Experiment No: 2 PH Test Objective

EXPERIMENT NO: 2 pH TEST
OBJECTIVE
TO DETERMINE THE pH OF WATER SAMPLES
APPARATUS REQUIRED
The apparatus for the pH test consists of following:
 Digital pH Meter: We were using Digital Turbidity Meter of HANNA Model HI-8010
consisting of off, temperature (°C) and pH selector switch, a digital display and a
calibration screws at the front panel as shown in figure. It consists of a pH electrode
connected at the back side.
 Beakers: To take water sample for test.
 Buffer Bottles and pipette etc. for preparation of standard buffer solution.
CHEMICALS AND SAMPLES REQUIRED
 Buffer tablet or powder of pH 7 and 4 or 10 for calibration
 Distilled water to prepare standard buffer solutions
 Water samples to be tested:
The sample should be true representative of the actual water. In taking out samples, care
should be taken that no further contamination or purification can be placed after collection
and before the analysis is completed. Well cleaned bottle should be used and it is cleaned
by the same water.
THEORY
In water, pH is the chemical characteristic and this test comes in the chemical examination of
water. The water found in nature may be acidic or basic depending on the nature of dissolved salts
and minerals. The acidity and alkalinity is measured in terms of pH value because pH value
indicates the hydrogen ion concentration in water.
Water (H2O) is the combination of positively charge of Hydrogen ions (H) or cations and
negatively charged Hydroxyl ions (OH) or anions. In pure water the concentration of H* ions and
OH ions are equal. When some substances is dissolved in pure water, the solution formed ionized
(i.e. splits up into H and OH ions) and the balance between the concentration of the same are
disturbed. If concentration of H+ ion is greater than the water is acidic and alkaline if that of OH
ion is greater. For example, if HCI is added, the water becomes acidic and if NaOH is added it
becomes alkaline.
Acidic if: Alkaline if:
H2O ↔ H+ + OH- H2O ↔ H+ + OH-
HCL ↔ H+ + Cl- NaOH ↔ Na+ + OH-
Applying the Law of Mass Action in Physical Chemistry, in a pure water solution, the the hydrogen
ion concentration is found to be 10-7 moles/liter. [moles = molecular wt in gram].
Also, the pH is defined as the logarithm of the reciprocal of hydrogen ion concentration.
Mathematically,
1
pH= log10 H = log10 [H+]-1 = - log10 [H+] = log10 [10-7] = 7
Acidity in water is caused by the presence of mineral acids, free carbon dioxide; sulphates of iron,
aluminum etc, whereas alkalinity is caused by the presence of bicarbonates of calcium and
magnesium or carbonates of hydroxide of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. As per
WHO standard, a pH value of 6.5 to 8.5 should be acceptable and rejected if pH is <6.5 to >9.2 for
public water supply. Hence pH value should be as closer to 7. The lower value of pH (acidic)
causes corrosion and higher value (alkalinity) may produce sediment deposits, difficulty in
chlorination etc. As per 'National Water Quality Guidelines 2062' of Nepal, pH value should be
6.5 to 8.5 for drinking water.
The pH value of water can be measured by colorimetric method or by Electrometric method using
pH meter. Here we are using pH meter and it measures pH directly or in terms of mV (milivolts).
We are concerned here with measurement of pH directly after calibration of instrument.
The principle of pH meter is that if two solutions are separated with pH sensitive glass (i.e the bulb
of glass pH electrode, an electrical potential will be developed across the membrane. If the solution
inside the bulb contains hydrogen ion concentration, the membrane potential will change as the
hydrogen ion concentration of the other solution varies. If electrical connections are made to these
solutions inside the glass bulb by the electrode's 'internal element' and outside the glass by a
'reference electrode', the membrane potential can be measured and displayed in the display as pH
directly.
PROCEDURE
1. Preparation of Buffer Solutions:
 100 ml of distilled water was pipetted out into different clean buffer bottles.
 One packet of buffer powder or tablet of 7 and 4 or 10 pH was poured in different buffer
bottles respectively to prepare buffer solution of pH 7, 4 or 10.
2. Calibration of the instrument:
(a) Adjustment with buffer of pH 7:
 Connected pH electrode of instrument was cleaned with distilled water, and was wiped
with clean cloth and was dipped into buffer solution of pH 7.
 Temperature of buffer was measured by thermometer
 The instrument was switched on to °C mode and °C screw was adjusted to view the
measured temperature on the display.
 Instrument was changed to pH mode and was adjusted it to display 7 by rotating pH 7
screw with a screw driver.
(b) Adjustment with buffer of pH 4/10:
 The connected pH electrode of instrument was removed, cleaned with distilled water,
wiped with clean cloth and was dipped into buffer solution of pH 4 or 10.
 Temperature of buffer was measured by thermometer
 The instrument was switched on to °C mode and °C screw was adjusted to view the
measured temperature on the display.
 Instrument was changed to pH mode and was adjusted it to display 7 by rotating pH 7
screw with a screw driver.
 The instrument is calibrated and ready for about 100 test readings.
3. Measurement for pH:
 pH electrode was cleaned with distilled water, wiped it with clean cloth.
 The instrument was switched on to pH mode and was dipped into water sample taken in a
beaker.
 pH value was noted for both samples.
OBSERVATIONS
Sample Measured pH
S.No. Remarks
No. Observation 1 Observation 2 Observation 3 Average
1 A 6.30 6.24 6.25 6.26
2 B 6.43 6.37 6.34 6.38
RESULT
Hence, the pH for sample A and sample B was found to be 6.26 and 6.38 respectively.
CONCLUSION
So, with the help of pH meter we can find out the pH of any given samples, while doing so the pH
meter should be calibrated properly. These data help us determine whether the drinking water is
suitable for drinking purpose or not, by comparing these data with the “National Water Quality
Guidelines 2062”of Nepal.

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