What is alkalinity in environmental science?

Definition of alkalinity: “The buffering capacity of a water body; a measure of the ability of the water body to neutralize acids and bases and thus maintain a fairly stable pH level”

How does alkaline affect the environment?

Impacts of alkaline leachates include increased water pH, high chemical oxygen demand and oxygen depletion in the water column, high sulphate loadings, salinity, and increase of metal concentrations (Mayes and Younger, 2006, Mayes et al., 2008).

How the alkalinity data are useful in environmental engineering practice?

Alkalinity measurements are made as a means of evaluating the buffering capacity of wastewaters and sludges. They can also be used to assess a natural waters ability to resist the effects of acid rain.

How are alkalinity and hardness related?

Hardness is the sum of the multivalent metal ions in solution, whereas alkalinity is a measure of the solution’s ability to neutralize acids (sum of hydroxide, carbonate, and bicarbonates). In natural water systems calcium carbonate is usually present and responsible for different characteristics of the water.

What are the types of alkalinity and its significance?

Depending upon the pH of the water, alkalinity can exist in water in three basic forms: carbonate (CO3), bicarbonate (HCO3), or hydroxide (OH). Total alkalinity is the sum of these three forms.

Why is alkalinity in water important?

Higher alkalinity levels in surface water will buffer acid rain and other acid wastes, preventing pH changes that are harmful to aquatic life. Alkalinity is also in important considering the treatment of wastewater and drinking water because it influences cleaning processes such as anaerobic digestion.

How does pH level contribute to pollution?

Anthropogenic causes of pH fluctuations are usually related to pollution. Any form of precipitation with a pH level less than 5.0 is known as acid rain ²¹. This precipitation comes from the reaction of water with nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and other acidic compounds, lowering its already slightly acidic pH.

What is the importance of pH?

pH is an important quantity that reflects the chemical conditions of a solution. The pH can control the availability of nutrients, biological functions, microbial activity, and the behavior of chemicals.

What are the applications of alkalinity measurement?

Although alkalinity is primarily a term used by oceanographers, it is also used by hydrologists to describe temporary hardness. Moreover, measuring alkalinity is important in determining a stream’s ability to neutralize acidic pollution from rainfall or wastewater.

What is the application of determination of alkalinity of water in engineering field?

The alkalinity of water is its quantitative capacity to neutralize strong acid to designated pH. The measured value may vary with the endpoint pH used in the determination. Therefore the determination of alkalinity of water is important in the field of environmental engineering.