University of Ottawa

Civil Engineering Department

CVG2132
Fundamentals of Environmental
Engineering

Experiment No. 1:
Solid Determination
Performed: September 18th ,2013
Group 4

Flonja Shyti 6293487

Liban Mohamed 6795275
Table of Contents

List of Figuresii
List of Tables..ii
1. Objectives ...1
2. Theory..2
3. Equipment and Methodology5
4. Results and Data6
5. Calculations.....7
6. Discussion ...8
7. Conclusion9
8. References9

List of figures

Figure 11
Figure 2 ...2
Figure 3 ...3

List of Tables

Table 1..4
Table 2 .6
Table 3 .6

1. Objectives

The objective of this lab was to determine the total suspended solid concentration of an ii
unknown water sample and to predict the source, as well as to understand the importance of solid
analysis in water and wastewater treatment.

2. Theory

Solids are defined as the matter that is suspended or dissolved in water or wastewater that can
be physically isolated either through filtration or through evaporation. A scheme displaying the
classification of solids from a wastewater sample is shown in figure1. Solids can be classified as
either filterable or non-filterable, and where the filterable solids can be settable or not. Solids
can be made up of organic and inorganic particulate matter. These are substances which contain
carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, some of which may be combined with nitrogen, sulfur or
phosphorous.
 Figure 1: Classification of solids found in wastewater sample and their determination method

The principal organic compounds present in domestic wastewater are proteins, carbohydrates
and fats together with the products of their decomposition. Organic solids make up 50% of
domestic wastewater. Organic solids are made from animal or vegetable life, dead animal matter,
plant tissue or organisms, but may also include synthetic organic compounds. These compounds
are subject to decay or decomposition through the activity of bacteria and other living organisms
and are combustible, that is, they can be ignited or burned. Since the organic fraction can be
driven off at high temperatures, they are sometimes called volatile solids.

Inorganic solids are substances that are inert and not subject to decay, they are frequently
called mineral substances and include sand, gravel and silt as well as the mineral salts. It is their 1
presence in the water supply which produces the hardness and mineral content of the water.
Inorganic solids in general, are non-combustible.

Solids can also be grouped depending on their physical state and size as :

- suspended solids
- colloidal solids
- dissolved solids

each of which can include both organic and inorganic solids.

The different range of sizes corresponding to each of the three groups of solids mentioned above
can be seen in figure 2.
 Figure 2: Classification of solids based on size

Suspended solids are those which are visible and are suspended in the water. They can be
removed from the water or wastewater by physical or mechanical means, such as sedimentation
or filtration. Suspended solids tend to affect the clarity of the sample causing it to appear
unpleasant. When suspended particles are removed the water quality becomes close to that of
drinking water. Suspended solids may be deposited in lakes and river beds causing the water
flow to continuously change. They play an important role in water and wastewater treatment
plants since they are microorganisms responsible for removing pollutants and they may shield
viruses from disinfectants. The size of the particle has a direct effect in the process. The smaller
the particle size, the greater the total surface area per unit mass of particle, and so the higher the
pollutant load that is likely to be carried.

Colloidal solids are very small with negligible mass and large surface area per unit volume. They
are not completely dissolved and not ready to settle. Most colloids will not settle out even after
2
long quiescent periods of settling. They contribute to water turbidity along with suspended
solids. Colloidal forms of iron and manganese or organic compounds that form as a result the
decay of vegetation are the cause of colour in water. Colloidal solids tend to be made from 65%
organic matter and 35% inorganic matter. Colloidal particles have an electrical double layer,
made from the Stern layer and the Diffuse layer. A negative colloidal particle will be surrounded
by a layer of counter positive ions which form the Stern layer. This formation is then surrounded
by another layer made from counter-ions and co-ions which make up the Diffuse layer. A
diagram displaying the colloidal particle along with the Stern and Diffuse layers can be seen in
figure 3.
 Figure 3: A diagram of the electrical double layer

Dissolved solids are smaller in size than suspended and colloidal solids. Dissolved solids, as a
whole, are about 40 percent organic and 60 percent inorganic. They tend to affect the taste,
conductivity and the corrosivity of water.

The term Total solids is applied to the material residue left after the evaporation of the sample
and drying in the oven at a temperature of 103-105 C is completed, so theyre the sum of total
dissolved solid and total suspended solids. In an average domestic wastewater, total solids are
about half organic and half inorganic, and about two-thirds in solution (dissolved) and one-third
in suspension. The organic solids, which are subject to decay, constitute the main problem in
3
wastewater treatment.
Water with a high solid concentration will decrease the passage of light through water, thus
slowing photosynthesis by aquatic plants. Water will heat up more rapidly and hold more heat,
consequently disrupting aquatic life that has adapted to a lower temperature regime.
Total solids affect water clarity, turbidity and water flow.

Total dissolved solids are used to evaluate the suitability of water for domestic supplies and
industrial purposes. The total suspended solids are monitored to evaluate the degree of pollution
in natural waters and they serve as a control parameter for wastewater treatment operations.
The values of total dissolved solids and total suspended solids for different sources of water are
shown in table 1. Total dissolved solids and total solids are very important when dealing with
potable water since most of the impurities (mostly inorganic salts) in potable water are in the
dissolved state. Waters with a high concentration of inorganic salts are not suitable as sources for
drinking water.

