DETERMINATION OF TOTAL SUSPENDED AND DISSOLVED SOLIDS

AIM:
To determine the amount of total solids (TS), total suspended solids (TSS), total
dissolved solids (TDS) and volatile solids (VS) present in the given waste water
samples.

EQUIPMENT:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Funnel
Evaporating Dish
Crucibles
Wattman's filter paper No. 42
Graduated Cylinders
Analytical Balance
Conical Flask
Oven & Muffle Furnace.

THEORY:
Solids refer to matter suspended or dissolved in water or wastewater. Solids may
affect water or effluent quality adversely in a number of ways. Waters with high
dissolved solids generally are of inferior palatability and may induce an
unfavorable physiological reaction in the transient consumer. Highly mineralized
water also is unsuitable for many industrial applications. Waters high in
suspended solids may be aesthetically unsatisfactory for such purposes as
bathing. Solids analyses are important in the control of biological and physical
wastewater treatment processes and for assessing compliance with regulatory
agency wastewater effluent limitations.
Total Solids (TS) is the term to define the material residue left in a drying dish
after evaporation of a sample of water or wastewater and subsequent drying in
an oven. After a measured volume is placed in a porcelain dish, the water is
evaporated from the dish on an oven to a constant weight at 103-105 C. The
total residue is equal to the difference between the cooled weight of the dish and
the original weight of the empty dish. The concentration of total solids is the
weight of dry solids divided by the volume of the sample, usually expressed in
milligrams per liter.

The term Total Suspended Solids (TSS) or (SS) refers to the non-filterable
residue that is retained on a glass-fiber disk after filtration of a sample of water
or wastewater.
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) are the solids that pass through the glass-fiber
membrane filter and are calculated from total and suspended solids analyses.
Fixed Solids (FS) are the residue remains after the ignition of sample in muffle
furnace at 550 0c represents the fixed solids. These represents the inorganic
matter present in water.
Volatile Solids (VS) refers to the difference between the suspended solids and
fixed solids represent the volatile solids. This represents the amount of organic
matter present in water.

PROCEDURE:
Procedure for Total solids:
1. Weigh the given procelain dish (clean & dry) and record its weight (W 1)
gm.
2. Take 100 ml of sample in porcelain dish.
3. Place the dish in an oven.
4. Evaporate to dryness in an oven at 103 0C to 105 0C for about 24 Hrs.
5. Cool the dish and weigh it (W2) gm.
Procedure for Total Suspended Solids:
1. Take a wattman's filter paper No. 42 and record its weight (W 3) gm.
2. Filter 100 ml sample of water by using above filter paper.
3. Place the filter paper with residue in an oven and evaporate it to dryness.
4. Read the weight of the filter paper and residue (W 4) gm.
Procedure for Total Dissolved Solids:
1. Total Dissolved Solid is equal to W2-W4.
Procedure for Volatile Solids:
1. Take dried sample from first procedure.
2. Switch on the furnace and allow it to reach 550 0C. Check and regulate the
furnace temperatures frequently to maintain the desired temperature
range.
3. Place the silica crucible in the furnace and care should be taken while keep
the crucible inside the furnace since it will be too hot.
4. Allow it to ignite for 20 minutes to get constant mass.
5. Weigh the dish as soon as it has cooled to avoid absorption of moisture
due to its hygroscopic nature (W5).
6. W5 is the amount of fixed solids present in sample.
7. W2-W5 is the amount of volatile solids present in sample.

RESULT: