Anusha Ambaselkar

Water Hardness
Experiment 3, B01-A
Sept 15, 2020

Introduction
The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the hardness of water supplied by the
City of Calgary. Total water hardness is the concentration of alkaline ions like calcium (Ca2+)
and magnesium (Mg2+) in water. To determine this, a complexometric titration was performed
with Na2[EDTA-H2] as the titrant, and calmagite was used as the indicator to find the endpoint.
To find the calcium (Ca2+) alone in the presence of magnesium (Mg2+) the same titrant
(Na2[EDTA-H2]) was used and murexide as the indicator.

Data

Total Hardness Determination:

Titration # Initial Volume (mL) Final Volume (mL) Total Volume (mL)

1 0.00 15.35 15.35

2 0.08 15.37 15.29

Calcium Determination:
Titration # Initial Volume (mL) Final Volume (mL) Total Volume (mL)

1 0.03 10.10 10.07

2 0.00 10.09 10.09

Calculations

Total Hardness Determination:

15.35+15.29
Avg of both volumes of EDTA: 2 = 15.32mL-> 0.01532L
Find the mols of EDTA: n=c*v (0.002M)*(0.01532L) = 3.064E-5 mol EDTA

Ca2+ + H2EDTA2- ---> CaEDTA2- + 2H+

Mg2+ + H2EDTA2- ---> MgEDTA2- + 2H+
Let M2+ = Ca2+ + Mg2+
M2+ + H2EDTA2- ---> MEDTA2- +2H+

1 mol M2+ is equivalent to 1 mol of MEDTA

So 3.064E-5 mol of EDTA = 3.064E-5 mol of (Ca2+ + Mg2+)
Concentration of (Ca2+ + Mg2+): nv = 3.064E −5 mol = 0.001532M (Ca2+ + Mg2+)
0.020L
Molar mass of (Ca2+ + Mg2+): 40.08g/mol +24.305g/mol = 64.385g/mol
 Anusha Ambaselkar

Mass of (Ca2+ + Mg2+) = mols * molar mass

= 0.001532 mol * 64.385 g/mol = 0.098638 g x 1000mg = 98.64mg

Calcium Determination:
10.07+10.09
Avg of both volumes of EDTA: 2 = 10.08mL-> 0.01008L
Find the mols of EDTA: n=c*v (0.002M)*(0.01008L) = 2.016E-5 mol EDTA

Ca2+ + H2EDTA2- ---> CaEDTA2- + 2H+

Mols of Ca2+ = mols of EDTA
So 2.106E-5 mol of EDTA = 2.106E-5 mol of Ca2+

n 2.106E −5 mol
Concentration of Ca2+: v = 0.020L = 0.001008M Ca2+
Mass of Ca2+ = mols * molar mass
= 0.001008mol * 40.08 g/mol = 0.0404006g x 1000mg = 40.40mg
Mass of Mg2+ = Total Mass(Ca2+ + Mg2+) - Mass (Ca2+)
= 98.6378mg - 40.4006mg = 58.23722mg

Discussion
Calcium and magnesium are the most common ions that can dissolve in water
contributing to water hardness. The value calculated in this experiment for total hardness
concentration in mg CaCO3/L was 98.6mg/L. According to the City of Calgary, the mg/L CaCO3
in 2019 Sept was 158mg/L in the northern half of the city. The two values are not in the same
range of hardness rating as the value calculated is in medium-hard (60 to <120) and the City of
Calgary’s value is in hard (120 to <180). This shows a large error in the performance of the
experiment. One contributing error could be the bubbles being formed in the pipette while
collecting the sample water. The bubbles left space in the pipette, instead of being occupied by
water, they were occupied by air which measured a value of less than 20mL collected. The
concentration of mg CaCO3/L was 40.4mg/L and the concentration of mg MgCO3/L was
58.2mg/L.
There is a seasonal variation in the water hardness. According to the City of Calgary, the
lowest hardness levels occur during spring snowmelt and the highest is between December and
February. During the winter the waterways and reservoirs are frozen therefore water is able to
absorb more minerals. During the spring/summer, runoff filters the water from some of its
minerals when it’s on its way to the reservoir.

Calmagite indicator has two hydroxide groups with acidic protons. Ca2+ or Mg2+ can
displace protons making a calmagite-metal complex which is a red/purple color. When EDTA is
used as the titrant, Ca2+ and Mg2+ bind more strongly to EDTA leaving the calmagite with no
metal ions which makes the solution turn blue.

Murexide indicator forms complexes with calcium at ph=12 and higher leaving the Mg to
bind with the NaOH added to create Mg(OH)2. When EDTA is added Ca2+ binds to it ignoring
Mg making the solution go from pink to purple.