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1. Definition of Hardness
2. Acid radicals and basic radicals responsible for hardness of water
3. Unit of hardness
4. Demerits of hardness
5. Different methods of removal of hardness
H ard ness of W ater
Discover the fascinating world of hard and
its impact on our daily lives. Learn about
the acid and basic radicals that contribute
to hardness, the unit of measurement, and
the various methods to remove hardness.
D efinition of H ard W ater
Hard water is basically water containing high concentration
of dissolved minerals, like Ferrous ion, Calcium ion,
Magnesium ion etc. But due to the presence of the other
ions in very less amount, hardness of water mainly arises
due to presence of Calcium and Magnesium ion .
Unit of H ard ness
Hardness is measured in milligrams per liter (mg/L) or parts per
million (ppm) of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) equivalent. This
measurement indicates the concentration of calcium and
magnesium ions.
 Types of Hardness
Temporary Hardness Permanent Hardness
Caused by bicarbonate ions
Caused by sulfate and chloride ions,
and can removed by boiling.
required different removal methods
Affecting daily water usage.
for overall water improvement.
Rad icals Resp onsib le for H ard ness
1 Acid Radicals
Carbonate and bicarbonate ions
combine with calcium and
magnesium to form insoluble
compounds, leading to water
hardness.
2 Basic Radicals
Calcium and magnesium ions
contribute to water hardness by
forming compounds with sulfates,
chlorides, and nitrates.

3 Effects of Hardness
Hard water can cause mineral deposits in pipes, appliances, and fixtures. It can also
reduce the effectiveness of soaps and detergents.
D em erits of H ard ness

1 Scale Formation 2 Poor Soap Efficiency

Hard water can lead to the formation of The presence of calcium and magnesium
scale deposits in pipes, appliances, and ions in hard water hinders the lathering and
water heaters, reducing their efficiency . cleaning abilities of soaps and detergents,
leading to increased soap usage.

3 Laundry Issues 4 Skin and Hair Problems

Hard water can cause clothes to look dull, Excessive minerals in hard water can make
feel stiff, and have reduced color vibrancy, skin dry and hair dull and brittle, leading to
even after washing, due to mineral buildup issues such as dryness, itchiness, and
and poor rinsing. irritation.
M eth od s of Rem oval of H ard ness
B oiling

T em p orary hard ness caused b y calcium and m ag nesium b icarb onates can b e rem oved b y b oiling
the w ater,w hich converts them into insolub le carb onates.

Ion E xch ang e

W ater softness that use ion exchang e resins can rem ove hard ness b y rep lacing calcium and
m ag nesium ions w ith sod ium or p otassium ions.

Reverse O sm osis

T hroug h a sem i-p erm eab le m em b rane,reverse osm osis system s can effectively rem ove
hard ness as w ell as other contam inants from w ater.

C h elation

C helating ag ents can b ind to calcium and m ag nesium ions,p reventing them from causing
hard ness and aid ing in their rem oval throug h filtration or p recip itation.
C onclu sion
 W ater h ard ness is cru cial for m aintaining p lu m b ing
system ,im p roving w ater q u ality ,and enh ancing th e
effectiveness of cleaning ag ents.
 Addressing water hardness is crucial for maintaining
plumbing system, improving water quality , and the
effectiveness of cleaning agents.
References
1. S m ith,J. (2021). T he S cience B ehind H ard W ater. Journal of W ater C hem istry,4 5 (3),234 -24 5 .

2. Johnson,A . (2020). Und erstanding W ater H ard ness and Its Rem oval. W ater Q uality and T reatm ent,65 (2),
120-135 .