Table 1: Values of the concentration of Total dissolved solids (TDS) and Total suspended solids
(TSS) in mg/L for different water sources
 3. Equipment and Methodology 4

4. 3 aluminum evaporating dishes;

5. 1 filtration apparatus;
6. forceps ;
7. 1 dessicator;
8. 1 vacuum pump;
9. 1 100 mL graduated cylinder;
10. 1 bottle distilled water;
11. 3 pre-conditioned filters;
12. 1 analytical balance;
13. oven 103-105 C;
14. muffle furnace 550 C(p. 11 Lab Manual)

For the Methodology please reference the lab manual.

 *Please note, only the Total Suspended Solids will be talked about in this lab report. As a
result instead of only having two trials, there will be also be a third trial; which result in a change
of equipment, with the addition of one more aluminum evaporating dish and one more pre-
conditioned filter.

4. Results and Data

5
The raw data obtained from the experiment are represented in table 2.

Table 2: Values of the initial and final mass recorded during the lab

Initial Mass Final Mass

(g) (g)
Filter 1 2.3400 2.3954
Filter 2 2.3949 2.4532
Filter 3 2.325 2.3781

The calculated values for the total suspended solids for each of the three filters, along with the
average value for the total suspended solids and the value of the standard deviation are presented
in table 3.

Table 3: Values obtained from the lab and from the calculations for total suspended
solids, the average value and the standard deviation

Initial Mass Final Mass TSS Average Standard deviation

 (g) (g) (mg/L) TSS (mg/L) (mg/L)
Filter 1 2.3400 2.3954 2216
Filter 2 2.3949 2.4532 2332 2224 104.2305
Filter 3 2.3250 2.3781 2124

5. Calculations

To calculate the total suspended solids the following formula is used : 6

Tss ( B A )1000
Total suspended solids mg =
L Vs

Where B is the final mass, A is the initial mass, and Vs is the volume of the sample.

For the first filter the sample calculation is shown below :

Tss ( B A )1000
Total suspende d solids mg =
L Vs

( 2.39542.3400 )1000
=2216
25103

For the second filter the sample calculation is :

Tss ( B A )1000
Total suspended solids mg =
L Vs

( 2.45322.3949 )1000
=2332
25103
 For the third filter the sample calculation is :

Tss ( B A )1000
Total suspended solids mg =
L Vs

( 2.37812.3250 )1000
=2124
25103

The average is :

2216 +2332+ 2124

=2224
Average = 3

The to calculate the standard deviation the difference (Xi- x )2 must be determined.

7
The values obtained are :

( 22162224 )2=64

( 23322224 )2=11664

( 21242224 )2=10000

The average of the values determined above is

64 +11664 +1000
=10864.0001
Avg = 2

Thus the standard deviation can be calculated through the following formula:

N
1
= ( Xi x )2= 10864.0001=104.2305
N1 i=1

Where x =2224 , N=3

6. Discussion

Possible sources of error that effect the results calculated in this lab include the evaporating
dishes gaining mass from particles on table and in the air, although these are mostly negligible.
Sources of human error include not thoroughly mixing the sample before filtering it. Putting
more or less than 25 mL of the sample into the graduated cylinder would have affected the
results. Not rinsing the graduated cylinder with enough distilled water would have also
contributed to the error in the lab. Also what if solids from Trial 1 somehow remained in the
graduated cylinder (due to a lack of proper rinsing) and were then added to next trials 25 mL
sample. In this experiment Trial 2 does have a great TSS than Trial 1. However Trial 3 is less
than both Trial 1 and 2. Also not soaking the filter paper with enough distilled water may have
affected the filtration.

Two filters are used in order to filter as much liquid out as possible leaving us with only the
solids. Also the filter paper is necessary in order to trap and transport the suspended solids out of
the filtration apparatus and into the furnace.

8
Residential waste water has a TSS of a range from 300-1200 (Characteristics of Residential
Wastewater). The TSS in this experiment is almost double the maximum TSS of residential waste
water. The TSS in this is experiment is closer to the TSS of industrial wastewater. A study in the
city of Dehradun, India collected wastewater in four different zones of the industrials areas of
Dehradun. The four zones were labelled N1, N2, N3, and N4. The TSS in N3 was reported to be
2673.2217.32, a similar to the results in this lab.
7. Conclusion

The TSS concentrations for Filter A, B, and C were 2216 mg/L, 2332 mg/L and 2124 mg/L
respectively. The water appears to have a similar make up of industrial wastewater. The
increased value of Trial 2 could be the result of some of the sample of Trial 1 remaining in
the graduated cylinder. Through this experiment the importance of water analysis in water
and wastewater treatment and the role different solids have was determined. The
concentration of total dissolved solids was successfully calculated.

8. References
[1] Characteristics of Residential Wastewater
http://www.cefns.nau.edu/Projects/WDP/resources/Characteristics.htm
Last visited on September 24th,2013
[2] Introduction to Environmental Engineering, Lab Manual 1, Department of
Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa.
[3] Introduction to Environmental Engineering, Lecture Notes, Engineering
Units and Water Chemistry (2), R. Narbaitz, Department of Civil Engineering,
University of Ottawa.
[4]Mines, Richard O., and Laura Lackey. Introduction to Environmental
Engineering. New York: Prentice Hall, 2009. Print