EVT525

WATER RESOURCE TECHNOLOGY

TITLE OF EXPERIMENT ORTHOPHOSPHATE-PHOSPHORUS

(PO4 3—P) (HACH METHOD)
NUMBER OF EXPERIMENT 11B
NAME NOR FATIN IDAYU BINTI ROSLI
MATRIX NUMBER 2022812738
GROUP AS2293A1
INSTRUCTOR’S NAME MADAM NURZULAIFA SHAHEERA
ERNE BINTI MOHD YASIM
DATE OF EXPERIMRNT 6/11/2023
DATE OF SUBMISSION 4/12/2023

NAME OF MEMBERS STUDENT ID

NOR FATIN IDAYU BINTI ROSLI 2022812738
DAMIA BATRISYIA BINTI MUZAFFAR 2022456076
Title: Experiment 11b Orthophosphate – Phosphorus (P043- - P) (HACH METHOD)
Objectives: To determine the amount of orthophosphate in wastewater, using Hach method.
Introduction:
Orthophosphate is present in different types of water especially the untreated sewage and less
found in lakes, streams or rivers. The excessive of phosphate due to the high and rapid of the
decomposition process by microorganism that occurred in the water or wastewater and may
cause the growth of algae on the surface of the water or wastewater. The phosphorus is form
from the sediment at the bottom of the lakes. When the bottom of a lake is anoxic (usually in
late summer and late winter), chemical processes at the sediment/water interface cause
phosphorus to be released from the sediments. There are many sources of the phosphorus to
be present in the lakes or streams which are soil erosion, human activity, detergents, runoff of
agriculture and many more. Phosphorus is one of the key elements necessary for the growth
of plants and animals and in lake ecosystems it tends to be the growth-limiting nutrient and is
a backbone of the Kreb's Cycle and DNA.
Procedure:

For Hach DR2800, The contents of

10 ml cell riser was
STORED PROGRAM onePhos Ver 3
inserted into the cell
was press. 490 P phosphate powder
compartment, then,
React, PV was pillow was added for
the cell was filled with
selected then click 10mL sample to the
10mL of sample.
START cell. Next, the
stopper was
immediately started
Another sample cell The soft keys was
and shaked it about
was filled with pressed under the
30 seconds. The blue
10mL of sample for TIMER>OK for
color was appear
the blank. The cell DR2800. A 2 minute
because it contains
holder was placed reaction was began.
into the light shield

When the times beeps, the The sample was prepared

soft keys ZERO was pressed. into the cell holder. The light
The displays showed 0.000 shield was closed and the
mg/L PO4 3- . result of sample displayed.

