Gravimetric analysis is widely used in water quality testing to measure the amount of dissolved substances in water by converting them into solids and weighing them. Here’s how it is applied:
- Total dissolved solids (TDS):
- Water is evaporated, and the residue left is weighed to find the total dissolved solids.
- Hardness of water:
- Calcium and magnesium ions in water can be precipitated as carbonates or oxalates, dried, and weighed to determine water hardness.
- Chloride content:
- Chloride ions are precipitated as silver chloride, filtered, dried, and weighed.
- Sulphate content:
- Sulphates are precipitated as barium sulfate, and the mass of the precipitate gives the sulphate concentration.
- Quality control:
- Gravimetric methods help ensure water meets safety and regulatory standards by accurately measuring impurities.
In short:
Gravimetric analysis is used in water testing to precipitate and weigh specific ions or solids, helping determine the purity and quality of water.