Exercise 1: Alkalinity

Q1 Approximate Alkalinity

Calculate the approximate alkalinity (in mg/L as CaCO3) of a water containing 120.0 mg/L of
bicarbonate ion and 15.00 mg/L of carbonate
Bicarbonate ion (1-), thus n = 1. While the molecular
ion.
weight is (1) + (12.01) + (3*16) = 61.01

Thus, the EWCO32- is 60 / 1 = 30 mg/meq

Solution:
Given: HCO3- = 120 mg/L; CO32- = 15.00 mg/L
Step 1: Convert to mg/L as CaCO3
HCO3- (120 mg/L)(50.04/61.02) = 98.41
CO32- (15.00 mg/L)(50.04/30.00) = 25.02
Step 2: Calculate approximate alkalinity
ALK = 98.41 + 25.02 = 123.43 or 123 mg/L as CaCO3

Carbonate ion (2-), thus n = 2. While the

molecular weight is (12) + (3*16) = 60.
Thus, the EWCO32- is 60 / 2 = 30 mg/meq
CaCO3, n =2 as it needs 2 hydrogen ions to
replace Ca2+ to form carbonic acid, H2CO3.
Thus, the EWCaCO3 100.09/2 = 50.05 g/eq or
mg/meq

Q2 Exact alkalinity
Calculate the exact alkalinity of the water in Q1 if the pH is 9.43.

Solution
Step 1: Convert HCO3- to mg/L as CaCO3 (similar to Q1)
mg/L as CaCO3 120 (50.04/61.016) = 98.41 mg/L as CaCO3
Step 2: Convert CO32- to mg/L as CaCO3 (similar to Q1)
mg/L as CaCO3 15.0 (50.04/30.004) = 25.02 mg/L as CaCO3
Step 3: Convert pH to H (Given in question)
[H+] = 10-9.43 = 3.715 x 10-10 mole/L
Step 4: Convert mole/L to mg/L
mg/L = (3.715 x 10-10 mole/L)(1.0079 x 103 mg/mole) = 3.745 x 10-7
Step 5: Calculate in mg/L as CaCO3 (for H)
(3.745 x 10-7) (50.04/1.0079) = 1.86 x 10-5

Atomic W H =1.00794

Step 6: Convert pH to [OH-]

pOH = 14.00 - 9.43 = 4.57
[OH-] = 10-4.57 = 2.692 x 10-5 mole/L
Step 7: Convert from mole/L to mg/L
mg/L = (2.692 x 10-5)(17.007 x 103 mg/mole) = 0.4578
Step 8: Calculate in mg/L as CaCO3 (for OH)
0.4578 (50.04/17.007) = 1.347

Atomic W H =1.00794
Atomic W O = 16

Step 9: Lastly, sum them up for exact alkalinity (all in mg/L as CaCO3)
ALK = HCO3- + CO32- + OH- - H+
ALK = 98.41 + 25.02 + 1.347 - (1.86 x 10-5)
ALK = 124.78 mg/L as CaCO3

Exercise 2 Calculation of ThOD

Q1
Calculate the ThOD of glucose having the formula C6H12O6
Solution:
Molecular weight of C6H12O6 is (6x12) + (12 X1) + (6x 16) = 180 g
The equation: C6H12O6 + 6 O2 6 CO2 + 6 H2O
180

192

Thus, ThOD = 192 g O2 / 180 g glucose = 1.07 g O2/g glucose

Q2
From the answer computed in Q1, what is the ThOD for a glucose concentration of 200 mg/L?

Solution:
ThOD = 1.07 g O2 / g glucose
For 200 mg/L of glucose,
ThOD = 1.07 x 200 mg/L = 214 mg/L

Q3
Given:
Carbonaceous Oxygen Demand
C5H7NO2 + 5O2 5CO2 + NH3 + 2H2O --------Eq. (1)

Nitrogenous Oxygen Demand

NH3 + 2O2 HNO3+ H2O -------------------Eq. (2)

Total ThOD [Eq. (1) + Eq. (2)]

C5H7NO2 + 7O2 5CO2 + HNO3 + 3H2O
Definition:

What is the ThOD for a cell tissue C5H7NO2?

Solution
Step 1: Eq 1 Carbonaceous Oxygen Demand
C5H7NO2 + 5O2 5CO2 + NH3 + 2H2O
113

160

1.42

Carbonaceous Oxygen Demand

Nitrogenous oxygen demand (NOD) is

a quantitative measure of the amount
of dissolved oxygen required for the
biological oxidation of nitrogenous
material, for example, nitrogen in
ammonia, and organic nitrogen in
waste water.

In short, we only interested in the OD

of the N of the organic compound,
not the NH3 which is the intermediate
product.

= 1.42 mg O2 / mg of cell tissue

Summary:

Step 2 Eq 2: Nitrogenous Oxygen Demand

NH3 + 2O2 HNO3+ H2O
14

64

4.57

NH3 Oxygen Demand = 4.57 mg O2 / mg of NH3-N

The nitrogenous compounds NH3 and

Organic N exert an oxygen demand
when they are oxidized by nitrifying
bacteria.
Typically, one mg/L of NH3 or organic
N requires 4.57 mg/L of oxygen to be
completely oxidized.

Fraction of nitrogen mass in C5H7NO2 = 14/113

Thus, nitrogenous oxygen demand
= 4.57 x 14/113 = 0.56 mg / mg of cell tissue

Step 3 ThOD = Carbonaceous OD + Nitrogenous OD = 1.42 + 0.56 = 1.98 O2 / mg cell tissue

Alternative Solution: Eq 1+2: Total ThOD

C5H7NO2 + 7O2 5CO2 + HNO3 + 3H2O
113

224

1.98

Total ThOD = 1.98 mg O2 / mg of cell tissue

Q4:
Based on the answer in Q3, what is the theoretical TOC?

Solution
Total ThOD
C5H7NO2 + 7O2 5CO2 + HNO3 + 3H2O
113

Theoretical TOC
5 x 12 mg carbon / 113 mg cell tissue
or 0.53 mg carbon / mg cell tissue