ABSTRACT This experiment is conducted to identify the Chromium (VI) water concentration in sample by using spectrophotometer and to identify

whether the water sample is safe for drinking or at least, agriculture purpose. Chromium (VI) is used in this experiment as it is most found in rivers, lakes and streams. So to determine either Chromium (VI) is harmful or not, 5 series of diluted solution are prepared as the water sample and a spectrophotometer is used. The spectrophotometer is an instrument which measures the amount of light of a specified wavelength which passes through a medium. According to Beer's law, the amount of light absorbed by a medium is proportional to the concentration of the absorbing material or solute present. The wavelength is set to 435nm. The concentration of Chromium (VI) in the lake water sample tested is 30.96 parts per million. The experiment is completed and successfully conducted. INTRODUCTION Chromium has a large influence upon drinking water quality. Many heavy metals, such as chromium, are toxic at low aqueous solution concentrations.

Chromium ions are commonly found in either trivalent, Chromium (III), or hexavalent, Chromium (VI) state and naturally found in rivers, lakes or streams. It is found that naturally alkaline rivers and lakes have much lower risk of such heavy metal contamination of chromium ions in comparison with naturally acidic water streams. Chromium (VI) is known to be a strong oxidizing agent, which apparently has a high risk that can give an impact to humans and animals due to its carcinogenetic properties. That is why there are a lot of studies that have been done in order to determine the health- risky chromium in environmental as well as biological samples. OBJECTIVE 1. To identify the Chromium (VI) concentration in water sample by using the spectrophotometer. 2. To identify whether the water sample is safe for drinking or at least, agriculture purpose.

THEORY Chromium is a naturally occurring element found in rocks, animals, plants, soil, and in volcanic dust and gases. Chromium is present in the environment in several different forms. The most common forms are chromium ions, trivalent [chromium (III)], and hexavalent [chromium (VI)]. Chromium (III) occurs naturally in the environment and is an essential nutrient required by the human body to promote the action of insulin in body tissues so that sugar, protein, and fat can be +6 oxidation used by the body. Hexavalent chromium (chromium VI) refers to chemical compounds that contain the element chromium in the state generally produced by industrial processes. Hexavalent chromium was a commonly used industrial chemical until the early 1990s. It is still used in some industries, such as in chrome plating and the manufacturing of plastics and dyes. The chemical can also leach into groundwater from natural ores. In this experiment, absorption spectroscopy will be used to detect low level concentrations of Chromium (VI) in a lake water sample. Heavy metals can be identified via absorption of wavelengths of light. The amount of light absorbed is linearly proportional to the concentration of the solution metal ions. Absorption spectroscopy operates on the measuring principle of light before and after it passes through an aqueous metal solution. The amount of light absorbed by the chemical species in the sample is equivalent to the difference in the amount of light before it enters the sample and after it exits the sample. For the purpose of light to be absorbed by chemical species, the light must be set to a specific wavelength. Every chemical species absorbs distinct wavelengths of light. In absorption spectroscopy, the wavelengths of light absorbed by a metal in solution are detected. In this experiment, standard solutions will be prepared by diluting 300 parts per million of Chromium (VI) standard solution. Five standard solutions need to be prepared from the concentrated Chromium (VI) standard solution. Formula to calculate the volume of Chromium solution is M1V1 = M2V2 M1 = Concentration of prepared Chromium (VI) V1 = Volume of Chromium (VI) needed M2 = Concentration of Chromium (VI) that required V2 = Volume Chromium (VI) that is going to be placed into spectrometer
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The Beer-Lambert law (also called the Beer-Lambert-Bouguer law or simply Beer's law) is the linear relationship between absorbance and concentration of an absorber of electromagnetic radiation. Beer-Lambert Law states that absorbance value depends on the total quantity of the absorbing compound in the light path through the cuvette. Thus, if we plot a graph of absorbance versus concentration of the compound solution, we get a straight line passing through the origin (0, 0). The general Beer-Lambert law is usually written as:

Where A= absorbance

= epsilon
l= wavelength (in this experiment wavelength= 435nm) c= concentration of solution (p.p.m)

The molar absorbance, is a constant for a particular substance, therefore if the concentration of the solution is halved, so is the absorbance value. A compound with a high molar absorbance is very effective at absorbing light (of the appropriate wavelength), and hence low concentrations of a compound with a high molar absorbance can be easily detected.

