Universal Journal of Chemistry 2(4): 59-63, 2014 http://www.hrpub.

org
DOI: 10.13189/ujc.2014.020402

Determination of the Concentration of K+1, Na+1 and Fe+2

in Achane and Shay River a Case of Tepi Town
Desissa Yadata

Mizan Tepi University, Ethiopia

*Corresponding Author: desissayad@yahoo.com

Copyright © 2014 Horizon Research Publishing All rights reserved.

Abstract Physical environments such as rivers can be for metals that are easily excited to higher energy levels at a
affected by the massive movement of chemicals from relatively low flame temperature (mainly Na, K, Rb, Cs, Ca,
different human activities through run off system. Therefore Ba, Cu). This technique uses a flame that evaporates the
the metals concentration can be fluctuated and can exceed solvent and also sublimates and atomizes the metal and then
level of tolerance and even become toxic. The objective of excites a valence electron to an upper energy state. Light is
the work is to determine the concentration of metal ions. emitted at characteristic wavelengths for each metal as the
Water samples were obtained from two sites located around electron returns to the ground state that makes qualitative
Teppi town namely Achane River and Shay River. From determination possible. Flame photometers use optical filters
each river six replicate samples were obtained. The acidified to monitor for the selected emission wavelength produced by
plastic bottles were used for sample collection to avoid the analyte species (Amrutkar R. 2013). Iron is transition
fluctuation in acidity because of different environmental metal requires measurement of absorbance vs concentration
factors. The standard solution used for calibration purpose is using uv-visible spectrophotometer.
prepared by mixing the standard solution of Na+1 and K+1 The wavelengths of the color tell us what the element is
metal ion. After standards are aspirated the concentration of and the color intensity tells us how much element is present
potassium and sodium metal ions has been determined in Comparison of emission intensities of unknowns to either
unknown using flame photometry and Fe+2 determined by that of standard solutions (plotting calibration curve), allows
using Uv-visible spectroscopy. The concentration quantitative analysis of the analyst metal in the sample
determined is in the range of 0ppm-10ppm. Hence the mean solution. Flame photometry is based on measurement of
concentration of potassium is 2ppm and 1.33ppm in Achane intensity of light emitted when metal is introduced into a
and Shay River respectively. Concentration of sodium is flame.
2.895ppm and 6.9ppm in Achane and Shay River The work is interested in detection of the concentration of
respectively. Iron is determined to be 1.1ppm and 1.6ppm in metal ions in surface water. The concentration of such
Achane and Shay River respectively. The concentration of important minerals can even cause adverse conditions when
sodium and iron in Achane River is less than that of Shay in lower or higher level than permissible level. Therefore this
River and potassium is higher slightly in Achane than Shay study is the part of investigation and controlling of
and finally the concentration of sodium in both rivers is environmental problems. The variation in concentration of
greater than that of potassium and iron ion. No significant such metal is caused by additives from artificial activities
influence can be stated on health because of such detection; such as use of fertilizer into the soil and water softening
since it can be tolerated and of course improvement is purposes. Therefore detection of such metal ion is used to
needed. know the level and compare with the safe and tolerable
amounts. In this specific work addition of chemicals to
Keywords Concentration, Emission, Flame Photometry, soften water is not the cause of fluctuation of the
River concentration.
The objectives of the study is assessment of the level of
alkali metals in surface water located around Teppi town and
compare the results obtained with previously studied and
1. Introduction permissible levels.
Sodium and potassium are required in macro level to
Flame photometry is a branch of atomic spectroscopy in human and therefore their concentration in diets as well as
which the species examined in the spectrometer are in the drinks contributes the tolerable amount in the cell. The
form of atoms. Flame photometry is suitable for qualitative minimum concentrations established by WHO for this
and quantitative determination of several cations, especially element is 30-60mg/L of sodium.
60 Determination of the Concentration of K+1, Na+1 and Fe+2 in Achane and Shay River a case of Tepi Town

