Smart App Assisted Colorimetric Determination of Iron: A Case Study in UDUPI Taluk

Abstract

Water is an important source for several uses. Water from surface and groundwater is used extensively to get the various industrial and domestic demands. Increased industrialization and urbanization discharges wastewater in the environment without treatment. By the infiltration and runoff, The water reaches subsurface and water above the ground and pollutes fresh water. Groundwater treatment is costlier and requires proper assessment. The area selected for study is Udupi taluk, Karnataka state. The study says that in Udupi region the soil is sensitive and here the soil is lateritic, there is a chance that the soil induces iron content in water which may increases concentration of iron in water. According to BIS 10500:2012 the limit of iron concentration in water is 0.3mg/lt. If iron content in water exceeds from 0.3mg/lt, it causes various health effects and waterborne diseases. Therefore, the study of iron plays an important role in the region such as Udupi. The quality of groundwater, that is concentration of iron chooses randomly from open wells. The collected samples are tested in laboratory to determine the concentration of iron in each sample. The app is generated, which provides amount of iron in specific location within the region of Udupi taluk. Generation of map helps as a decision support system because it provides an amount of iron in required place. The app helps to take preventive measure to decreases the amount of iron. Water is filtrated using low-cost filter media which work as slow sand filter, contains sand, rice husk ash, coconut coir coconut coir and charcoal. It absorbs iron content from water and reduces amount of iron from water. The filtration media has greater efficiency of around 70% which is within the BIS limit. As water is basic necessity the project is relevant to society. Generation of maps and low-cost filter media will be beneficial to society. The type of low-cost filter media can be used every household and the project also comes under lab to land theme.

Introduction

I. INTRODUCTION

Water is very important natural resource, which is required for various domestic uses. The water from subsurface is used much in  Udupi region.  The study says that the soil in region like Udupi is very sensitive, in this region the soil is lateritic which induces iron content in water. Iron concentration in water causes stains in cloths and increases corrosive action of water, which leads to growth of iron bacteria.  According to BIS 10500:2012 the acceptable limit of iron in water is 0.3mg/lt. Iron content in water may increased due to several reasons such as use of landfill leakage, municipal sewers, irrigation water infiltration contains fertilizers and pesticides, septic tank, pollution from volatile organic compounds, intrusion of saltwater etc. These all causes major effect to health and various waterborne diseases. Therefore, the study plays a important role in the region such as Udupi. The app generation provides amount of iron in the required location, provides variation in iron content and also the areas which have high iron concentration which acts as a decision support system.

The water samples are collected from various regions within the region of Udupi taluk and each sample is tested in lab to determine the iron content in each sample. The samples which contains iron more than 0.3mg/lt are filtered using low-cost filter media.  

II. STUDY AREA

Udupi district lies along the west coast of peninsular India and gigantic western ghats. The district is situated from 13º04 - 13º59 N latitude and 74º35 -75º12 E longitude enfolding an area of 3575km2. The area is about 88km long and around 80km wide, adjoined in the north by Uttara Kannada district; in the east by Shivamogga and chikamagalur districts; in the south by the Dakshina Kannada district and the west by Arabian Sea. Udupi district has seven taluks, namely, brahmavara, Byndoor, Hebri, Karkala, Kaup, Kundapura and Udupi.  

1. Groundwater Sampling

The groundwater from the wells are collected and tested in laboratory according to American Public Health Association (APHA 2005). The method adopted for sampling was “grab sampling”. Water from 50 wells located within the region of Udupi taluk were collected during the pre - monsoon period of year 2024. Water is collected using bottles were carefully cleaned first and after that the groundwater samples were collected. The collected groundwater samples were preserved prudently and tested in chemical lab for to check the iron concentration in each sample. The results obtained were compared with standard permissible values recommended by BIS10500:2012. The water quality parameters of iron evaluated in the lab using standard techniques, according to the APHA 2005 guidelines. 

