is very non8specific for oxidants and generally is used for total chlorine testing at levels above 1 mg<# Cl$. .he method is based on reaction with thiosulfate solution( Cl$ ) 672 + 26, ) 67) ) $Cl, 26, ) $-a$S$*6 + 62, ) =-a) ) S=*3$, Chlorine will liberate free iodine from potassium iodide 72% solutions at p! 5 or less. .he liberated iodine is titrated with a standard solution of sodium thiosulfate -a$S$*6% with starch
Waleed Ahmad Page 2

Lab report

as the indicator. .he end point of the titration is indicated by the disappearance of the blue8 colored, starch8iodide complex. .he titration usually is performed at a sample p! between 68= because the reaction is not stoichiometric at neutral p! due to partial oxidation of thiosulfate to sulfate. !atch, >., ?. @ang. 1A56%

Observations:
Besidual chlorine is determined using 0.01 - Sodium .hiosulphate for titrationC the observations obtained from titration are as follows
Initial Volume of burette (ml) 0 Final Volume of burette (ml) 4.3 Volume of Na2 2O! used for titration (ml) 4.3

Parameter .otal Chlorine

Besidual Chlorine mg<litre% D

A E - E 64=40 ?olume of Sample ta1en ml%

A D ?olume in m# of -a$S$*6 used for Sample N D -ormality of -a$S$*6. Besidual Chlorine mg<litre% D 4.3 E 0.01 E 64=40 100 ml% Besidual Chlorine mg<litre% D 1A.54 mg<litre

Results and Discussions:

.he chlorination of water supplies and polluted waters serves primarily to destroy or deactivate disease8producing microorganisms. A secondary benefit, particularly in treating drin1ing water, is the overall improvement in water 'uality resulting from the reaction of chlorine with ammonia, iron, manganese, sulfide, and some organic substances.Chlorination
Waleed Ahmad Page 3

Lab report

may produce adverse effects. .aste and odor characteristics of phenols and other organic compounds present in a water supply may be intensified. :otentially carcinogenic chloroorganic compounds such as chloroform may be formed. Combined chlorine formed on chlorination of ammonia or amine8bearing waters adversely affects some a'uatic life. Far1s, !.C., ".G. Hilliams I >.U. >lasgow. 1A41% .here is no standard of residual chlorine in Horld !ealth *rgani&ation H!*% guidelines whereas in -ational Jnvironmental Kuality Standards -JKS% the standard for residual chlorine is 0.$80.4 mg<litre at consumer end and 0.481.4 mg<litre at the source. .he amount, 1A.54 mg<litre, of residual chlorine determined in the synthetic sample was very much exceeding the -JKS limits.

References:
1. !arp, ".#. $000. A Specific and Jffective Fethod for Chloramination of Haters. !ach

Company.
2. Hhite, >. C.1AA$. !andboo1 of Chlorination and Alternative "isinfectants, 6rd

ed.C?an -ostrand Beinhold, -ew @or1.

3. -icolson, -.L. 1A34. An evaluation of the methods for determining residual chlorine in

water, :art 1. 9ree chlorine. Analyst A0(15M.

4. !atch, >., ?. @ang. 1A56. L. Amer. Hater Hor1s Assoc. M4(14=. 5. Far1s, !.C., ".G. Hilliams I >.U. >lasgow. 1A41. "etermination of residual chlorine

compounds. L. Amer. Hater Hor1s Assoc. =6($01.

Waleed Ahmad

Page 4

Lab report

Waleed Ahmad

Page 5