Help with Calculating PPM of Chlorine

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the concentration of free chlorine (HOCl/OCl-) in chlorinated pool water, specifically a sample labeled as 200 ppm stabilized with cyanuric acid and treated with sodium hypochlorite. An experiment using acidified methyl orange was conducted, where 0.14 mL of pool water was required to neutralize the solution, leading to a calculated concentration of approximately 775 ppm, which is significantly higher than the labeled concentration. The discrepancy suggests potential misinterpretation of the free chlorine concentration or experimental errors in the titration process.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of free chlorine chemistry in pool water
  • Familiarity with titration techniques and indicators, specifically methyl orange
  • Knowledge of cyanuric acid's role in stabilizing chlorine
  • Basic principles of concentration calculations in chemistry
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the effects of cyanuric acid on free chlorine availability in pool water
  • Learn about alternative methods for measuring free chlorine, such as DPD (N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine) testing
  • Investigate common sources of error in titration experiments
  • Study the relationship between total chlorine and free chlorine concentrations in chlorinated water
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for pool maintenance professionals, chemists involved in water quality testing, and anyone interested in understanding chlorine dynamics in swimming pools.

Meron35
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We are currently undertaking an investigation into chlorinated pool water and how various factors can affect the quality of it. We are attempting to determine the amount of "free chlorine" (HOCl/OCl-) in a given sample of pool water.
This pool water is labelled as 200 ppm, and is "stabilized" with an unknown amount of cyanuric acid. We do know that the water is chlorinated with sodium hypochlorite.

We have tried to determine the amount of free chlorine in solution by using methyl orange. Acidified methyl orange (red) reacts 1:1 with HOCl/OCl-, and turns clear. The experiment we conducted is as follows:
2.00mL of methyl orange (0.5g/L or 0.00153mol/L) was put in a reaction vessel
HCl was added until the solution turned red
Pool water was titrated into the solution until it turned clear

The experiment was repeated 3 times, and on average 0.14mL of pool water turned the solution clear.
However, when we try to use these results and find out what the ppm of pool water is, we keep getting around 775ppm, which seems way too high. We calculated it as followed (this method was given to us in an experimental booklet):
((concentration of methyl orange)*volume of methyl orange/volume of pool water)*35.5*1000

Is this sort of discrepancy normal? If so, why? If not, what and where could we have gone wrong and why?
 
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Doesn't look normal, but the general idea and your calculations look reasonably correct.

Perhaps 200 ppm is a concentration of "free" chlorine, one that is not bind with cyanuric acid? But that's just a random guess, I know nothing about the pool chemistry.
 

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