College of Science

Determination of Chloride Ion Concentration by Titration

(Mohrs Method)
Safety Solutions Needed
Lab coats, safety glasses and enclosed footwear must Silver nitrate solution: (0.1 mol L1) If possible, dry 5 g of
be worn at all times in the laboratory. AgNO3 for 2 hours at 100C and allow to cool. Accurately
The chromate solution needs to be prepared and used weigh about 4.25 g of solid AgNO3 and dissolve it in
with care as chromate is a known carcinogen. 250 mL of distilled water in a conical flask. Store the
Silver nitrate solution causes staining of skin and solution in a brown bottle.
fabric (chemical burns). Any spills should be rinsed
Determination of Chloride
with water immediately. Ionchromate indicator solution: (approximately
Potassium
Concentration by Titration (Mohrs Method)
0.25 molL ) Dissolve 1 g of K CrO in 20 mL distilled
water.
-1
2 4

Introduction
This method determines the chloride ion concentration
of a solution by titration with silver nitrate. As the silver
Introduction
nitrate solution is slowly added, a precipitate of silver
chloride forms.This method determines the chloride ion concentration
of a solution by titration with silver nitrate. As the silver
Ag+(aq)solution
nitrate + Clis slowly
AgCl
added, a precipitate of silver Burette containing
chloride forms. (aq) (s) silver nitrate solution
The end point of the titration +occurswhen all the
Ag (aq) + Cl (aq) AgCl(s)
chloride ions are precipitated. Then additional silver
ions react withThe
theend point of the titration occurs when all the
chromate ions of the indicator,
chloride ions are precipitated. Then additional chloride
potassium chromate,
ions reactto form
with the achromate
red-brown precipitate
ions of of
the indicator,
silver chromate.
potassium chromate, to form a red-brown precipitate of
silver chromate.
2 Ag+(aq) + CrO42+ (aq) Ag CrO4(s)
2 Ag (aq) + CrO4 (aq) Ag2CrO4(s)
2 2

This method can be used to determine the chloride ion

This method can be used to determine the chloride ion
concentration of
concentration of waterfrom
water samples many
samples fromsources
many sources
such as seawater,
suchstream water,
as seawater, riverwater,
stream water and
river estuary
water and estuary
water. Seawaterwater. Seawater
is used is used
as the as the example
example here. here.
The pH ofsolutions
The pH of the sample the sampleshould
solutionsbeshould be between
between
6.5 and 10. (Refer to the additional notes (3) for the
6.5 and 10. (Refer to the additional
explanation). notes
If the solutions are(3) for the
acidic, thegravimetric
explanation). Ifmethod
the solutions are acidic, the gravimetric
or Volhards method should be used.
method or Volhards method should be used.
Equipment Needed
Equipmentburette
Needed and stand
Conical flask
10 and 20 mL pipettes
burette and stand
100 mL volumetric flask
10 and 20 mL pipettes Seawater and chromate
250 mL conical flasks indicator
100 mL volumetric flask
250 mL conical10flasks
mL and 100 mL measuring cylinders
10 mL and 100 mL measuring cylinders
Solutions Needed
Silver nitrate solution:(0.1 mol L1) If possible, dry 5 g of
AgNO3 for 2 hours at 100C and allow to cool. Accurately
 asSample
sand orPreparation
seaweed, it must be filtered before use. incompletely titrated reference flask for comparison is a helpful way to
Otherwise they will end up being weighed along with
Result
identify theCalculations
first appearance of red-brown colouration.

