Riverside's Dilemma Chem 1212L Odaro Osayimwen Extra Credit 4/24/2013

Background: Riverside is a little town in upstate New York. Theyve had a couple of manufacturing plants, but now, due to changing market interests and other economic factors, (Groh) they are closing down. Now a new company, Clemex, has decided to take over the old manufacturing plants, to use them as: a metal-refining center, a paper mill, and a fine chemicals synthesis unit. Now the problem is, the new plant would pollute the nearby river. This plant would output wastes like, NaOH, benzoic acid, and H2SO4. The required pH of the river is from 6.8 - 7.2 pH. Now I have been hired to look into the situation, see how toxic their waste is, find possible solutions if it is alarming.

Part 1 Paper mill: 2.5 g of NaOH produced per L of waste MM NaOH: 39.997 g/mol Moles= 2.5/39.997 = .0625 mol Molarity= .0625/1 = .0625 M Since NaOH is a strong acid: pOH= -log(.0625) pOH= 1.20 pH= 12.80

Synthesis unit: 1.1 g of aniline or 1.5 g of benzoic acid per L of waste MM of benzoic acid (C6H5COOH): 122.12 g/mol Moles= 1.5/122.12 = .0123 mol Molarity = .o123 M Ka for benzoic acid = 6.4 x 105 *reference Table of Ka Values for Common Monoprotic Acids, Brewton-Parker College, States

Benzoic acid

HC7H5O2

6.4 x 105

6.4 x 105= x2/.o123 M x= 8.87 * 10^-4 pH= -log(8.87 * 10^-4) pH= 3.05

Metal refinery: 2.0 g of H2SO4 produced per L of waste MM of H2SO4= 98.079 g/mol Mole= 2.0/98.079 = .0204 mol Molarity= .0204 M pH= -log(.0204 M) pH= 1.69

Judging from the pH above, we can definitely tell that they are at high level and are not in the suitable ranges.

For the dilution: Paper mill pH= 7.2 pOH= 6.8 Molarity= 1.58 E -7 M L= mol/M L= .0625 mol/1.58 E -7 M L= 4.0 * 10^5 L

Synthesis unit pH= 6.8 Molarity= 1.58 E -7 M 6.4 x 105= ((1.58 E -7 M)^2)/x x= 3.92 E-10 L= .0123 mol/3.92 E-10 L= 3.13 * 10^7 L

Metal refinery pH= 6.8 Molarity= 1.58 E -7 M L= .0204 mol/1.58 E -7 M L= 1.29 * 10^5 L

Now apparently, dilution would be a terrible idea because it would cost too much. The volume needed is in the way too high to be possible.

Part 2 To neutralize means to mix (titrate) the acid with a base or vice versa in order to balance the pH, in this case preferable in the range from 6.8 to 7.2.

Paper mill; NaOH (aq) + HCl (aq) NaCl (aq) + H2O (l) No equilibrium constant (both strong acid/base)

Synthesis unit C6H5COOH (aq) + NaOH (aq) Na C6H5COO- (aq) + H2O (l) Equilibrium constant about 6.4 x 105

Metal refinery 2 NaOH (aq) + H2SO4 (aq) Na2SO4 (aq) + 2 H2O (l) No equilibrium constant.

Paper mill; NaOH (aq) + HCl (aq) NaCl (aq) + H2O (l) pOH= 6.8 [OH] = 1.58 E -7 M Now we are left with the

3.16 E-7= .0625 mol mol HCl Mol HCl = .0624 mol Grams = .0624 * 36.46094 = 2.27 g So we are talking about a 2.27 g of HCl in each 1 L solution With the stated concentration and volume, the desired pH can be easily obtained.

Synthesis unit C6H5COOH (aq) + NaOH (aq) Na C6H5COO- (aq) + H2O (l) Equilibrium constant about 6.4 x 105

pH= 6.8 Molarity= 1.58 E -7 M

( ( ( ( ( )

) ) ) )

.0123 mol = 1.00243 mol NaOH Mol NaOH= .01227 mol

Grams = .01227 * 39.999 = .49 g of NaOH in each liter solution. The pH you will arrive at is in the range of the desired pH. I know this because I calculated back ward.

Metal refinery 2 NaOH (aq) + H2SO4 (aq) Na2SO4 (aq) + 2 H2O (l)

Mol NaOH= .0102 mol * I divided by 2 because of the 1:2 ratios from the balanced equation. Grams = .0102 mol * 39.999= .407 grams of NaOH for each liter solution The pH you will arrive at is in the range of the desired pH. I know this because I calculated back ward.

Part 3 1. We could use the waste from the Paper Mill to neutralize the other two plants; however, the quantity would have to be reduced for pH not to get away from the desired range. 2. For the Metal refinery to the Paper Mill, the proportion is as follows; (.407 / 2.5) = .1628 or 16.28 % of the waste coming from the paper mill. For the Synthesis unit to the paper mill, the proportion is .49 /2.5 = .196 0r 19.6% of the waste coming from the paper mill. 3. The more the waste the higher the pH of the river. You will need an almost equal concentration of acid/ base to neutralize the pH. 4. There are other factors to be considered indeed. Waste form households, other companies, school, and other institutions around might affect the desired range of the pH. Clemex can only do it part to make the pH from its plant in the desired range, but it has no control over the other factors.