CEB 20003

UNIVERSITI KUALA LUMPUR

MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL & BIOENGINEERING ENGINEERING

TECHNOLOGY

INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

CEB 20003

EXPERIMENT 5: WATER QUALITY TEST- JAR TEST

GROUP: L01-P1

G6

NO NAME ID NUMBER
1. MUHAMMAD FAREEZ AIZAT BIN AS’AD 55213117023
2. IKMAL HADI BIN IDRUS 55213117082
3. MOHD NAZMI BIN MOHD BUKHARI 55213117074
4. RASYDAN NABIL BIN RAMLAN 55213117025
5. WAN AMIRSYAM BIN MOHD HILMI 55213117066
6. ABDULSALAM FOUZI ABDULSALAM ALTURKI 55213117240

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INTRODUCTION
The jar test is a common laboratory procedure used to determine the optimum operating
conditions for water or wastewater treatment. This method allows adjustments in pH, variations
in coagulant or polymer dose, alternating mixing speeds, or testing of different coagulant or
polymer types, on a small scale in order to predict the functioning of a large scale treatment
operation. A jar test simulates the coagulation and flocculation processes that encourage the
removal of suspended colloids and organic matter which can lead to turbidity, odor and taste
problems. Precipitation is the chemical conversion of soluble substances (including metals) into
insoluble particles. Coagulation and flocculation causes a chemical reaction that promotes the
formation, agglomeration or clumping of such particles to facilitate their removal from solution.
The amount or dosage of a precipitant, coagulant and/or flocculants required to precipitate and
remove metals in wastewater solutions is not only dependent on the concentration of such metals
in solution, but also on several other factors.

OBJECTIVES

 To determine the optimum coagulant dosage and pH by using jar testing

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METHODS
1. To determine the optimum coagulant dosage

i) 6 jar testing apparatus (1L beaker) are filled with 1L of sample water and the turbidity
for each beaker are determined.

ii) The filled jars are placed on the gang stirrer with the paddles positioned identically in
each beaker.

iii) All are mixed at 40 – 50 rpm for 30 seconds.

iv) The first beaker as a control is left and increasing dosages of coagulant to
subsequent beakers are added.

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v) The stirrer at 100 rpm for 1 minute is started.

vi) The stirrer speed from 100 rpm to 25-35 rpm is reduced and let for 1 minute.
vii) The containers are allowed to settle for 10 minutes.

viii) The final turbidity (NTU) are checked using turbidity meter to determine the
optimum dosage.

2. To determine the optimum pH

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i) 6 jar testing apparatus (1L beaker) are filled with 1L of sample water and the turbidity
for each beaker are determined.

ii) The first beaker is left as a control and the pH of subsequent beakers are changed
using NaOH and H2S04.

iii) The filled jars on the gang stirrer are placed with the paddles positioned identically in
each beaker.
iv) The coagulant optimum dosage is added as quickly as possible in all beakers, below
the liquid level and about halfway between the stirrer shaft and beaker wall.
v) The stirrer at 100 rpm for 1 minute is started.
vi) The stirrer speed is reduced from 100 rpm to 25-35 rpm and let it stirs for another 1
minute.

vii) Turn off the mixed and allow the containers to settle for 10 minutes.

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viii) The final turbidity (NTU) is checked using turbidity meter to determine the optimum
dosage and recorded in table.

RESULTS AND DATA

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Turbidity (NTU)
Jar Coagulant Dosage (mL) Remarks
Before Experiment After Experiment
1 not
(control) 0 267 - optimum
not
2 1 301 254 optimum
not
3 2 279 257 optimum
not
4 3 289 16.3 optimum
not
5 4 256 8.61 optimum

6 5 266 8.29 Optimum

Table 1: Observation For Optimum Coagulant Dosage.