APPARATUS 1. Beaker 2. Measuring cylinder 3. Spectrometer 4. Cuvette 5. Pipette 6. Pipette pump 7. Chromium (VI) 8. Distilled water 9. Water sample (taken from various lakes/channels) PROCEDURE 1. The required amount of Chromium (VI) is measured by using measuring cylinder and transfer to the beaker. 2. 5 series of diluted solution are prepared by using the dilute method with distilled water with the range concentration of 10 until 100 parts per million (ppm) solutions. 3. The wavelength on the spectrometer was set at 435nm. 4. The empty cuvette is then inserted into the spectrometer and the absorbing reading is set to zero. The zeroing step is done to ensure that all the data obtained later is accurate. 5. 10 mL of every series of diluted solution is measured and inserted into the cuvette bottle and placed on the spectrophotometer slot to check the absorbance value. 6. All the reading obtained is recorded. 7. 10 mL of the sample water is poured into the cuvette bottle and inserted into spectrophotometer to determine the Chromium (VI) concentration contained in the water sample collected. 8. The data obtained is recorded. 9. Step 7 to 8 is repeated twice more. 10. The Beer-Lambert graph was plotted.

RESULTS

PART 1 : Chromium (VI) Solution;

Volume of Chromium (VI), mL 25.00 12.50 7.50 2.50

Concentration of Chromium (VI) parts per million (p.p.m) 150 75 45 15

Absorbance Value 0.377 0.175 0.110 0.018

Determination the absorbance value by using a spectrophotometer

PART 2 : Water Sample (Lake Water);

Absorbance Value : 0.136 Blank Water : 0.000

Chromium (VI) Solution (p.p.m)

0.4 y = 0.0026x - 0.0171 0.35 0.3 Absorbance Value 0.25 0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Concentration of Chromium (VI) solution (p.p.m)

SAMPLE OF CALCULATIONS

1. Determination the volume of Chromium (VI) solution;

By using the formula, M1V1 = M2V2

M1 = Concentration of prepared Chromium (VI) V1 = Volume of Chromium (VI) needed M2 = Concentration of Chromium (VI) that required V2 = Volume Chromium (VI) that is going to be placed into spectrophotometer

1. M1 = 300 p.p.m , M2 = 150 p.p.m , V2 = 50 mL M1V1 = M2V2 (300 p.p.m) V1 = (10 p.p.m) (50 mL) V1 = 25 mL To produce 50 mL solution that contained 150 p.p.m Chromium (VI), 25 mL of distilled water is added.

2. M1 = 300 p.p.m , M2 = 150 p.p.m , V2 = 50 mL M1V1 = M2V2 (300 p.p.m) V1 = (75 p.p.m) (50 mL) V1 = 12.5 mL To produce 50 mL solution that contained 75 p.p.m Chromium (VI), 37.5 mL of distilled water is added.

3. M1 = 300 p.p.m , M2 = 45 p.p.m , V2 = 50 mL M1V1 = M2V2 (300 p.p.m) V1 = (45 p.p.m)(50mL) V1 = 7.5 mL

To produce 50 mL solution that contained 45 p.p.m Chromium (VI), 42.5 mL distilled water is added.

4. M1 = 300 p.p.m , M2 = 15 p.p.m , V2 = 50 mL M1V1 = M2V2 (300 p.p.m) V1 = (15 p.p.m)(50 mL) V1 = 2.5 mL

To produce 50 mL solution that contained 15 p.p.m Chromium (VI), 47.5 mL distilled water is added.

Calculate The Mass Of Chromium

For 150 p.p.m

150 p.p.m = 150

= 0.15

50 mL Chromium solution

= 0.05 L Chromium solution

n = MV = 0.15 = 0.0075 g. mol Chromium

Mass = no of moles molar mass

0.0075 g. mol Chromium

= 0.39 g of Chromium

For 75 p.p.m

75 p.p.m = 75

= 0.075

50 mL Chromium solution

= 0.05 L Chromium solution

n = MV = 0.075 = 0.00375 g. mol Chromium

Mass = no of moles molar mass 0.00375 g. mol Chromium = 0.195 g of Chromium

For 45 p.p.m

45 p.p.m = 45

= 0.045

50 mL Chromium solution

= 0.05 L Chromium solution

n = MV
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= 0.045 = 0.00225 g. mol Chromium

Mass = no of moles molar mass 0.00225 g. mol Chromium = 0.117 g of Chromium

For 15 p.p.m

15 p.p.m = 15

= 0.015

50 mL Chromium solution

= 0.05 L Chromium solution

n = MV = 0.015 = 0.00075 g. mol Chromium

Mass = no of moles molar mass 0.00075 g. mol Chromium = 0.039 g of Chromium

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The Beer-Lambert equation is given by: y = 0.0026x - 0.0171

y - axis = Absorbance Value x - axis = Concentration of Chromium (VI) Solution (p.p.m)

The absorbance value of water sample = 0.136

Therefore, y x

By substituting the absorbance value of sample water (lake water) which is y = 0.136. Thus,

y x x x y

x-

Notice that x is equivalent to the concentration of Chromium (VI) contains in the water sample (lake water), which is 58.88 parts per million (p.p.m).