2. Materials and Methods and transferred in to the beaker and 5drops of 1MHCl was
added. The acidified sample is heated gently (not to
evaporation) on hot plate for 7 minutes at 350C then cooled
2.1. Instrumentation and reagents
for 5 minutes and 3drops of hydrochloric acid added to
2.1.1. Instrumentation and apparatuses dissolve deposited carbonates of metals and heated again for
another 5minutes to confirm the loss of organic constituents
The important apparatuses used in the work are plastic
in the form of carbon dioxide and cooled for few minutes and
bottles, beakers, volumetric flasks, hot plate, dropper,
ready for analysis. Since organic impurities are almost
pipettes and filter papers. Flame photometry is used for
removed from the sample by heating; no more organic
emission determination in the sample.
interferences are suspected significantly (Department of
2.1.2. Reagents Chemistry, University of Kentucky, 2007).
Reagents are compounds or solvents used to calibrate,
dissolve and overcome the problem of sample degradation 2.4. Sample Analysis
during collection from the site. Therefore 0.02MHNO3, 1M
2.4.1. Standard stock solution preparation
HCl and standard solution of analytes used in the current
study (M.S.Subramanian, 2008). Stock solution is prepared from analytical reagent grade
NaCl and KCl dried in oven at 1050C for 1hour. Part of the
dried standard chemicals weighed; i.e. 0.2543g of NaCl,
2.2. Sampling and Sample Collection
0.1910g of KCl and 1.4g of [(NH4) SO4.FeSO4]. The
The plastic bottles are rinsed with 0.02MHNO3 before the amount of potassium and sodium mixed together and
sample has been collected to maintain the constant pH and dissolved in deionized water. The dissolved salts transferred
minimize loss of sample because of variation in pH, into 1000ml volumetric flask and diluted to the mark to
evaporation, precipitation and other relevant physical and prepare 100ppm of each metals ions (Department of
chemical properties (Cailly Howell Frontiers Abroad, 2011). Chemistry University of Kentucky). Iron standard is
Samples are obtained from Achane and Shay River dissolved separately in another 1000ml volumetric flask.
located around Tepi Town in the rural site. The area of
2.4.2. Preparation of working standards
sample collection is at about 611km from Addis Ababa. The
reason why the sample collection limited to these rivers is A linear concentration range of the metal is 1 to 10 mg/L
they are largest and longest of the rivers found in the area; and calibration within the range expected for environmental
hence covering long distance and erode large mass of the soil water samples. The method is simple and sample has been
as well as minerals in the soil. The samples are collected prepared and care has been taken that the calibration of the
randomly using acidified plastic bottles and mixed. The instrument and analytical measurements are performed
bottles were filled then sealed tightly to avoid head space that quickly after each other.
cause loss of samples because of oxidation. The total number Five 100ml volumetric flasks are prepared and labeled as
of samples obtained from the rivers is twelve where six 0.5L 2ppm, 4ppm, 6ppm, 8ppm and 10ppm. The assigned
plastic bottles sample are collected from each river. concentrations are prepared by adding 2ml, 4ml, 6ml, 8ml
and 10ml of 100ppm stock solution in to 2ppm, 4ppm, 6ppm,
8ppm and 10ppm flasks respectively and filled to the mark.
The blank solution is prepared from 2ml of 1MHCl and
deionized water. The instrument is then calibrated by
aspirating the working solution in the order of blank then
standard analyte solution. After the calibration curve is
established the samples are aspirated into the flame
photometry through nebulizer from sample1 to sample 6. For
iron 1ppm, 2ppm, 3ppm, 4ppm and 5ppm standard solution
was used to calibrate the instrument. In between each
measurement there was aspiration of blank solution to avoid
the effect of contamination or error in concentration reading.
Figure 1. Achane River from where sample collected The concentration of each metal ion is determined
selectively at specific wavelength. The maximum
2.3. Sample preparation wavelength at which Na+1 determined is 589nm and K+1 is at
766nm (Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky,
Samples obtained from the rivers taken to the laboratory 2007).
and analysis started. 50ml of the samples has been filtered
 Universal Journal of Chemistry 2(4): 58-62, 2014 61

Figure 2. Calibration curve established for the study

Figure 3. concentration of potassium and sodium obtained from Achane River

Figure 4. Concentration of potassium and sodium from Shay River

3. Results and Discussion graph indicated that it is safe method to proceed with the
determination of samples under study since the deviation of
The standard solution prepared aspirated to the flame the curve from straight line is only about 0.02%.
photometry to calibrate and establish consistence reading The calibration curve is constructed using concentration
during measurement of the sample. Hence the calibration range of 2ppm-10ppm; and the blank solution is used as the
62 Determination of the Concentration of K+1, Na+1 and Fe+2 in Achane and Shay River a case of Tepi Town

method detection limit for potassium and sodium. 510nm and its concentration in Achane River fall in the
The total replicate sample is twelve; where six sample is range of 1-1.2ppm whose average is 1.1ppm. In Shay River it
collected and mixed to obtain representative from each sites is determined to be 1.4ppm-1.8ppm. From the result the
of the river water. The six replicate samples are assigned to concentration in Achane River is less than Shay River since
be 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 indicated horizontally in figure 3 and 4. Shay River is near the town and slightly contaminated with
According to the results shown in figure 3 the small scale manmade activities releasing to the river from
concentration of sodium ion is determined to be in range of metal corrosion. The concentration of iron in both Achane
2.5ppm-3.2ppm and the mean concentration is 2.895ppm in and Shay River is greater than permissible level established
Achane River (table1). These results are compared with by WHO for drinking water which is 0.3ppm is. It is because
sodium concentration obtained from shay river range from of less iron consuming phenomenon in the environment.
6ppm to 7.5ppm and the mean value become 6.9ppm(table1).
From this observation the concentration of sodium in Achane
River is smaller than that of Shay River. It is because the 5. Conclusions
location of Achane River is far from the town and no
significant exposure to the activity of human being. Another Metal ions such as potassium, sodium and iron have been
important point to be considered is the results obtained detected in sample using flame emission photometry and
compared with the works conducted before in other areas. Uv-visible spectroscopy. Samples were obtained from
According to the comparison the concentration of the current Achane and Shay River. The concentration of metal ions
work is almost less than for example in drinking water was determined using emission and absorbance. The
between 30 and 60 mg/L and also by far it is less than that of concentration of sodium and iron in Achane River is less
EPA 20 mg/L in Mississippi River (EPA, 2003). Metal ions than that of Shay River and potassium is slightly higher in
can be added to the water body by runoff system and from Achane than Shay River. The concentration of sodium in
exposure of environmental effluents released from industries, both rivers is greater than that of potassium and iron ion.
factories and different human activities. The nature of the
sample analyzed was not exposed to such an environmental
effects contributing to the increase in concentration of the
metals since no industry or factory releasing sewage.
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Table 1. the mean concentration of potassium and sodium ions from six
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[9] ANNEX 3 (2006); Commission Staff Working Document
 Universal Journal of Chemistry 2(4): 58-62, 2014 63

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