Turbidity (NTU)
Jar pH Remarks
Before experiment After experiment
1
(control not
) 7 266 8.29 optimum
not
2 8 284 6.31 optimum
not
3 9 274 50.5 optimum
not
4 10 268 141 optimum
not
5 5 261 6.22 optimum

6 6 288 4.07 optimum

Table 2: Observation For Optimum pH

DISCUSSION

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The objective of this experiment is to determine optimum operating conditions for water
or wastewater treatment. Jar test was the correct method used to handle this experiment. Jar test
mainly used to determine the optimum dosage of coagulant to remove small or charged particles
present inside water by using “Alum” as coagulant. This test should be performed on-site,
since large amounts of water may be required for testing.

In this experiment, Jar test has been used for testing coagulation from a set of murky water
that has been measured about 1L and has been placed in 6 different beakers. Turbidity was also
been tested in this experiment. Turbidity is a measure of the degree to which the water loses its
transparency due to the presence of suspended particulates. The more total suspended solids in
the water, the murkier it seems and the higher the turbidity. Turbidity is considered as a good
measure of the quality of water. Turbidity is essentially a measure of the cloudiness of
the water which indicates the presence of colloidal particles. The particles should be
making sure removed from the water before for the public use. Turbidity is
commonly measured by unit NTU.

Based from the experiment, first beaker was set as a control and no coagulant was added.
The coagulant doses increased from beaker 1 to beaker 6. For this water, as the dose of coagulant
increased, the residual turbidity improved. It is important to note that the optimum coagulant
dose is the dose which meets the specified turbidity required on the regulatory permit. The
addition of excess coagulant may reduce turbidity beyond w h a t i s r e q u i r e d b u t a l s o
c o u l d l e a d t o t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f m o r e s l u d g e w h i c h w o u l d require disposal. T h e
m o s t e ff e c t i v e d o s e o f c o a g u l a n t w e g e t f r o m t h e d a t a after the experiment is
5mL. This can be observing from the “drastically decreasing” turbidity of beaker 6. Turbidity of
beaker 6 before coagulant was added is 266 NTU. After 5mL of coagulant was added in the
sample, the turbidity of beaker 6 decreases to 8.29 indicating it as the optimum sample. The most
effective pH is 6.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

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In a nutshell it can be concluded from the experiment that the higher turbidity followed by
murkier in appearance meaning that excess of total suspended solids in water. From beaker 1 to
beaker 6, the coagulant was increasing leading to improvement in residual turbidity. So, the most
effective dose of coagulant obtained from the data after the experiment is 5mL as it was observed
that turbidity of beaker 6 was sudden decrease. Turbidity of beaker 6 before coagulant was added
is 266 NTU. After 5mL of coagulant was added in the sample, the turbidity of beaker 6 decreases
to 8.29 indicating it as the optimum sample. It was concluded finally that the most effective pH is
6.

Therefore, would like to suggest that it is very important to note that the optimum coagulant
dose is the dose which meets the specified turbidity required on the regulatory permit and the
addition of excess coagulant may reduce turbidity beyond what is required but also could lead to
the production of more sludge which would require disposal so it should be avoided.

REFERENCES

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Hamidi Abdul Aziz, Salina Alias, FaridahAssari, Mohd. NoridinAdlan “The use of alum,
ferric chloride and ferrous sulphate as coagulants in removing suspended solids, colour and
COD from semi-aerobic landfill leachate at controlled pH” Journal of Industrial Technology
10, 2010

J.Bartram, R.Ballance, (1996), Water Quality Monitoring - A Practical Guide to the Design
and Implementation of Freshwater Quality Studies and Monitoring Programmes. Retrieved
from https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/resourcesquality/wqmchap2.pdf.

World Health Organization (WHO). WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality, WHO,
Geneva, 2008. Retrieved from
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/guidelines/en/.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Clearing the water: A focus on water
Quality Solution.UNEP, Nairobi,2010, page 75. Retrieved from
http://www.unep.org/publications/contents/pub_details_search.asp?ID=4123).

APPENDIX

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1. The student was add cougulant. 2. The result after add coagulant.

3. The sample was stirred. 4. The measure of turbidity by using turbidity meter

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5. The student was record the result.

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