2. Analysis of Iron Concentration in the Laboratory

Aim: To determine the amount of iron present in the sample, by colorimetric method using spectrophotometer.

a. Apparatus Used

• Spectrophotometer
• Glass cuvette
•  Silica dish
• 1000,500,250,100 ml standard borosil round
• Heating mental
• Pipette
• Funnel 

b. Reagents Required

• Standard iron solution 0.01 mg iron per ml
• Concentrated HCL
• Hydroxyl amine solution
• Ammonium acetate buffer
• Phenanthroline solution
• Sodium acetate buffer

c. Test Procedure

• Take 1ml, 2ml…. of standard iron solution in the 100ml flasks.
• Add 1ml of sodium acetate buffer and 1ml of hydroxylamine to each flask.
• Dilute the solution in flasks to 75ml with distilled water.
• Then add 5ml of phenanthroline monohydrate solution to each flask and make up to 100ml with distilled water.
• Take 25 or 50 ml of water sample in 250 ml beaker.
•  Add 1ml of hydroxylamine solution and 2ml of concentrated HCL and boil for 10 minutes, cool and transfer this solution to a 100ml standard flask.
• Add 5ml phenanthroline monohydrate and 10ml ammonium acetate, make up to the mark by using distilled water.
• Wait for 10 minutes and match the colour obtained for sample with the standard colours prepared.
• Find the amount of iron in  standard flask and match the colour obtained.
• Prepare a standard graph by taking absorbance value in Y axis and content of iron in mg/lt on X axis.

B. Filtration

It is the process of removal of particles from water. Removal of particles takes place by number of mechanisms such as flocculation, straining, sedimentation and surface capture. Filtration is the one of the simple technique used for water treatment. It helps to remove the impurities from the water and the process is very simple.

1. Filter Media Used

a. The filter media used to filter the samples is made with glass chambers.

b. The materials used for filtration is charcoal, sand, coconut coir and rice husk ash.

c. The total height of the glass used in filter media is 40cm, Length* Breadth =40cm*20cm.

d. A tap is situated at the bottom of the unit which acts as outlet, collects the filtered water.

e. 4cm is the thickness of each filter media.

2. Filter Media Materials

a. Rice Husk Ash

Rice husk ash is a industrial absorbent. The thickness of layer used in filter media is 4cm. It consists of large surface area, absorbs heavy metals such as magnesium, calcium, iron.

   b. Coconut Coir

Coconut coir is environment friendly material. It work as a durable and effective filtration medium. It consists of sufficient number of macropores and micropores.

c. Charcoal

Charcoal is a ideal water filter material. It removes toxins from water. Increases effectiveness of filter media and adsorbs organic compounds.

d.   

e. Sand

Sand removes suspended matter and other impurities from water. The particle size used in filtration process is 0.3mm.  The other materials used such as rice husk ash, coconut coir and charcoal required the chemicals to work effectively. Sand does not required any flocculant chemical for filtration.

V. SCOPE FOR FUTURE WORK

Instead of iron other parameters of water can also be tested namely pH, turbidity, chlorine analysis, fluorine analysis, nitrogen analysis, etc.

Other treatment methods using Low-cost filter media can be done.

VI. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We sincerely acknowledge our heartfelt gratitude and sincere pranamas to H.H. Shri Vishwavallabha Theertha Swamiji for his blessings to this institution.

We express our deepest gratitude and respect to our guide Dr. Deepika B V, Associate Professor and HOD of Civil Engineering department for her guidance and encouragement while  doing this project work.

We are indebted to Prof. Dr. Thirumaleshwara Bhat, Principal and Prof. Dr. Ganesh Aithal, Vice Principal, for their suggestions and advice.

We also extend our  gratitude to Mr. Sunil Haldankar, assistant professor and project coordinator for his assistance. We are very thankful to Mrs. Mallika Shanbhag, Ms Asha who had assisted us in the laboratory to conduct the experiment smoothly, Mr Gajendra and Ms Sonu

Who developed the app. We are also grateful to the society for helping us to collect the water samples from their houses.

We extend our thanks to the Management of Shri Madhwa Vadiraja Institude of Technology and Management, Bantakal, Udupi for providing good laboratory and library facilities. We also remain grateful to the co-operation and help rendered by the teaching and non-teaching staff of the Civil Engineering Department.

Lastly, we take this opportunity to offer our regards to all of those who have supported us directly or indirectly in the successful completion of this project work.

Conclusion

1) The Iron analysis conducted in lab shows few samples above 0.3 mg/lt. It is above the BIS 10500:2012 permissible limit. The study area classified in three categories namely safe, better, danger. 2) An app is generated which shows the concentration of iron in the specific location within the region of Udupi taluk helps as a decision support system. 3) Water quality management can be done for groundwater, as study helps as a decision support system. 4) Filtration is the simplest and cheapest technique for iron removal. Hence mixed media layer is economical and is used for iron removal. Totally this is environmental friendly project. 5) The project is relevant to society as water is basic necessity, this kind of maps and low-cost treatment will be having societal benefits. As the low cost filter media can be used in every household, the project also comes under lab to land theme.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2024 Shravan V Poojary, Tanmay V Shetty, Soujanya Ganapati Pai, Dr. Deepika BV. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.