Post Lab and Pre Lab Questions - Cycle-I (2 Files Merged)
Post Lab and Pre Lab Questions - Cycle-I (2 Files Merged)
Post Lab and Pre Lab Questions - Cycle-I (2 Files Merged)
LABORATORY
1. DETERMINATION OF pH VALUE OF WATER SAMPLE
Pre lab
1. Define pH of a liquid? What is the relationship between pH and hydroxide ion
concentration?
4. According to IS, what is the permissible limit of pH value for drinking water?
6.5 to 8.5
Post lab
1. What is the significance of pH of water in treatment plants?
The rate of reaction in each treatment process varies with pH of the water. The
lower and higher pH values affect the containers and pipes
3. In a water treatment plant, the pH value of incoming water is 7.3 from one
source. The pH value is 8.5 for another source . What is average pH value of the
water which is entering into a treatment plant?
For one source, 7.3 = - log10[H+] , [H+] = 10-7.3
Another source, 8.5 = - log10[H+] , , [H+] = 10-8.5
10−7.3 + 10−8.5
Average = = 8.425 × 10- 8.5
2
Average value of pH = - log10[8.425 × 10- 8.5]
= 7.5744
2. DETERMINATION OF TOTAL. FIXED, VOLATILE AND SUSPENDED
SOLIDS
Prelab
1. Define a solid with reference to Environmental Engineering?
The term solid refers to the matters either filterable or non-filterable that remains
as residue upon evaporation and drying in oven at 1030C to 1050C.
2. Explain classification of solids?
Total solids- based on particle size.
Suspended solids -particle size more than 1µm
Colloidal solids – particle size between 1µm to 10-3 µm
Dissolved solids – smaller than 10-3 µm
Settleable solids – more than 10 µm
3. What is the permissible and tolerable limits of total dissolved solids according to
IS?
500 mg/l and 1500 mg/l.
Post lab
1. Volatile solids are determined as loss of weight of dry residue at 600⁰C.Why?
At 600⁰C organic solids are converted into CO2 and H2O and inorganic solids
remained as ash
2. The residue and container must be cooled in desiccators after drying or ignition
operation. Why?
If residue and its container is placed in the open air for cooling, moisture would
be picked up from air by residue and container. So it should be cooled in
desiccators where relative humidity is kept zero.
3. What is the best available method to remove dissolved organic solids from water
Biological treatment processes
4. What are the available methods to remove inorganic solids from water?
Reverse osmosis and Electrodialysis.
4. DETERMINATION OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY?
Pre lab
1. Define electrical conductivity?
Electrical conductivity is measure of water to carry electrical current due to
presence of dissolved dissociated substances.
2. How does the high quantity of dissolved solids affect quality of water?
It increases density and turbidity of water
2. What is the value of TDS, if electrical conductivity of water is 2.35 mhos and
constant 0.8?
TDS = 0.8 × 2.35 × 106 = 1.88 × 106 mg/l
5.DETERMINATION OF TURBIDITY
Pre Lab
1. What are the causes of turbidity in water?
Turbidity in water is due to the presence of organic and inorganic suspended matter
such as clay, silt, colloidal metal ions and oxides of various cations, silica, and humic
acids. Pigments of plant decay and metabolites may also cause turbidity in water.
2. What are the units generally used to measure turbidity?
mg/l, Jackson turbidity unit, Nephelo turbidity unit
3. What is the basic difference in principle involved in Jackson Turbidimeter and
Nephelo turbidimeter?
Jackson Turbidimeter is based on light absorption and Nephelo turbidimeter is based
light scattering
Post Lab
Post Lab
1. What is the relationship between DO and temperature?
4. DETERMINATION OF CHLORIDES
Pre Lab
1. What are the sources chlorides in waste water?
Dissolution of salts, discharge effluents from chemical industries, oil well operations,
sewage discharges, seawater intrusion.
2. What are the harmful effects of chlorides if it exceeds the permissible limits?
Prolonged use may cause hyper tension
Post lab
1. What is the permissible limits of chlorides for drinking water purposes?
250 mg/l
2. What are the treatment methods to remove chlorides from wastewater?
Reverse Osmosis, Electrodialysis, Solar distillation
4. DETERMINATION OF RESIDUAL CHLORINE
Pre Lab
1. Why do you determine residual chlorine in water treatment practice and water supply
mains?
Residual chlorine is measured to ensure effective disinfection without wastes of
chlorine in water treatment plant.
2. Why it is necessary to maintain 0.1 to 0.2 mg/l residual chlorine in water distribution
main?
To prevent further contamination in distribution system
3. Give the chemical formula of bleaching powder.
Ca(OCl)2
Post Lab
1. What is the % of active available chlorine in bleaching powder?
20 to 30 %
2. Name any three disinfectant which can commercially be employed in water
treatment?
Chlorine, Ozone, Ultraviolet radiation
3. Free available chlorine is more effective than combined chlorine.Why?
Diffusion of HOCl into cell wall of bacteria is quite high as compared to combined
available chlorine.
5.DETERMINATION OF DISSOLVED OXGEN
Prelab
1. What are the factors affecting dissolved oxygen content in surface water?
Reaeration, photosynthesis, Deoxygenation and oxidation of waste
Post lab
1. Explain the reason for taking 203 ml instead of 200 ml sample in DO test.
2. Two samples were collected at the same spot in the river. One is analysed
immediately and the other one is checked for DO in the laboratory. Which one give
you lower result? Write reason.
The one is analysed in laboratory. Biological activity of bacteria consumes DO, for
oxidation of organic matter during transport to the laboratory.
6. DETERMINATION OF IRON
PRELAB
1. What are the effects if iron if it is present in water?
Water become turbid, stains in wash basins, red spot in clothes, promote growth of
iron bacteria
Postlab
1. What are the health effects of iron in drinking water?
Higher concentration of iron in drinking water causes Hemosidrosis(liver disease)
POST LAB
1. What are the methods available to remove fluoride from water?
Adsorption on activated carbon and activated alumina
Nalgonda technique using alum and lime
Ion exchange resin beds
2. Which are the states facing excess fluoride problem in ground water in India?
Andrapadesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tamilnadu
3.How can you increase fluoride concentration in drinking water with deficiency of fluorine?
By adding sodium silicofluoride, sodium fluoride, calcium fluoride and hydrofluoric acid
1. Define COD.
COD can be defined as the amount of oxygen required to oxidise the organic matter
by strong oxidising agent under acidic conditions
2. Why do COD analysis and BOD usually give different results for the same waste
water?
COD gives a measure of total oxidizable organic matter and BOD is a measure of
biodegradable organic matter
POST LAB
1. What are the major limitations of the COD test?
COD test does not differentiate between biodegradable and non-biodegradable
organic matter
It does not provide any evidence of the rate at which the biologically active material
would be stabilised under conditions that exist in nature
2. What is the BOD to COD ratio of wastewater?
It varies with different types of wastewater. If it is greater than 0.68 , the wastewater
is biodegradable