Name: ______________________________ Reg. No.

:_______________
Chloride Measurement

Experiment: To measure the concentration of chloride in given samples of water.

Apparatus Required: Burette, Pipette, Measuring cylinder, Beaker, Conical Flasks.
Reagents Required: Potassium chromate indicator solution, Standard Silver nitrate
titrant(0.0141N), Standard Sodium chloride (0.0141N), H2SO4 or NaOH
Theory: Chlorides can be measured by Mohr (Argentometric) method. It employs a solution
of silver nitrate for titration, and “Standard Methods” recommends the use of a 0.0141 N
solution. This corresponds to a N/71 solution or one in which each mL is equivalent to 0.5
mg of chloride ion. The silver nitrate solution can be standardized against standard chloride
solutions prepared from pure sodium chloride. In the titration the chloride ion is precipitated
as white silver chloride.
Ag+ + Cl- ↔ AgCl
The end point cannot be detected visually unless an indicator capable of demonstrating the
presence of excess Ag+ is present. The indicator normally used is potassium chromate, which
supplies chromate ions. As the concentration of chloride ions approaches extinction, the
silver ion concentration increases to a level at which the solubility product of silver chromate
is exceeded and it begins to form a reddish-brown precipitate.
2Ag+ + CrO4-2 ↔ Ag2CrO4
This is taken as evidence that all the chloride has been precipitated. Since an excess of Ag+ is
needed to produce a visible amount of Ag2 CrO4, the indicator error or blank must be
determined
and subtracted from all titrations.

Procedure:

1. Take 100 mL of sample in a beaker or conical flask.

2. Adjust sample PH to 7-10 with H2SO4 or NaOH if it is not in this range.
3. Add 1 ml Potassium chromate indicator solution.
4. Titrate with standard AgNO3 titrant till colour changes to pinkish yellow/ reddish
brown.
5. Standardize AgNO3 titrant and establish reagent blank value by the above titration
method.
1
Record Your Observations:

Sl Sample ml of Initial Final Volume Chloride

Signature of Teaching Assistant

No. sample Burette Burette of titrant concentration
taken Reading Reading used (mg Cl- /L)
(mL) (mL) (mL)
01 River water

02 Ground water

03 Tap water

04 Synthetic
water

Calculation:
(𝐴−𝐵)𝑥𝑁𝑥35450
Cl- (mg/L) = 𝑚𝐿 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒

where, A = mL titrant for sample

B = mL titrant for blank
N= Normality of AgNO3 (=0.0141)

Further Readings:
Chapter dealing with Chloride from Chemistry for Environmental Engineering and science
by Clair Sawyer, Perry McCarty & Gene Parkin from Tata McGraw Hill India.