Abstract

This experiment is aimed to determine the presence of Calcium in terms of parts per million
calcium carbonate (ppm CaCO3). Presence of Calcium causes water hardness, in another way, the
purpose of the experiment is to calculate the total water hardness based on the amount of Calcium
present in the solution. The experiment is started by first preparing standard solution of Calcium
and EDTA solution. Then, the EDTA solution prepared was standardised. This was done by using
an indicator, Eriochrome Black T indicator. Theoritically, the colour change of the solution after the
adding of the indicator should be from red to blue. For the last step of the experiment, the amount
of Ca in the water sample was determined by using the titration method. This titration method is so
common that it can be also used to analyse food materials that contain Calcium.
1.0

Introduction
1.1

Background of Method
A titration is a technique where a solution of known concentration is used to determine
the concentration of an unknown solution. Typically, the titrant (the know solution) is
added from a burette to a known quantity of the analyte (the unknown solution) until the
reaction is complete. The titrant volume used at the equivalence point is used in
computing the analyte concentration. In order to obtain the correct amount of titrant
used to reach the equivalent point, a physical change, such as indicator colour change
or precipitate formation, is required. There are many types of titration. This experiment
uses complexometric titration, which is also known as

chelatometry is a form of

volumetric analysis in which the formation of a colored complex is used to indicate the
end point of a titration. Complexometric titrations are particularly useful for the
determination of a mixture of different metal ions in solution.
The most important chelating agent in analytical chemistry is (EDTA). EDTA is a
hexadentate ligand; each of the acid oxygens and each of the amine nitrogens can donate
one electron pair. The metal ion is usually held in a one-to-one complex with EDTA. In
any case, standardization of EDTA titrant against a solution of the metal ion to be
determined helps to eliminate any errors in endpoint selection.

COOH

HOOC
N
HOOC

N
COOH

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)

Since the reactants and products in the titration between hard water and EDTA (equation 1)
are all colorless, an indicator is needed to allow us to visually see the end point (or
equivalence point) of the titration, i.e. the point at which moles of Ca2+ = moles of EDTA.
For this case, Eriochrome Black-T is the indicator will be used. It is an azo dye.
Equation 1.

Ca+2(aq)

+ EDTA-2(aq)

CaEDTA(aq)

When Eriochrome Black-T complexes with Mg2+ ions, it produces a PINK-RED solution.
The indicator is BLUE when the it is not complexed with Ca2+ (equation 2) and the solution
is basic.
As EDTA is added to hard water during the titration it reacts with the divalent ions (e.g.
Ca2+ and Mg2+) present in the hard water. Once all the divalent ions in solution have reacted
with EDTA, the EDTA reacts with the Ca2+ ions that are complexed with the Eriochrome
Black-T indicator, thus causing the solution to turn BLUE.
Equation 2.

1.2

In-Ca(aq)

In2-(aq) + Ca2+(aq)

Aim
This experiment aims to determine and calculate the molarity and the total water
hardness of a water sample in terms of ppm Ca via complexometric titration of the
sample by EDTA solution.

1.3

Background of Analyte
Calcium ion is one of the primary contributors to hardness of water and it is an
important componens of limestone. Calcium is also contained in teeth and bone. The
determination of this element by classical procedures (i.e. by noninstrumental
procedures) usually requires gravimetric analysis because the ordinary titration methods
(acid-base, redox) are not applicable since Ca ion has useful acid-base or
oxidationreduction properties. Though Calcium is generally known as a non-health
hazardous element, these ions can cause a lot of trouble in both, home and industrial
piping systems through the production of scum, solid that accumulates inside pipeline
walls. However, some hard water chemicals, particularly silicates and calcium

carbonate, are actually effective corrosion inhibitors, and can prevent damage to pipes
or contamination.