Abstract
Chromium (VI) is formed when performing work using high temperature such as
welding on stainless steel or melting chromium metal. In these situations the chromium is not
originally hexavalent, but the high temperatures involved in the process result in oxidation that
converts the chromium to a hexavalent state causing it to be classified as a strong oxidation
agent. Chromium (VI) also has a large amount of toxicity that will cause danger
to humans and animals because of its genetic carcinogenetic. This situation has
led to many studies on determining the presence and quantity of chromium in
biological and environmental samples. In the experiment, the method used was an
absorption method by using a spectrophotometer for the determination of
chromium (VI) concentration. By tracing the presence of chromium (VI) at a
wavelength of 435 nanometres, the concentration of Chromium (VI) in the lake
water sample can be tested.
Introduction
Heavy metals, such as chromium, are toxic at low aqueous solution
concentrations. Chromium ions can be formed either trivalent, Chromium (III), or
hexavalent, Chromium (VI). Chromium (VI) is formed due to an oxidizing
environment, while Chromium (III) is formed due to a reducing environment. It
can be said that natural rivers and lakes have lower risk of heavy metal
contamination of chromium ions in comparison with acidic water streams.
Chromium (VI) is a strong oxidizing agent, which can pose danger to
humans and animals due to its genetic carcinogenetic properties. To overcome
this, many studies have been done in order to determine the amount of chromium
in environmental as well as biological samples.
Objectives
The objectives of this experiment is to:
Determine the Chromium (VI) content that are present in lake water sample
by using a spectrophotometer.
Demonstrate the proper method of diluting solution to prepare a series of
standard solutions in the range of 1 to 100 parts per million (p.p.m) to be
used in the calibration of the spectrophotometer.
Analyze whether the simulated lake water sample tested is suitable for
drinking water and agriculture purposes.
Theory
A common source of chromium contamination in natural waters is from
various automobile brakes and their engine parts. Chromium that is left on roads
can flow into any water streams nearby via flowing rainwater. Lakes and water
streams which is near to the roads that is usually congested with automobiles
areas are the most suspected areas to be contaminated by chromium.
In this experiment, absorption spectroscopy will be used to detect the level
of concentrations of Chromium (VI) in a sample of lake water. Absorption
spectroscopy is the measuring principle of light before and after it passes through
an aqueous metal solution. The amount of light absorbed by the chemical species
in the sample is equivalent to the difference in the amount of light before it
enters the sample and after it exits the sample. For the purpose of light to be
absorbed by chemical species, the light must be set to a specific wavelength. In
absorption spectroscopy, the wavelengths of light absorbed by a metal in solution
are detected.
First step for this experiment is to prepare standard solutions by diluting
300 parts per million of Chromium (VI) standard solution. Five standard
solutions need to be prepared from the concentrated Chromium (VI) standard
solution. To calculate the dilute solutions volume needed, the euation below is
used:
(M 1 ) (V 1 ) = (M 2 ) (V 2 )
Quantitative analysis using spectrophotometer is based on Beer-Lambert
Law:
A = LC
where
A
= absorbance value (dimensionless, thus no units is represented)
= molar absorbance (L / mol.cm)
= path length of the cuvette in which the sample is contained (cm)
= concentration of the compound in solution (mol / L)
Beer-Lambert Law states that absorbance value depends on the total
quantity of the absorbing compound in the light path through the cuvette. Thus, if
we plot a graph of absorbance versus concentration of the compound solution, we
get a straight line passing through the origin (0, 0). The molar absorbance, , is a
constant for a particular substance, therefore if the concentration of the solution
is halved, so is the absorbance value. A compound with a high molar absorbance
is very effective at absorbing light (of the appropriate wavelength), and hence
low concentrations of a compound with a high molar absorbance can be easily
detected.
Procedures
1) 10 millilitres of square cuvette bottle is filled with distilled water and
placed on the spectrophotometer slot. This is to ensure that all the data
obtained later is accurate.
2) 5 series of diluted solution are prepared by using the diluted method with
distilled water with the concentration range from 1 until 100 parts per
million (p.p.m) solutions. (1 p.p.m, 23 p.p.m, 48 p.p.m, 75 p.p.m and 100
p.p.m)
3) 10 millilitres of each series of diluted solution is poured into square
cuvette bottle and placed on the spectrophotometer slot to check the
absorbance value by using the spectrophotometer.
4) All the data obtained is recorded.
