NAME:

RATING:
GROUP NO:
DATE:

Experiment No.
TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS

I. OBJECTIVE: To measure the amount of solids retained in the filter paper upon drying at
10degC

II. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS NEEDED:

Analytical balance
Desiccator
Drying oven (103 – 105C)
Filtration apparatus
Filter paper (Whatman 47 mm)
Graduated cylinder (100 mL)
Tweezer
III. PROCEDURE:
1) Pre-wash a filter paper with 50 mL of distilled water.
2) Dry the filter paper in an oven at 103 to 105degC for an hour.
3) Cool in a desiccator for an hour.
4) Weigh the filter paper in an analytical balance. (W1)
5) Aliquot 100 mL of sample using a volumetric flask or graduated cylinder.
6) Transfer the sample in the filtration set-up and filter till all the liquid portion has been
suctioned.
7) Fold the filter paper in two-fold and return in the covering material.
8) Dry the filter paper with solids in an oven at 103 to 105degC for an hour.
9) Cool in a desiccator for an hour and weigh the filter paper in an analytical balance. (W2)

CALCULATION:
TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS, TSS, mg/L
TSS = (W2 – W1) X 1,000,000) / mL of sample
where:
W1 – weight of empty filter paper, gm
W2 - weight of filter paper with solids, gmn

IV. DATA AND RESULTS

TRIALS W1 W2 TSS, mg/L

1 0.089 g 0.118 g 2900

2 0.089 g 0.114 g 2500

 AVERAGE TSS = 2700 mg/L

V. REMARKS AND CONCLUSION

Total suspended solids are all particles suspended in water that will not pass through the filter. It
is found that when the levels of TSS increases, a water body begins to lose its ability to support
a diversity of aquatic life. Total suspended solids should be tested at least five times per week
using 24-hour, flow-proportioned composite samples.

The group collected their samples from a fish pond. An average of 2700 mg/L in Total
Suspended Solids was observed and calculated. The water sample yielded a high value as it
was collected from a raw source where aquatic life has inhabited for a long period of time. The
suspended particles are mostly from the collected sand, dirt, and organic materials that have
degraded into smaller pieces over time.
VI. SET-UP