Determination of

Total Hardness of
Water Samples
Objectives
• Determine and evaluate the total
hardness of water samples
• Enumerate the proper technique in
conducting complexometric titrimetry
Setup

Figure 1. and solutions used in determining hardness of H2O, Calcium, and Magnesium using EDTA Materials
Materials

• Burette
• Measuring cylinder
• Spatula
• Reagent Bottle
• Filter Funnel
• Conical Flask
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Reagents

• Ammonia (NH4) buffer solution

• Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)
• tap water
• Eriochrome Black T
• Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH)
• Murexide indicator
Schematic Diagram

Figure 2. Procedures in Determination of Total Hardness of Water Samples

Determination of Total Hardness of water sample using
EDTA.

Volume of sample (mL) 50 mL  

CALCULATION
mol of M+2: (24.3 mL) = 2.43 x 10-4 mol M2+
Initial 0.0 mL Molarity of Metal ions (M2+): = 4.86 x 10-3 M
Molar mass of CaCO3: 40 + 12 + 3(16) = 100 g/mol
Final 26.3 mL
Volume of EDTA Ppm of CaCO3: (4.86 x 10-3 mol/L)(100 g/mol)
(mL)
Blank solution 2 mL (1000) = 486 mg/L (>180, very hard water

Actual 24.3 mL

Hardness (ppm CaCO3) 486 mg/L

Table 1. Determination of hardness of water sample using EDTA

Guide Questions

1. What is the difference between temporary hardness and permanent

hardness?
• Permanent hardness is hardness that cannot be removed by boiling. This is
mostly due to the presence of calcium sulfate and/or magnesium sulfates in
the water or when chlorides and sulfides of calcium and magnesium are
dissolved in water because they do not precipitate out as the temperature
increases. On the other hand, temporary hardness is the type of hardness that
is removable; this is due to the presence of dissolved bicarbonate minerals like
calcium bicarbonate and magnesium bicarbonate which makes water hard.
Temporary hardness of water can be removed by boiling.
Guide Questions

2. How can you relate the result of the hardness of water to the source of the
sample?
• The hardness of the water depends on the amount of dissolved calcium and
magnesium in the water. The more Ca2+/Mg2+ is dissolved in the water the
harder the water, however, the water hardness is reduced whenever EDTA is
added to the water sample during the titration. An indicator that the calcium is
removed is when the water sample changes from red to blue but when the color
blue sample is added with Calcium chloride the water sample turns back into
color red because the excess amount of calcium was detected and reacted with
Eriochrome Black T.
Guide Questions

• A  200.00 mL sample of water containing Ca2+ions is titrated with 16.38

3.
mL of EDTA solution in the previous problem. Calculate the hardness of
water in terms of ppm CaCO3.
• Sol’n:
M of hard water= = 8.19x10-4 M
Molar mass CaCO3 =100.08 g/mole

 
Guide Questions

4. Titration of Ca2+and Mg2+in a 50.00 mL sample of hardwater required

23.60 mL of 0.01205 M EDTA.A second 50.00 mL aliquot was made
strongly basic with NaOH to precipitate Mg2+. The supernatant liquid was
titrated with 14.50 mL of the EDTA solution. Calculate the total hardness
of the water sample expressed as
a) ppm CaCO3
b) ppm MgCO3 in the sample
Guide Questions

•   ppm CaCO3
a.
• Sol’n:
x 23.60 mL = 2.84x10-4 mol/L EDTA
2.84x10-4 mol/L EDTA/0.05 L= 5.68x10-3 mol/L
(5.68x10-3 mol/L) (100.09 g/mol CaCO3) = 0.57 g/L CaCO3
ppm CaCO3 = mg/L = 0.57 g/L CaCO3 x 1000

= 570 ppm
 
Guide Questions

•   ppm MgCO3 in the sample

b.
• Sol’n:
x 14.50 mL = 1.75x10-4 mol/L EDTA
1.75x10-4 mol/L EDTA/0.05 L = 3.5 x 10-3 mol/L
(3.5 x 10-3 mol/L) (84.31 g/mol MgCO3) = 0.30 g/L MgCO3
ppm MgCO3 = mg/L = 0.30 g/L MgCO3 x 1000

= 300 ppm
 
Conclusion
• The experiment shows that the water sample has a high calcium
carbonate content almost 3 times the minimum amount to be
considered as a very hard water. Hard water or water hardness is the
quality of water which contains dissolved compounds of divalent and
trivalent metallic elements, specifically magnesium and calcium.
Although these ions do not pose any harmful threat to humans’ health,
they can still engage in reactions that leave insoluble mineral deposits,
making the water unsuitable for different purposes. Water hardness
can be classified into two types which are temporary and permanent
hardness. Complexometric titration can be done by direct titration,
back titration, substitution titration, and alkalimetric titration.
Reference

• BPP Chemistry. (2020, March 27). Total Water Hardness using EDTA
Titration [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljNNZvxOw0g&t=368s