CMT 565 :WASTE AND WASTEWATER

TECHNOLOGY

Experiment No : 6,7,8
Title : EXPERIMENT 6 : NITRATE, HIGH RANGE (NO3 --N)
EXPERIMENT 7: NITRITE, LOW RANGE (NO2—N)
EXPERIMENT 8: NITROGEN, AMMONIA (NH3 –N)

Name : Nur Hazirah

Group : RAS245 4A
Group No :7
Date of experiment : 28th March 2018
EXPERIMENT 6 : NITRATE, HIGH RANGE (NO3 --N)
EXPERIMENT 7: NITRITE, LOW RANGE (NO2—N)
EXPERIMENT 8: NITROGEN, AMMONIA (NH3 –N)
Objective :
To determine nitrate, nitrite and nitrogen concentration in water sample.

Observations :

Before Final
Blank Sample Blank Sample
EXP 6 colourless colourless colourless colourless
EXP 7 Colourless Colourless solution colourless colourless
formed after adding
Nitrite Reagent Powder
Pillow.
EXP 8 colourless colourless - Light yellow formed -Light yellow
after adding formed after
Ammonium adding
Salicylate. Ammonium
-light green after Salicylate.
adding ammonium -light green
cyanurate. after adding
ammonium
cyanurate.

Results :
Exp 7: Nitrate
Blank : 0 mg/L
Sample : 0.7 mg/L

Exp. 8: Nitrite
Blank : 0 mg/L
Sample: 0.011 mg/L

Exp. 9: Nitrogen, Ammonia

Blank : 0 mg/L
Sample : 0.17 mg/L
Questions :

1. List some sources of nitrogen in water and wastewater.

Some of nitrogen come from atmospheric precipitation. Most of the nitrogen in the
atmosphere is in the molecular form of N2. However, there are small amounts of ammonia
(NH3) as well as various nitrogen oxides (NO2), such as nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide
(N2O) and their hydration products nitric acid (HNO3), present in the atmosphere . Most
atmospheric nitrogenous compounds are attributed to industrial air pollution. Small amounts
are released from the decomposition of organic matter in the soil and photochemical reactions
in the atmosphere.There are multiple sources of nitrogen in wastewater. For example, human
urea, industrial wastewater, (especially from mining, crude oil processing, metal finishing, and
pharmaceutical production), food processing facilities effluents, many household cleaning
products, anaerobically digesting sludge on the bottom of lagoon and many others sources.

2. What is the environmental effect of excessive nitrogen in water.

Too much nitrogen and phosphorus in the water causes algae to grow faster than ecosystems
can handle. Significant increases in algae harm water quality, food resources and habitats,
and decrease the oxygen that fish and other aquatic life need to survive. Large growths of
algae are called algal blooms and they can severely reduce or eliminate oxygen in the water,
leading to illnesses in fish and the death of large numbers of fish. Some algal blooms are
harmful to humans because they produce elevated toxins and bacterial growth that can make
people sick if they come into contact with polluted water, consume tainted fish or shellfish, or
drink contaminated water.

Nutrient pollution in ground water in which millions of people use as their drinking water source
can be harmful, even at low levels. Infants are vulnerable to a nitrogen-based compound called
nitrates in drinking water. Excess nitrogen in the atmosphere can produce pollutants such as
ammonia and ozone, which can impair our ability to breathe, limit visibility and alter plant
growth. When excess nitrogen comes back to earth from the atmosphere, it can harm the
health of forests, soils and waterways.
Discussions :
Nitrogen is one of nutrients instead of phosphorus that are essential for plant and animal
growth and nourishment, but too much of certain nutrients in water can cause a number of
health problem and ecological effects. Nitrogen, in the forms of nitrate, nitrite, or ammonium,
is a nutrient needed for plant growth. According to The USGS Water Science School, about
78% of the air that we breathe is composed of nitrogen gas, and in some areas of the United
States, particularly the northeast, certain forms of nitrogen are commonly deposited in acid
rain.

Of course nitrogen is used in agriculture to grow crops, and on many farms the landscape has
been greatly modified in order to maximize farming output. Fields have been leveled and also
modified to efficiently drain off excess water that may fall as precipitation or from irrigation
practices.

Although nitrogen is abundant naturally in the environment, it is also introduced through

sewage and fertilizers. Chemical fertilizers or animal manure is commonly applied to crops to
add nutrients. It may be difficult or expensive to retain on site all nitrogen brought on to farms
for feed or fertilizer and generated by animal manure. Wastewater-treatment facilities that do
not specifically remove nitrogen can also lead to excess levels of nitrogen in surface or
groundwater.

Nitrate can get into water directly as the result of runoff of fertilizers containing nitrate. Some
nitrate enters water from the atmosphere, which carries nitrogen-containing compounds
derived from automobiles and other sources. Nitrate can also be formed in water bodies
through the oxidation of other forms of nitrogen, including nitrite, ammonia, and organic
nitrogen compounds such as amino acids. Ammonia and organic nitrogen can enter water
through sewage effluent and runoff from land where manure has been applied or stored.

Too much nitrogen, as nitrate, in drinking water can be harmful to young infants or young
livestock. Excessive nitrate can result in restriction of oxygen transport in the bloodstream.
Infants under the age of 4 months lack the enzyme necessary to correct this condition ("blue
baby syndrome").

The concentration of nitrate (a form of nitrogen) of water bodies is more than nitrite and
ammonia concentration. Nitrate is the highest range and nitrite is the lowest range in water
sample for any water sample.
Refer to Water Quality Guidelines for Nitrogen (Nitrate, Nitrite, and Ammonia):

Results References
Nitrate 0.7 mg/L 10 mg/L maximum
Nitrite 0.011 mg/L 1 mg/L maximum
Ammonia 0.17 mg/L none proposed

Health Canada suggests a maximum acceptable concentration for drinking water is maximum
10 mg/L . The Health Canada drinking water guideline to protect against adverse effects in
humans for nitrite is a maximum concentration of 1 mg/L. Health Canada currently does not
have a drinking water guideline for ammonia. Consequently, no guideline for ammonia in
drinking water supplies is proposed. We can conclude that we have very low nitrate and nitrite
in our water sample. Our water sample is safe for drinking.

Conclusion :

We have very low concentration of nitrate and nitrite in our water sample. Our water sample
is safe for drinking.
References :

Ghaly AE, Ramakrishnan VV (2015) Nitrogen Sources and Cycling in the Ecosystem and its
Role in Air, Water and Soil Pollution: A Critical Review. J Pollut Eff Cont 3:136.
doi:10.4172/2375-4397.1000136

United States Environmental Protection Agency. Nutrient pollution : The problem. Retrievel
April, 12, 2018 from https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/problem.

The USGS Water Science School. Nitrogen and Water. The problem. Retrievel April, 12,
2018 from http://water.usgs.gov/edu/nitrogen.html

Water Quality Guidelines for Nitrogen (Nitrate, Nitrite, and Ammonia). Water Stewardship
Division Ministry of Environment Province of British Columbia. The problem. Retrievel April,
12, 2018 from https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/air-land-
water/water/waterquality/wqgs-wqos/approved-wqgs/nitrogen-overview.pdf

Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. 2003. Canadian Water Quality Guidelines
for the Protection of Aquatic Life: Nitrate Ion. The problem. Retrievel April, 12, 2018 from
http://www.ccme.ca CEQG Online.