North South University

Department of Civil and Environmental

Engineering (CEE)

CEE 209: Environmental Chemistry

FALL 2017

Lab Report
Experiment Name: surface water sampling from different sources

Experiment date: 16.11.17

Submission date: 23.11.17

Submitted to: Dr. Shama E. Haque

Name: Amir Hossain Raju

ID: 1612364025
 Sample pH EC TDS Turbidity
Location DO
s/cm Mg/L=ppm Mg/L=ppm NTU

Mineral 6.84 299 149 8.50 0.00

water
Tap 7.00 277 139 6.36 0.00
water
Composite 6.90 146 73 1.17 12.99
sample
Grab 6.75 137 69 0.80 11.53
sample

Water from different sources were tested in the laboratory to determine water
Turbidity, pH, DO, EC, and TDS. The water samples were collected from mineral
water, tap water, composite sample, grab sample.

Grab sample was obtained by filling a container held beneath the surface of the
water which indicates water quality at that point in time.

Composite sample was obtained by mixing equal volumes of separate grab

samples (collected at one point at regular time intervals) which provides an
estimate of average water quality conditions.
 North South University
Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering (CEE)

CEE 209: Environmental Chemistry

FALL 2017

Lab Report
Experiment Name: pH test of different sources of water
 Sample pH
Location

Mineral 6.84
water
Tap 7.00
water
Composite 6.90
sample
Grab sample 6.75

pH is a measure of the hydrogen ion concentration of a solution. Solution with a

high concentration of hydrogen ions has a low pH and solution with a low
concentration of hydrogen ions has a high ph. The pH scale measures how acidic
or basic a substance is. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral. A
pH less than 7 is acidic. A pH greater than 7 is basic. The pH of all collected water
samples from different source were within the range of 6.75 to 7.00. The
minimum and maximum pH values were found as 6.75 in grab sample and 7.00 in
tap water respectively. The acceptable range of pH for drinking water is 6.5 to 8.5
according to EPA standard. There are many factors that can affect pH in water,
both natural and man-made. Most natural changes occur due to interactions with
surrounding rock (particularly carbonate forms) and other materials. pH can also
fluctuate with precipitation (especially acid rain) and wastewater discharges. In
addition, Carbon dioxide is the most common cause of acidity in water. All the
collected sample listed above has a pH value in drinking range (6.5 to 8.5) but
weather the samples except mum water are drinkable or not, it would depend on
other parameters too.
North South University

Department of Civil and Environmental

Engineering (CEE)

CEE 209: Environmental Chemistry

FALL 2017

Lab Report
Experiment Name: Electric conductivity test of different sources of water
 Sample EC
Location s/cm

Mineral 299
water
Tap 277
water
Composite 146
sample
Grab sample 137

Electric Conductivity is a measure of waters capability to pass electric flow.

The ability is directly related to the concentration of ions in the water. These
conductive ions come from dissolved salts and inorganic materials such as alkalis,
chlorides, sulfides, and carbonate compounds. The more ions that are present,
the higher the conductivity of water. Likewise, the fewer ions that are in the
water, the less conductive it is. The conductivity depends on the value of the pH,
on the temperature of measurement and on the amount of CO2 which has been
dissolved in the water to form ions. Ocean waters have water electrical
conductivity of about 5 mS, tap water has EC in the range of 50 to 800 uS,
depending on the source, freshwater streams may fall in the range of 100 to 2000
uS and distilled water has EC of between 0.5 and 3 uS. The EC of all collected
water samples were within the range of 130 to 300 S/cm. The minimum and
maximum EC were found as 137 S/cm in grab sample and 299 S/cm in mineral
water respectively. Surprisingly the grab and composite sample has lower EC than
mineral and tap water which indicates presence of low amount of ions in there.
 North South University
Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering (CEE)

CEE 209: Environmental Chemistry

FALL 2017

Lab Report
Experiment Name: TDS test of different sources of water
 Sample TDS
Location
Mg/L=ppm
Mineral 149
water
Tap 139
water
Composite 73
sample
Grab sample 69

Total dissolved solids refers to the total concentration of substances, including

inorganic salts and organic matter, dissolved in a given volume of water, which is
expressed in units of mg per litre or parts per million. Common inorganic salts
that are found in water are calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium, which
are all cations, and carbonates, nitrates, bicarbonates, chlorides and sulphates,
which are all anions. The TDS of all collected water samples from different source
are within the range of 60 to 150 ppm. The minimum TDS was found as 69 ppm in
grab sample and the maximum TDS was found as 149 ppm in mineral water which
is again surprising and the value should have been opposite. Either the grab and
composite sample source has low TDS, or there was an experimental error which
has very low chance. According to WHO Level of TDS Rating

Range Quality
Less than 300 Excellent
300 - 600 Good
600 - 900 Fair
900 - 1,200 Poor
Above 1,200 Unacceptable

It can be said that the collected sample has excellent quality range.
 North South University
Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering (CEE)

CEE 209: Environmental Chemistry

FALL 2017

Lab Report
Experiment Name: DO test of different sources of water
 Sample
Location DO
Mg/L=ppm
Mineral 8.50
water
Tap 6.36
water
Composite 1.17
sample
Grab sample 0.80

Dissolved oxygen refers to the level of free, non-compound oxygen present in

water or other liquids. It is an important parameter in assessing water quality
because of its influence on the organisms living within a body of water. In
limnology (the study of lakes), dissolved oxygen is an essential factor second only
to water itself. A dissolved oxygen level that is too high or too low can harm
aquatic life and affect water quality. Oxygen is a necessary element to all forms of
life. Dissolved oxygen is necessary for good water quality. When dissolved oxygen
levels in water go below 5.0 ppm, aquatic life is in danger. The DO of all collected
water samples from six locations were within the range of 0.80 to 8.50 ppm. The
minimum DO was found as 0.80 ppm in grab sample and maximum DO was found
as 8.50 ppm in mineral water. The standard for sustaining aquatic life is 4.5 to 8.5
ppm. On the basis of this laboratory test, the measured values of DO of water
sample collected from composite and grab sample are not within the acceptable
range. Accumulation of huge amount of industrial waste from surrounding
industry and dumping of solid wastes into the River water are the main reasons
for lower DO value.
 North South University
Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering (CEE)

CEE 209: Environmental Chemistry

FALL 2017

Lab Report
Experiment Name: Turbidity test of different sources of water
 Sample Turbidity
Location
NTU
Mineral 0.00
water
Tap 0.00
water
Composite 12.99
sample
Grab sample 11.53

Turbidity is a measure of the degree to which the water loses its transparency due
to the presence of suspended particulates. The more total suspended solids in the
water, the murkier it seems and the higher the turbidity. Turbidity is considered
as a good measure of the quality of water. The WHO, establishes that the
turbidity of drinking water shouldn't be more than 5 NTU, and should ideally be
below 1 NTU. From the observed data it is seen that mineral and tap water has
null turbidity which indicates that these water are potable from turbidity point of
view. On the other hand the composite and grab sample has turbidity of 12.99
and 11.53 NTU respectively which are way out of drinking range. There are
various parameters influencing the turbidity of the water. Some of these are:
Phytoplankton, Sediments from erosion, suspended sediments from the bottom,
Waste discharge, Algae growth, and urban runoff etc.