CHEM ENG 2017/7021 Transport Processes in the Environment

Assignment 5 – Partitioning

WORK IN GROUPS
ALL ASSIGNMENTS HAVE EQUAL WEIGHTING

DUE DATE: TUE 4th MAY 7PM

TO BE SUBMITTED: 1,3,4,5

ALL TUTORIALS TO BE SUBMITTED ON CANVAS AND VIA EMAIL TO:

steven.amos@adelaide.edu.au

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. All submitted assignments must have an assessment cover sheet and all details (STUDENT
NAMES AND ID) must be filled clearly. Any submitted assignment that does not follow this
rule will not be graded.
2. All members of the group will receive the same mark for each assignment.
3. Only one answer sheet per group is required to be submitted online as a pdf file (ideally with
all the pages orientated correctly!)
4. Solutions can be hand written and scanned as a pdf file but they must be neatly laid out and
legible. Marks will be deducted for illegible work.
5. Late assignments will incur a 10% deduction per day.
6. The following are essential when submitting your assignment solutions so that we have
sufficient information to understand your thinking when generating your solution:
• Any assumptions made when performing the calculations must be stated.
• Diagrams, when appropriate, should be provided.
• Detailed working must be shown so that if there is an error we can still award marks
for any parts of the solution that are valid.
• Make the final numerical answer clear by highlighting, underlining or placing box
around it.
• Don’t forget appropriate units and significant figures.

7. The tutors and I will be available in tutorial sessions to answer your questions and provide
you with appropriate guidance in solving tutorial/assignment problems. However, you must
be able to demonstrate that you have made a reasonable first attempt at solving the problem
before seeking help and guidance. You may also contact me by email to ask a question or
arrange a consultation time (be sure to do this well in advance of the due date).
Question 1
An air sample containing H2S at a concentration of 100 ppm is brought into contact with a sample of
pure water at 25oC. After equilibrium has been obtained, the H2S concentration in the water sample
was analysed and found to be 3.8 g/L. From this data, determine the Henry’s law constant and air-
water partition coefficient (at 25oC) for hydrogen sulphide.

Question 2
Estimate the ethanol concentration (in ppm) and partial pressure in the vapour space of a wine vat
containing wine with an alcohol content of 12 % v/v (density of ethanol = 789 kg/m3). The total vapour
space pressure is 1 atm. (Data: KAW = 4.94x10-4). Assume temperature of 25 oC.

Question 3
An equimolar liquid mixture of benzene (Pvsat = 119 mmHg) and toluene (Pvsat = 36.7 mmHg) is
contained in a metal canister. Using Raoult’s law, calculate the pressure within the canister and the
equilibrium composition of the vapour. How does the pressure in the canister compare to
atmospheric pressure.

Question 4
For the six compounds below, evaluate the distribution between each phase in a closed system that
contains 90% air and 10% water (by volume). The molecular weight, vapour pressure, and water
solubility for each compound is also shown. Assume 25 oC. Show a complete calculation for at least
one chemical.
Compound MW Pvsat, atm Sw, mg/L
Benzene 78 0.125 1780
Trichloroethylene 99 0.008 1100
Chlorobenzene 112 0.0016 470
Napthalene 130 1.14E-04 34
Aroclor 1254 260 5.30E-07 0.24
DDT 350 2.00E-10 0.005

Question 5
Mercury exists in the environment in a variety of forms. Organic mercury exists primarily as dimethyl
mercury (CH3)2Hg which is easily assimilated by biota. Hence some species of fish are known to
contain high levels of mercury. [log KOW = 2.59]
Consider a lake containing 105 m3 of water, together with 103 m3 of both sediment and biota.
If this environment is impacted by 1 kg of methyl mercury, determine the concentration in the water,
sediment and biota (in g/L) and the fraction of the total dimethyl mercury occurring in each.
If the LD50 for fish exposed to methyl mercury is 0.03 ppm (mass basis), estimate the survival of fish
present (B = 1500 kg/m3).
Data:
The fish may be considered as 4.8% lipid, and the sediment may be considered as organic carbon.