Eco. Exp. 1 Determination of Free CO2

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY LAB MANUAL (Environment & Ecology)
EXPERIMENT NO. 01
OBJECT: To determine the amount of free carbon dioxide (CO2) present in the given water
sample with the help of standard 0.01N sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution and
phenolphthalein as an indicator.
APPARATUS/ REAGENTS: Burette, pipette, conical flask, reagent bottles, sodium
hydroxide solution (0.01N), phenolphthalein indicator.
THEORY: Free carbon dioxide refers to carbon dioxide gas dissolved in water.
i. Surface water normally contains less than 10 ppm of free carbon dioxide, while some
ground water may easily exceed that concentration.
ii. Carbon dioxide dissolved in natural water is part of an equilibrium involving
bicarbonate and carbonate ions. Aquatic plant life depends upon carbon dioxide and
bicarbonates in water for growth.
CO2 (aq) + H2O H2CO3 (aq)
H2CO3 (aq) H+ (aq) + HCO3- (aq)
HCO3- (aq) H+ (aq) + CO32- (aq)
iii. To determine free CO2, acid-base titration method is used, by using NaOH solution as
titrant and phenolphthalein as an indicator.
CO2 + NaOH HCO3- + Na+
CO2 + 2OH- CO32- + H2O
Phenolphthalein (pH range 8.2-10.0) is an organic compound (C20H14O4) used as an
acid-base indicator. The compound is colourless in acidic medium and pink in basic
medium (with the transition occurring around pH 8.5). The colour change is due to
structural change in phenolphthalein (from benzoid to quinoid structure).
HO
HO
OH
O
C
C
O [OH-]
O-
C [H+]
C
O
O
Colourless (Acid) Pink (Base)
Phenolphthalein
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Sources of CO2
1. The oceans are huge carbon dioxide sink. As carbon dioxide is readily soluble in water
so CO2 is constantly being exchanged from the surface of the ocean to the air above and
then from the air above back in to the ocean. When carbon dioxide dissolves in water it
exists in chemical equilibrium producing carbonic acid.
CO2 + H2O H2CO3 (Carbonic Acid)
2. CO2 is produced with in water bodies by the respiration of aquatic biota. All aerobic
organisms produce CO2 when they oxidize carbohydrates, fatty acids, and proteins in
the mitochondria of cell.
C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O
3. Anaerobic heterotrophic decomposition of suspended and sediment organic matter also
produces carbon dioxide.
C6H12O6 2CO2 + 2C2H5OH
Effects of CO2:
1. Microscopic plant life suspended in the water, phytoplankton, as well as large rooted
plants, utilize carbon dioxide in the photosynthesis of plant materials, starch, sugars,
oils, proteins. The carbon in all these materials comes from the carbon dioxide in water.
nCO2 + nH2O (CH2O) n + nO2
2. When the oxygen concentration in water containing organic matter is reduced, the
carbon dioxide concentration rises. The rise in carbon dioxide makes it more difficult
for fish to use the limited amount of oxygen present. To take on fresh oxygen, fish must
first discharge the carbon dioxide in their blood streams and this is a much slower
process when there are high concentrations of carbon dioxide in the water itself.
3. CO2 is toxic in higher concentration: 1% will make some people drowsy, 7 to 10 %
cause dizziness, headache, visual and hearing dysfunction and unconsciousness within
few minutes to an hour.
4. If nature or chemical agents do not neutralize carbonic acid, it continues as carbonic
acid until drawn to the surface where it can cause corrosion of both copper and
galvanized plumbing systems thereby can lead to serious damage of plumbing
equipment.
PROCEDURE:
 Glasswares were washed thoroughly with distilled water and rinsed with the solution to
be used
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 Fill the burette with 0.01N NaOH solution.

 Pipette out 20 mL of water sample in to the conical flask and add 1 or 2 drops of
phenolphthalein indicator.
 The above solution was titrated against 0.01N NaOH solution till colour changes from
colourless to pink.
 Repeat the titration till getting at least two concordant reading.
OBSERVATION TABLE:
Titration between given water sample and N/100 sodium hydroxide solution using
phenolphthalein as an indicator
S. No. Volume of water Burette reading Concordant
sample (X) (mL) reading (Y)
(mL) Initial Final (mL)
1. 20 0.0 ---
2. 20 0.0 ---
3. 20 0.0 --- ---
- - -- ---
- - -- ---
CALCULATION:
Volume of given water sample (X) = 20 mL
Volume of N/100 NaOH used in presence of phenolphthalein indicator =Y mL
As per the Law of Equivalence: N1V1 = N2V2
(Water) (NaOH)
N1 x 20 = 0.01 x Y
N1 = Y/200
Amount of free CO2 = Normality (N1) x Eq. Wt. of CO2 x 1000
= Y/200 x 44/2 x 1000 ppm
=.........ppm or mg/L
RESULT: The amount of free carbon dioxide (CO2) present in given water sample is
....................ppm.
PRECAUTIONS:
1. The cleaned apparatus should be used for the titration.
2. To avoid loss of CO2, the titration should be carried out quickly and vigorous
shaking should be avoided.
3. All the titration must be repeated until reproducible results are obtained.
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DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY LAB MANUAL (Environment & Ecology)

 Fill the burette with 0.01N NaOH solution.

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