Chemistry : Water Chemistry And Water Quality

In the Chemistry of Natural Waters Lab we were to collect a sample of water, ranging from a fountain, stream, bottle, or tap water. After we collected the samples we all did many tests to see what the hardness was for each one. Water hardness is determined by the amount of Calcium and Magnesium in the water.(2) Water that has more Calcium or Magnesium is considered to be harder than water with less of those two elements. When you use soap and detergent, this is where you see water hardness coming into play in everyday life when you are washing things.

Water: a necessary facet to all living things. For animals, water can be a home or a drink. As for humans, the uses of water are endless. Not only do we use water as a beverage or washing clothes or dishes, but we also use water for toilets, various kinds of plumbing and other things that aren’t as easily identifiable. As of 2005, this 70% of our Earth has been manipulated and used for thermoelectric power (41.5%), irrigation (37%), domestic affairs (8.5%), public supply (5.4%), industry (5%) and aquaculture (2.6%).1 The importance of water is infinite, not only to our way of life, but also our lives. We need to drink water to ensure the health of individual cells of the body, lubricate joints, moisten mucous membranes of the organs and many other vital bodily functions.2 Not only do we expect the availability of water, but it is highly important to humans and all living things. Although it is such an integral part of our Earth, one may ask about some of its properties and characteristics.

Osmosis itself is the tendency for water to move from a weaker saline solution to a stronger saline solution until equilibrium is reached. The molecules move through a semi-permeable membrane, which separates the two solutions. Reverse osmosis, being the opposite process, provides pressure to the water, forcing the solvent to move from a strong saline solution to a weak saline solution. The salt molecules are physically larger than the solvent molecules and can therefore not pass through the semi-permeable membrane (Water Treatment Alternatives - Reverse Osmosis). Major advantages of reverse osmosis includes the removal of all minerals too large to pass through the membrane. A comprehensive list of the elements that reverse osmosis membranes will remove includes: sodium, sulfate, calcium, potassium, nitrate, iron, zinc, mercury, selenium, phosphate, lead, arsenic, magnesium, nickel, fluoride, manganese, cadmium, barium, and cyanide (What is Reverse Osmosis?). Some disadvantages of reverse osmosis are that the process is unable to remove chlorine, and most harmful organic compounds. After completing the process, the product is mostly acidic water which can be harmful to the body in large quantities, and while not as ineffective as distillation, reverse osmosis produces one gallon of pure water for every three gallons treated (Water Treatment Alternatives - Reverse

Why is refined oil more hazardous to the marine environment than crude oil? Which is spilled more often? Because refined oil has higher percentage of volatile parts that can possibly react to the things belong to the ocean and it can

What effect did each of the contaminants have on the water in the experiment? Which contaminant seemed to have the most potent effect on the water?

The chemicals are also affecting the wildlife like fish. One effect that has been observed is that fish are becoming more female like because of the hormonal drugs found in the water.

Experiments were done on the water quality and the contamination of groundwater. First, I observed the effects that different pollutants had on groundwater. I predicted that the experiments with the oil and vinegar would create the most contaminations to the water. When the laundry detergent were mixed with the groundwater, it created a light green color with a pleasant smell. The second water treatment experiment were about filtering techniques to remove contaminants from water. I predicted to drain the water by removing all the contaminants

EDTA titration, as well as AA (atomic absorption spectrophotometry) are two main ways in which water hardness is measured. EDTA is performed by adjusting the pH of the water with the use of a buffer, then adding an indicator to the solution, which will turn red if calcium ions are present. If only magnesium is present in the solution, it will remain blue. Then an EDTA solution is added to the solution. The complete reaction of all calcium and magnesium ions with the EDTA solution is represented by the change in color of the solution from red to blue. (Thomson, 2014)AA, or atomic absorption spectrophotometry, is performed by turning the water into an aerosol, which is then burned, and the internal computer system of the machine uses the absorbance of light to provide a number which corresponds to the concentration of ions in the water sample. (The Royal Society of Chemistry Fine Chemicals and Medicinals Group). It is important to use more than one method to measure water hardness, especially a method which relies mainly on the use of technology, to lower the possibilities for human error, as well as to provide multiple values of hardness for comparison.

As consumers have started to have greater knowledge, they want to know what they’re drinking and how this will affect them in short-term and long-term. The main concern related to chlorination is the by-products produced. The by-products are said to be cancer causing.

With polymer all you have to do is package it, then set the package in the water. When you put the package of polymer in the water what it does is really spectacular; it adsorbs, only attaching to the outside, the oil and that makes it a whole lot easier to pick it up (Oil spill Clean-up experiment). Another experiment is a girl puts water in a aluminum container, then put in oil. She first used the sponge, then cornmeal, then the cotton ball (Oil spill project).

Another benefit of a water purifier is that removes all the toxins and retains all the healthy minerals in it. The consumption of purified water

Water temperature is important as it influences the water chemistry. As the temperature increases the amount of oxygen held begins to decrease, this decrease in oxygen may not be sufficient for aquatic life. Water temperature also affects the photosynthesis of aquatic plants, sensitivity to pollutants, and the organism's metabolic rates. A measured water temperature of 22℃ is within the ideal water temperature range. Water temperature varies due to air temperature, shade, and deeper water temperature.

Bottled water, tap water or filtered water: which one to choose? Many people have already elected to drink bottled water or choose to install under sink filtration equipment to avoid the risk of drinking contaminated tab water, and these options do help overcome many of the potential problems of drinking tap water but they are not without a downside. So, how can we be sure that the water we drink is of the highest quality and it has the right properties to hydrate our bodies? What kind of water should we drink? This issue has become increasingly complex in the recent years and it has become a dilemma that most people do have.

Different classes of crude oil spills may affect different species differently, including marine mammals, birds, and plantlife that may be near the oil spill. Marine life may become poisoned by the toxic contaminants in their environment. The oil spill that took place in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 has harmed, or killed, nearly 25,900 marine mammals and over 102 species. Because the oil is difficult to extract from the ocean, much of the pollution remains, and spreads, continually affecting ocean life.

Few resources are essential to human survival. Access to clean water is the most critical of all. Water is a vital resource responsible for sustaining all life on earth. However, clean water is in short supply, but in high demand in all parts of the world. It is thought that most Americans have access to safe, affordable, clean water right from their taps. However, the media is uncovering the true nature of America’s deteriorating water situation. Americans have reason to be seriously concerned about the state of their drinking water. So what really is on tap in America?