5) 10 millilitres of lake water sample is poured into the square cuvette bottle
and
spectrophotometer
is
used
to
determine
the
Chromium
(VI)
concentration contained in the water sample collected.
6) All the value is analyzed, the observation and the data obtained are
recorded.
Apparatus and Materials
Distilled water
spectrophotometer
10 millilitres square cuvette bottle
pipette
5 set of 10 millilitres of 1, 23, 48, 75 and 100 p.p.m of diluted solution
of Chromium (VI)
5 set of 300 p.p.m of standard Chromium (VI) solution of 0.1, 1.53, 3.2,
5 and 6.67 millilitres.
lake water sample.
Results and Calculations
Volume of Chromium
(VI) (ml)
Concentration of
0.10
1.53
3.20
5.00
6.67
Chromium (VI), parts
23
48
75
100
0.017
0.030
0.056
0.084
0.112
per million
Absorbance Value
Table 1: Determination of absorbance value using spectrophotometer
Lake Water Sample
Absorbance Value
Trial 1
0.180
Trial 2
0.218
Trial 3
0.183
Average
0.194
Table 2: Determination of absorbance value of water sample using
spectrophotometer
Calculations for volume of Chromium (VI)
Using the formula : (M 1 ) (V 1 ) = (M 2 ) (V 2 )
1. (300) (V 1 ) = (1) (30)
(V 1 ) = 0.1 ml
2. (300) (V 2 ) = (23) (20)
(V 2 ) = 1.533 ml
3. (300) (V 3 ) = (48) (20)
(V 3 ) = 3.2 ml
4. (300) (V 3 ) = (75) (20)
(V 3 ) = 5 ml
5. (300) (V 4 ) = (100) (20)
(V 4 ) = 6.67 ml
Concentration of Chromium (VI) in unit
of p.p.m
1
Absorbance Value
23
0.03
48
0.056
75
0.084
100
0.112
0.017
Graph of Absorbance Value against Concentration of Chromium (VI)
0.12
0.1
0.08
Absorbance Value
0.06
Absorbance Value
0.04
0.02
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Concentration of Chromium (VI) in unit of p.p.m
B y using point 1 and 4,
y = mx+c
m = 0.084 0.017
75-1
m = 0.001
From the graph, c = 0.016
x = 0.194 0.016
0.001
x = 178 p.p.m
Discussion
This experiment is conducted to achieve a few objectives, which are to
determine the Chromium (VI) content which present in simulated lake water
sample using a spectrophotometer, to demonstrate the proper method of diluting
solution to prepare a series of standard solutions in the range of 1 to 100 parts
per million (p.p.m) to be used in the calibration of the spectrophotometer, and
thus, to analyze whether the simulated lake water sample tested is suitable for
drinking water and agriculture purposes.
The values of concentration of chromium (VI) calculated in this experiment
is 178 parts per million. This can be said that there is a significant content of
chromium ions in the water. According to federal regulatory agencies, natural
waters are regarded to be toxic if the concentration of Chromium (VI) is higher
than 0.100 parts per million. Thus, the lake water sample tested is concluded to
be unsafe for drinking water purposes for public consumption or even agricultural
purposes.
Conclusions
The concentration of Chromium (VI) in the lake water sample tested is 178
parts per million. Since it is more than 0.100 parts per million as what has been
standardized by state and federal regulatory agencies, the water sample is
concluded to be contaminated and thus, not suitable for drinking or agricultural
purposes.
Recommendations
There are many errors that occurred while doing this experiment. First, the
techniques applied to measure such a small volume of diluting substance might
not be suitable and lead to difficulties when measuring the volume of chromium
(VI) needed to dilute the standard solutions.
Besides that, the square cuvette bottle might not be cleansed properly with
distilled water each time before it is used for another attempt. This will lead to
inaccurate contents of either standard solutions or the chromium solution.
To get more accurate values, precaution steps must be considered when
performing the experiment. Firstly, in this experiment, avoid leaving fingerprints
on the outer surface of cuvette bottle that can cause the reading of absorbance
value of spectrophotometer to be inaccurate. Cleansed the square cuvette bottle
thoroughly and properly before putting it in the spectrophotometer slot. Lastly,
the determination of the absorbance value of each diluted solutions must be done
at least 3 trials in order to obtain more accurate values.
References
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/hexavalentchromium/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexavalent_chromium
http://www.epa.gov/airtoxics/hlthef/chromium.html