theIf the seawater

silver chloridecontains traces of solid matter such
precipitate. 1. Determine the average volume of silver nitrate
as sand or seaweed, it must be filtered before use.
Otherwise they will end up being weighed along with
Result
used fromCalculations
your concordant titres.
Method
Titration 4. Repeat the titration with further aliquots of diluted
2.1. Calculate
Determine the moles of silver nitratesilver
reacting.
the silver chloride precipitate.
1. Dilute seawater by pipetting a 20 mL sample into seawater untilthe average
concordant volume
resultsof nitrate
(titres agreeing
Sample Preparation used from
3. within your
Use the concordant
following
0.1 mL) titres.
reaction equation to determine
are obtained.
aTitration
100 mL volumetric flask and making it up to the mark
Ifwith
thedistilled
seawaterwater.
contains traces of solid matter such as the
2. moles of chloride
Calculate ionsof
the moles reacting.
silver nitrate reacting.
1. orDilute seawater by pipetting
be filtereda 20 mL sample
use. into
sand seaweed,
2.a 100Pipette a 10
it must
mL aliquot of diluted
before
mL volumetric flask and making it up to the seawater into a
mark Result
3. Use Calculations Cl(aq) equation
Ag+(aq) +reaction
the following AgCl(s) to determine
Titration
conical flask and add about 50 mL distilled water and 1 the moles of chloride ions reacting.
with distilled water. 4. Calculatethe
1. Determine theaverage
concentration
volumeofofchloride ions inused
silver nitrate the
mL of
1. 2.Dilutechromate
seawater
Pipette
indicator.
a 10 mLby aliquot
pipetting a 20 mLseawater
of diluted sample intointo aa diluted seawater. Ag (aq) + Cltitres.
+
from your concordant
(aq)
AgCl(s)
100Titrate
3.conical mLflask
volumetric
the
and addflask
sample with
about and50making
0.1 mL it upwater
L silver
moldistilled
1 to theand
nitrate mark1 5.2. Calculate
4. Calculate the
the
Calculate concentration
moles
the of
of chloride
of silver nitrate
concentration ions in the
reacting.
chloride
with
solution. distilled
Although water.
mL of chromate indicator.the silver chloride that forms is a original
diluted undiluted
seawater. seawater.
3. Use the following reaction equation to determine the
white precipitate,
2. 3.Pipette a 10the the
mLsample chromate
aliquot indicator
of diluted initially
intogives
Titrate with 0.1 molseawater
L1 silver nitrate a 6.5. moles of chloride
Calculate
Calculate the ions reacting.
theconcentration
concentration of
of sodium
chloridechloride in
ions in the
theconical
cloudyflasksolution a faint lemon-yellow colour (figure
solution. Although the silver chloride that forms is aand
and add about 50 mL distilled water the seawater in molL 1
, gL
original undiluted seawater.1
and g/100 mL (%).
1). 1The
mLendpoint
white of chromate
precipitate,
of the titration is identified as the first
indicator.
the chromate indicator initially gives Ag+(aq) + Cl(aq) AgCl(s)
appearance of a red-brown colour of1 silver chromate 6. Calculate the concentration of sodium chloride in
3. the
Titrate
cloudythesolution
sampleawith faint0.1 mol L silvercolour
lemon-yellow nitrate(figure 4. Calculate the concentration of chloride ions in the
(figure 2).
1).solution.
The endpointAlthough
of thethe silver chloride
titration thatasforms
is identified is
the first
Additional
the seawater inNotes
molL1, gL1 and g/100 mL (%).
diluted seawater.
4.appearance
Repeat
a white the
of atitration
thewith
red-brown
precipitate, further
colour
chromate aliquots
ofindicator
silver of
chromatediluted
initially 1.5. Calculate
Silver nitrate solution will stain
the concentration clothesions
of chloride andinskin.
the
seawater
(figure
gives 2). until
the concordant
cloudy solutionresults
a faint(titres agreeing within
lemon-yellow colour Additional
Any spills Notes
should be rinsed with
original undiluted seawater. water immediately.
0.1 mL)
(figure are
1).obtained.
4. Repeat the titration with further aliquots of diluted 2.
1. Residues containing
Silver nitrate solutionsilver ions
will stainare usually
clothes andsaved
skin.
6. Calculate the concentration of sodium chloride in the
seawater until concordant results (titres agreeing within for
Anylater recovery
spills should of
besilver1metal.
1rinsed with Check
water
seawater in molL , gL and g/100 mL (%). this with your
immediately.
0.1 mL) are obtained. teacher.
2. Residues containing silver ions are usually saved
3.Additional
for later
The recoveryNotes
of silver
Mohr titration metal.beCheck
should this
carried with
out your
under
teacher.
conditions of pH 6.5 9. At higher pH silver ions may be
removed
3. Theby precipitation
Mohr with hydroxide
titration should be carriedions, and at
out under
1.
low Residues
conditions ofcontaining
pH chromate 9.silver
ions may
pH 6.5 At be ions aresilver
removed
higher pH usually
by an saved
may for
