Standard methods for the examination of water and sewage

by American Public Health Association. Laboratory Section; American Chemical Society; Association of Official Agricultural Chemists

Add 5 cc. of neutral chloroform and 1 cc. of erythrosine indicator to 50 or 100 cc. of the sample in a 250 cc. clear glass-stoppered bottle. If the chloroform becomes rose colored on shaking, hydroxide, bicarbonate, or normal carbonate is present. Add N/50 sulfuric acid from a burette until the chloroform becomes colorless. A white surface behind the bottle facilitates detection of a trace of color as the end-point is approached. The calculation is the same as with phenolphthalein alkalinity.

BICARBONATE.

Bicarbonate is present if the alkalinity to phenolphthalein is less than one-half the alkalinity to methyl orange, erythrosine, or lacmoid. The alkalinity to methyl orange, erythrosine, or lacmoid is due entirely to bicarbonate if there is no phenolphthalein alkalinity. If there is phenolphthalein alkalinity the bicarbonate, in terms of calcium carbonate, is equal to the methyl orange, erythrosine, or lacmoid alkalinity minus twice the phenolphthalein alkalinity. Bicarbonate, carbon dioxide as bicarbonate, and half-bound carbon dioxide can be calculated as follows:

Bicarbonate (HCO₃) = 1.22 times the bicarbonate expressed in terms of calcium carbonate.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) as bicarbonate = 0.88 times the bicarbonate expressed in terms of calcium carbonate.

Half-bound carbon dioxide (CO₂) = 0.44 times the bicarbonate expressed in terms of calcium carbonate.

NORMAL CARBONATE.[^[20]][^[94]]

Normal carbonate is present if the alkalinity to phenolphthalein is greater than zero but less than the alkalinity to methyl orange, erythrosine, or lacmoid. If the phenolphthalein alkalinity is exactly equal to one-half the methyl orange, erythrosine, or lacmoid alkalinity the alkalinity is due entirely to normal carbonate. If the phenolphthalein alkalinity is less than one-half the methyl orange, erythrosine, or lacmoid alkalinity normal carbonate expressed in terms of calcium carbonate is equal to twice the phenolphthalein alkalinity. If the phenolphthalein alkalinity is greater than one-half the methyl orange, erythrosine, or lacmoid alkalinity the normal carbonate is equal to twice the difference between the methyl orange, erythrosine, or lacmoid alkalinity and the phenolphthalein alkalinity. The carbonate, carbon dioxide as carbonate, and bound carbon dioxide can be calculated as follows:

Carbonate (CO₃) = 0.6 times the normal carbonate expressed in terms of calcium carbonate.

Carbon dioxide as carbonate (CO₂) = 0.44 times the normal carbonate expressed in terms of calcium carbonate.