Experiment 8

1.0 Introduction

The wastewater is created when the water is spent or used with dissolved or suspended
solids also discharged from communities, homes, industrial, homes, commercial
establishments, and farms. According to Sincero et all in their writing, wastewater are
divided into two categories which are sanitary and non-sanitary wastewater or called also
as sanitary sewage. The sanitary wastewaters are wastewaters that have been
contaminated with human wastes.

.
2.0 Objective
The main goal of this experiment is to determine ammonia-nitrogen as well as nitratenitrogen in the sample water (tempurung cave

Apparatus and Materials

1. spectrophotometers
2. sample cells (25 mL) with appropriate stoppers
3. Graduated cylinder (25 mL)
4. Pipette (1.0mL)

3.0 Procedure

1. 25 mL mixing graduated cylinder was filled to the 25 mL mark with standard

2. Another 25 mL of graduated cylinder was filled with deionised water
3. Three drops of mineral stabilizer were added to each cylinder .Each cylinder was
inverted for a several times
4. Three drops of polyvinyl alcohol dispersing agent were added to each cylinder .
5. 1.0 mL of Nessler reagent was pippeted into each cylinder
6. The soft key under start timer was pressed. A 1 minute reaction period begun.
7. Each solution was poured into 10 mL sample cell
8. The blank was placed into the cell holder when the time beeps
9. The soft key under zero was pressed and the display will show 0.000 mg/I N NH 3
10. The prepared sample was placed into cell holder. Result in mg/I ammonia expressed as
nitrogen was displayed

5.0 Results

Solution
Blank
Standard
Sample A
Sample B (Duplicate)
Table 5.1 : Reading of sample

Reading (mg/L)
0.00
0.99
0.54
0.55

NH3-N (mg/L) = NH3-N (value from spectrophotometer)

Solution
Blank
Standard
Sample A
Sample B (Duplicate)

NH3-N (value from spectrophotometer)

NH3-N 0.00
NH3-N 0.99
NH3-N 0.54
NH3-N 0.55
Table 5.2 : Spectrophotometer reading

NH3-N (mg/L)
0.00
0.99
0.54
0.55

Parameters

Reading

Dissolved Oxygen (%)

15.6

Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L)

1.27

Temperature

25.74

Salinity

0.09

pH

7.98

Total Dissolved Solids (TDS %)

0.125

ORP

37.8
Table 5.3: YSIs reading meter

7.0 Conclusion
The ammonia nitrate in wastewater in different form, depends in the source which come from.
Beside,Toxicity increases as pH decreases and as temperature decreases.

8.0 Question

1. Identify the sources of ammonia in water and waste water ?

Ammonia gets into water supplies most frequently as runoff in agricultural areas where it is
applied as fertilizer and it easily finds its way into underground aquifers from animal
feedlot runoff. Ammonia itself is not often found in well water because bacteria in the soil
convert it to nitrates.

2. Are there alternative methods for determining ammonia in wastewater ?

Can be determined by using the electrode method (Std Methods 4500 D or E). The
phenate method is used if interferences are suspected (USEPA 350.1, Std Methods 4500G).
Other methods include titration, Nesslerization, or ion chromatography.

Why we monitor nitrogen in waste water treatment plant?

A wastewater treatment plants objective is commonly the removal of nitrogen, a nutrient
notorious for causing eutrophication in natural surface waters. High levels of nitrate in the
environment can pose problems for both humans and animals. According to the The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires nitrate be below 10 ppm to be safe for
human consumption. Nitrate exceeding 30 ppm can cause tremendous stress on human
health as well as that of aquatic species. Nitrogen often enters the environment as
ammonia, which is quickly oxidized to nitrate. The nitrate then creates an oxygen demand,
resulting in low dissolved oxygen in surface waters.

3. What are the typical ammonia values in wastewater?

less than 6mg/litre

9.0 References
.
Clark J. W. and Viessman W. (2002) Water Supply and Pollution Control. International
Textbook Company. pp. 387390.
Hyland. Environmental Science. 3rd Ed. Living within the System of Nature. Prentice Hall.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ. 1993. p. 342..
European Standard EN 1899-2-March 1998, Determination of biochemical demand after
n days. Part 2: method for undiluted sample (ISO 5815:1989, modified)
Sincero, A. P., & Sincero, G. A. (2003). Physical-chemical treatment of water and
wastewater. IWA Publishing.