acid-base
ions be
later
reaction recovery
to form of silver
hydrogen metal.
chromateCheck this
ions
removed by precipitation with hydroxide ions, and or with your
dichromate
at
lowteacher
ions, pH or the
affecting
chromatethelaboratory
accuracy
ions may beofsupervisor.
the end point.
removed by an acid-base
Figure 11Before
Figure Beforethe addition
the of any
addition silversilver
of any nitrate the chromate
nitrate indicator
the chromate 2.
4. TheIt Mohr
reaction is atogoodtitration
form toshould
hydrogen
idea be carried
firstchromate
carry outions out
or under
a roughdichromate
titration
gives the clear
indicator givessolution a lemon-yellow
the clear colour.
solution a lemon-yellow colour. conditions
inions,
orderaffecting
to become ofthe
pHaccuracy
6.5 9. with
familiar At
of higher
thethe end pH
colour silver
point.
changeionsatmay
Figure 1 Before the addition of any silver nitrate the chromate indicator 4. It is a good idea to first carry out a rough ions,
the be
endremoved
point. by precipitation with hydroxide titration
Thethe
gives endpoint of the
clear solution titration colour.
a lemon-yellow is identified as the first 5.in and order at low
Theto Mohr
pH chromate
become familiar
titration
ions
with may
is sensitive
be removed
thetocolour changeby
the presence atan
appearance of a red-brown colour of silver chromate of theacid-base
endchloride reaction to form hydrogen
point. and bromide ions in solution and chromate ions
both
(figure 2). or dichromate ions, affecting the accuracy of the
will not
5. endThe be too accurate
Mohr titrationwhen there to
is sensitive is athe
significant
presence
point.
concentration of bromide present
of both chloride and bromide ions in solution as well as the
and
3. It is a good
chloride. However, ideain tomost
first carry
cases, out
sucha rough
as titration
seawater,
will not be too accurate when there is a significant
the in order to become
bromide concentration familiar with the
will be negligible. colourForchange
this at
concentration of bromide present as well as the
the end
reason, the point.
methodincan alsocases,
be used toasdetermine
chloride. However, most such seawater,
either
the bromide concentration will be negligible. bromide
4. The the
Mohr total concentration
titration is sensitiveof chloride
to the and
presence of both
For this
in solution,
chloride
reason, theandor the
method concentration
bromide
can alsoionsbe of
in used bromide
solution when
and will not
to determine thebe
Figure 2 Left flask: before the titration endpoint, addition of Ag+ ions
leads to formation of silver chloride precipitate, making the solution
chloride
either concentration
too accurate
the when there
total concentration is known to be negligible.
is aofsignificant
chloride concentration
and bromide
cloudy. The chromate indicator gives a faint lemon-yellow colour. in of bromide
solution, or present
the as well
concentration as the
of chloride.
bromide However,
when the
Figure 22 Left
Figureflask:Leftatflask:
flask: beforethe
before the titration
alltitration endpoint,
endpoint, addition
addition of Ag +of Ag+
ions
Centre the endpoint, the Cl ions have precipitated. The in most cases, such as seawater,
chloride concentration is known to be negligible. the bromide
ions
leadsleads
slightest to formation
toexcess
formation ofchloride
silverwith
of Agof+ precipitates
silver chloride
precipitate, precipitate,
the chromatemaking themaking
indicator solution
giving a
the solution
cloudy. cloudy.
The chromate The chromate
indicator gives aindicator
faint gives
lemon-yellow a +faint lemon-
concentration will be negligible. For this reason, the
slight red-brown colouration. Right flask: If addition of Ag iscolour.
continued
Centre
yellow
past flask:
thecolour. atCentre
endpoint, thefurther
endpoint,
flask: allchromate
at
silver the Cl
the
ions
endpoint, haveallprecipitated.
precipitate the Cl ions

is formed The method can also be used to determine either the total
slightest
have excess of Ag
precipitated. Theprecipitates
+
slightest excesswith theofchromate indicator giving
Ag+ precipitates with a concentration of chloride and bromide in solution,
slight red-brown colouration. Right flask: If addition of Ag +
is continued or the concentration of bromide when the chloride
2 thepastchromate indicator giving a slight red-brown colouration.
the endpoint, further silver + chromate precipitate is formed
Right flask: If addition of Ag is continued past the endpoint, concentration is known to be negligible.
2further silver chromate precipitate is formed and a stronger
red-brown colour results. NB: The titration should be stopped
when the first trace of red-brown colour is observed. Using an
incompletely titrated reference flask for comparison is a helpful
way to identify the first appearance of red-brown colouration.