Result:
Sample The Concentration of Average (mg/L PO4 3--P)
Orthophosphate-Phosphorus
(PO4 3--P) (mg/L)
Blank standard 0.OO
Standard + pillow powder 1.03
Blank sample 0.04
Sample + pillow powder (A) 0.27 0.20
Sample + pillow powder (B) 0.13
Discussion:
This experiment was conducted to determine the orthophosphate-phosphorus that contained
in the water sample. The water sample was taken from the nearby lakes in Shah Alam. The
orthophosphate-phosphorus was determined by the HACH Method using spectrophotometer
and pillow powder was placed in the sample. Before doing the analysis, blank standard needs
first to be prepared and determined. The result obtained for the blank standard was 0.00
mg/L. Then, then standard solution was mixed with the powder pillow and reading obtained
was 1.03 mg/L. The reading was increased when the pillow powder was added into the
standard solution. The powder pillow was to determine the reactive (ortho) phosphate
(phosphorus) by the PhosVer 3 ascorbic acid method in the water sample. This was because
the standard solution used in the analysis was phosphate standard solution (1 mg/L) or (50
mg/L). So, there was present of phosphate in in the standard solution. The average result
obtained when the both samples water were added with pillow powder and the reading taken
by the spectrophotometer by HACH method was 0.20 mg/L PO4 3- -P. When compared with
the blank sample reading which 0.04 mg/L, it showed that the phosphate that contained in the
water sample was low. This also proved that the lakes water sample taken contained low or
not excessive phosphate. So that the plant and aquatic life can grow well in the water. This
also showed that, there was no excessive of algae growth on the surface of the water sample.
The phosphate contained in the water sample was enough for the plant and aquatic life in the
water sample. Another way to determine the phosphate in the analysis was when PhosVer 3
phosphate powder pillow was added into both of water samples and shaken about 30 seconds,
the mixture will change into blue colour because the present of phosphate.
While doing the experiment, there was no changing colour in the mixture because there was
little of phosphate in the water sample. In the major lakes, the present of phosphorus was
limited as the nutrient for the plants, algae and aquatic life which they need other nutrient to
grow such as sunlight, nitrogen and etc. If the phosphate increasing it will cause aging
process occurred rapidly for the surface of water ecosystem or lakes. Some of the phosphate
may be precipitated as iron phosphate and stored in the sediment where it can then be
released if anoxic conditions develop [Ora18]. The sources of phosphorous in wastewater
was sedimentary of rocks, human activity, soil erosion, industrial, runoff from agriculture and
etc. The environmental impacts of phosphorous in wastewater which cause the rapidly
growth of algae and leads to the eutrophication and cause the aquatic life death because the
decrease of dissolved oxygen and absent of sunlight in the wastewater. The possible
interferences while doing the experiment were turbidity/colour, aluminium, arsenate, zinc,
lead, iron and copper.
The error that may occurred during the analysis was the sample cell need to rinse a few times
with distilled water and wiped it with tissue paper to remove any fingerprint on the sample
cell. The sample cell was hold at top and not touched the body part of the sample cell after
rinsed and wiped. The place the sample cell in the spectrophotometer carefully. Another way
to get accurate was the calibration of the standard need to be done. Next, the blank sample
and standard also need to be observed. Other than that, we need to duplicate the sample water
so that we can get the average result and can compared between the other samples. The
samples need to be analyses as soon as possible to get better results.The safety that need to be
aware during the analysis which wearing gloves and mask while handling the chemical
solution. This to avoid any directly intact on hand with the chemical used. There was some
suggestion to improve the determination which when washing the sample bottles, do not use
detergent that contain phosphate because the phosphate will contaminate the samples.
Besides that, the samples need to be let increase into room temperature before the analysis.

Conclusion:
As the conclusion, the average of the both sample water that conation PhosVer 3 Phosphate
powder pillow was 0.20 mg/L PO4 3--P. The lower the phosphate, the less growth of algae.
When less growth of algae will prevent the lakes from eutrophication and the plant or aquatic
life can growth rapidly without any interruption. The phosphate in the samples was
determined by the orthophosphate-phosphorous using HACH Method. This proved that the
lakes or streams contain low concentration of phosphate.

References:
1. Gonzalez, P. (2021, April 14). Understanding phosphorus. Chem Inc.
https://www.cheminc.com/post/understanding-phosphorus
2. H2OLabcheck. (2020, March 17). Phosphate in wastewater - water library: Acorn
water. https://www.h2olabcheck.com/blog/view/phosphate
3. Phosphorus compounds in wastewater: Phosphorus, orthophosphates. 1 H2O 3. (n.d.).
https://www.1h2o3.com/en/learn/wastewater-parameters/wastewater-quality-
criteria/phosphate-components-in-wastewater-phosphorus-orthophosphates/
Questions:
1. Identify the sources of phosphorus in wastewater.
- From domestic waste such as from human waste and also from the detergents and
cleaning products.
- From industrial discharge, for example Industries involved in food processing may
release phosphorus-containing compounds into wastewater.
- From agriculture runoff such as fertilizers and animal manure.

2. What are the environmental impacts of phosphorus in wastewater.

- Eutrophication, water quality degradation, loss of biodiversity, aquatic ecosystem
distruption and ground water contaminant.

3. List the possible interferences in this test.

- inorganic phosphorus compound
- Colour and turbidity
- Presence of metals
- Biological activities
- High concentrations of chlorine