Experiment#05: Determination of Hardness of Water Using EDTA
Experiment#05: Determination of Hardness of Water Using EDTA
Experiment#05: Determination of Hardness of Water Using EDTA
Principle:
Hardness in water is due to the presence of dissolved salts of calcium and
magnesium. It is unfit for drinking, bathing, washing and it also forms scales in
boilers. Hence it is necessary to estimate the amount of hardness producing
substances present in the water sample. Once it is estimated, the amount of
chemicals required for the treatment of water can be calculated. The estimation of
hardness is based on complexometric titration. Hardness of water is determined by
titrating with a standard solution of ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA)
which is a complexing agent. Since EDTA is insoluble in water, the disodium salt
of EDTA is taken for this experiment. EDTA can form four or six coordination
bonds with a metal ion.
Total hardness:
Total hardness is due to the presence of bicarbonates, chlorides and sulphates of
calcium and magnesium ions. The total hardness of water is estimated by titrating
the water sample against EDTA using Eriochrome Black-T (EBT) indicator.
Initially EBT forms a weak EBTCa2+/Mg2+ wine red colored complex with
Ca2+/Mg2+ ions present in the hard water. On addition of EDTA solution,
Ca2+/Mg2+ ions preferably form a stable EDTACa2+/Mg2+ complex with EDTA
leaving the free EBT indicator in solution which is steel blue in color in the
presence of ammonia buffer (mixture of ammonium chloride and ammonium
hydroxide, pH 10).
Eriochrome Black-T + Ca2+/Mg2+ Eriochrome Black-T-Ca2+/Mg2+
(Wine red)
Eriochrome Black-T-Ca2+/Mg2+ + EDTA EDTA-Ca2+/Mg2+ + Eriochrome Black-T
(Wine red) (Steel blue)
Temporary hardness:
Temporary hardness is due to the presence of bicarbonates of calcium and
magnesium ions. It can be easily removed by boiling. When water is boiled,
temporary hardness producing substances (bicarbonates) are precipitated as
insoluble carbonates or hydroxides. This precipitate can be removed by filtration.
(The filtrate is used in the next step).
Eriochrome Black-T + Ca2+/Mg2+ Eriochrome Black-T-Ca2+/Mg2+
(Wine red)
Eriochrome Black-T-Ca2+/Mg2+ + EDTA EDTA-Ca2+/Mg2+ + Eriochrome Black-T
(Wine red) (Steel blue)
Permanent hardness:
Permanent hardness is due to the presence of chlorides and sulphates of calcium
and magnesium ions. This type of hardness cannot be removed by boiling. The
filtrate obtained from the above step contains permanent hardness producing
substances and is estimated against EDTA using EBT indicator.
= 300ppm
Calculation of permanent hardness:
Volume of EDTA solution consumed = 5 ml
Volume of boiled water taken = 50ml
= 100ppm
Calculation of temporary hardness:
Temporary hardness of water = Total hardness - Permanent hardness
= 200 ppm
Result:
The collected water sample contains
Total hardness = 300 ppm
Permanent hardness = 100 ppm
Temporary hardness = 200 ppm