Subject: Engineering Chemistry

(CH0011)

Experiment -1
Determination of Alkalinity of Water
Sample
 Determination of Alkalinity of Water Sample

Aim:- To determine the type and amount of Alkalinity

present in the sample of water.

Principle:- Alkalinity of water is due to the presence of

hydroxide (OH-), carbonate (CO2-3) and bicarbonate
(HCO-3) ions. There are five possible conditions of
alkalinity in water sample. These condition can be
estimated by titrating with standard acid solution using
phenolphthalein indicator (P) and Methyl Orange
Indicator (M).
1) Phenolphthalein End Point: Phenolphthalein indicates complete
neutralization of hydroxide (OH-) ions and half neutralization of carbonate
(CO2-3) ions.

2) Methyl Orange End Point: Methyl Orange indicates complete neutralization of

bicarbonate ions.

From these two end points different possibilities of alkalinities are calculated as
given in Table-1.
 Alkalinity Condition Table No. 1
Using Phenolphthalein [P] and Methyl Orange [M] values
Sr. No. Results of Titration OH- CO2-3 HCO-3
[P] and [M]
1 [P] = 0 Nil Nil [M]
2 [P] = [M] [M] OR [P] Nil Nil
3 [P] = ½ [M] Nil 2[P] or [M] Nil

4 [P] > ½ [M] 2[P] – [M] 2[M] – 2[P] Nil

5 [P] < ½ [M] Nil 2[P] [M] – 2[P]

[P] = 0 : Only bicarbonate ion is present.

[P] = [M] : Only hydroxide ion is present.
[P] = ½[M] : Only carbonate ion is present.
[P] > ½ [M] : Carbonate and hydroxide ions are present.
[P] < ½ [M] : Carbonate and bicarbonate ions are present.

Alkalinity values are expressed in terms of mg/lit or ppm as carbonate.

Reagents Required: 0.1 N NaOH, X N HCl, phenolphthalein,
methyl orange indicator and water sample.

Procedure: Titration -1 (Standardization of HCl)

 Burette is washed with water and rinsed with HCl. Then it is
filled with HCl.
 Pipette out 10 ml of std NaOH in clean conical flask.
 Add 1-2 drops of phenolphthalein as indicator.
 This pink color solution is titrate with HCl taken in burette, the
end point is the disappearance of pink color.
 Repeat the titration to get concordant value.
 Observation Table -1
Sr. No. Volume of NaOH Burette Reading Volume of Indicator
(ml) HCl (ml)
Initial (ml) Final (ml) Phenolphthalein
1
2
3

Calculation:
Volume of NaOH Solution V1 = 10 ml
Strength of NaOH Solution N1 = ………… (given)
Volume of HCl Solution V2 = ………….. ml (Concordant value)
Strength of HCl Solution N2 = V1 × N1/ V2
= ………… N.
 (Titration 2) Estimation of Alkalinity
 Burette is washed with water and rinsed with HCl. Then it is filled
with HCl.
 Pipette out 10 ml of water sample in a clean conical flask.
 Add 1-2 drops of phenolphthalein as indicator.
 This pink colored solution is titrate with HCl taken in the burette;
the end point is the disappearance of pink color.
 Note this point as [P].
 To the same colorless solution add 1-2 drops of methyl orange
indicator.
 This yellow colored solution is titrated with HCl from the point [P].
 The end point is color change from yellow to red orange.
 Note this point as [M].
 Repeat the titration to get concordant value.
 Observation Table -2
Estimation of Alkalinity
Sr. Volume of Burette Reading Volume of HCl Indicator
No. Water (ml)
Sample
(ml)
Initial (ml) Final (ml) P M Indicator
P M
1 P=
Phenolphthalein
2 M = Methyl
Orange
3

Concordant Value: P = ……….ml

M = ……….ml
½ M = ………..ml
• Calculation: After looking P and M values, till will satisfy any one of
that five alkalinity condition,
For Example: Alkalinity due to OH- ions = Nil
If P < ½ M
CO2-3 Ion Alkalinity :
Volume of HCl Solution V1 = 2P
= …….. ml
Strength of HCl Solution N1 = …………. (1 Calculation)
Volume of water sample V2 = 10 ml
Strength of water sample N2 = V1N1/V2
Strength of water sample = ……………N.
Amount of CO2-3 ion present in
1 lit of water sample in terms of CaCO3 equivalent
= Eq. wt of CaCO3 × strength of water sample
= 50 × 1000 ppm × ……………N.
Alkalinity due to CO2-3 ion = ……….ppm.
HCO2-3 Ion Alkalinity :
Volume of HCl Solution V1 = [M] -2[P]
= …… ml
Strength of HCl Solution N1 = ………….(1 Calculation)
Volume of water sample V2 = 10 ml
Strength of water sample N2 = V1 N1/V2
= …………
Strength of water sample =…………..N.
Amount of HCO2-3 ion present in
1 lit of water sample in terms of CaCO3 equivalent
= Eq. Wt of xCaCO3 × Strength of water sample
= 50 × 1000 ppm ×…………..N
Alkalinity due to HCO2-3 ion = ……………ppm.
Results:
1. Alkalinity due to OH- ion = ………ppm.
2. Alkalinity due to CO2-3 ion = ………ppm.
3. Alkalinity due to HCO2-3 ion = ……..ppm.