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DISCUSSION In the experiment of determining of amount of Chromium (VI) water concentration in sample by using spectrophotometer and also to identify whether the water sample is safe for drinking or at least, agriculture purpose. Chromium (VI) is used in this experiment as it is most found in rivers, lakes and streams. So to determine either Chromium (VI) is harmful or not, 5 series of diluted solution are prepared as the water sample and a spectrophotometer is used.

The spectrophotometer is an instrument which measures the amount of light of a specified wavelength which passes through a medium. According to Beer's law, the amount of light absorbed by a medium is proportional to the concentration of the absorbing material or solute present. The wavelength is set to 435nm. The concentration of Chromium (VI) in the lake water sample tested is 30.96 parts per million. The experiment is completed and successfully conducted. This experiment consist of two parts which is the first part is to determine the absorbance value of Chromium (VI) by using the (spectrophotometer. Before experiment, we need to do some calculation first to determine the volume of Chromium (VI) for the 5 different dilute solution. The equations of M1V1 = M2V2 is applied in order to calculate the volume of Chromium (VI). For the first dilute solution, the volume of Chromium (VI) used is 25mL, next is 12.5, 7.5, and mL To dilute the solution, distilled water is added until the volume reached mL, thats

mean each solution have the different dilution. For concentration of Chromium (VI) in parts per million (p.p.m), we are using 5 different value which is 150 ppm, 75, 45, and 15 ppm. Hence the absorbance value for each dilution is 0.377, 0.175, 0.110, 0.018. For the second part which is the determination of Chromium (VI) in sample of lake water. The absorbance value is 0.136 an after calculation, the concentration of Chromium (VI) in lake water is 58.8 ppm.

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The graph of absorbance value against concentration of Chromium (VI) in parts per million (p.p.m) is directly proportional. According to the theory, we should get the best line fit graph, so our graph can be considered correct. Based on the graph, we need to calculate the volume of Chromium (VI) used when we are using sample of lake water by using the gradient. The equation of the line is y = 0.0026x 0.0171. In order to calculate x which is the concentration of Chromium (VI) we substitute the value of y which is the absorbance value of sample of lake water which is 0.136. Then we get the concentration of Chromium (VI) in ppm which is 58.88 ppm. The limit of concentration of Chromium (VI) in parts per million (ppm) should contained in the water must not exceed 0.05 absorbance value. Chromium (VI) is known to be a strong oxidizing agent, which apparently has a high risk that can give an impact to humans and animals due to its carcinogenetic properties. That is why there are a lot of studies that have been done in order to determine the health- risky chromium in environmental as well as biological samples. It is naturally contained in the water but over consumed it can lead to cancer. That is why this experiment was conducted to determine whether the sample of water is either contaminated or not and whether it is safe for drinking or not.

CONCLUSIONS From the experiment of determining the Chromium (VI) concentration in water sample by using the spectrophotometer, there are few things should be highlight. That is whether the water sample is safe for drinking or not, or either at least it can be used for agricultural purpose. Based on theoretical, the concentration of Chromium (VI) that is safe for drinking is 0.05 absorbance value if the water sample has higher concentration of Chromium (VI) than 0.05, the water sample is considered contaminated. That is mean the water is not safe for drinking and maybe it can at least be used for agricultural purpose. From the experiment, it can be seen that the larger the concentration of Chromium (VI) in water sample, the larger the absorbance value which is exceed 0.05. That is mean over consuming of Chromium (VI) will lead to unhealthy body and can cause cancer.

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RECOMMENDATIONS Lab coats, goggles and gloves must be wearing before do the experiment. All the process that involves the Chromium (VI) must do in the fume chamber. Besides using the spectrometer, other types of spectroscopy device could be used instead of spectrometer. When indentifying the wavelength, the reading should be taken several times instead of one only. This is to ensure the accuracy of the measurement of the absorbance that is obtained. Hence, a more accurate result regarding the concentration of chromium in the water samples can be attained. To get an ideal value, it is preferably to use a wavelength where the component absorbs substantially. To dilute the chromium (VI) solution to a 50 ml solution, it is best to use a more accurate and precise measuring apparatus instead to just add up distilled water into the 50 ml beaker. This step could cause the final volume of the solution to be more or less than the one required. As for an alternative, the needed amount of distilled water can be determined and measured first before being added to the chromium (VI). Determination of the absorbance value of each solution must be done at least 3 trials. By doing so, more accurate values can be obtained.

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REFERENCES

http://eprints.utp.edu.my/1478/1/Removal_of_chromium_(VI)_from_aqueous_solution_u sing_treated_oil_palm_fibre.pdf http://www.ewg.org/chromium6-in-tap-water/executive-summary

http://www.chemguide.co.uk/analysis/uvvisible/beerlambert.html

Spectrophotometer

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