TITLE Determination of nitrate in water OBJECTIVE Determination of nitrate in sterile and tap water samples using ultraviolent spectrophotometer

OBSERVATION AND CALCULATIONS Concentration of the solutions was measured by using the following formula C1V1 = C2V2 Absorbance at 220 nm and 250 nm was detected by using ultraviolent spectrophotometer and the following formula was used A220 - 2A275 nm Following table was generated using the above formula in sterile and tap water samples

Concentration Sterile Water Blank 0 1mL (0.2mg) 5mL (1mg) 10mL (2mg) 15mL (3mg) 20mL (4mg) 25mL (5mg) 30mL (6mg) Tap Water 35mL (7mg)

Absorbance at 220nm 0.00 0.108 0.330 0.546 0.813 1.110 1.317 1.470 1.623

Absorbance at 275nm 0.00 0.003 0.023 0.015 0.014 0.036 0.012 0.010 0.015

A220 _ 2A275 nm

0.00 0.102 0.284 0.516 0.785 1.038 1.293 1.45 1.593

1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 Absorbance 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 0 1 2 3 4 Concentration, M 5 6 7 8 y = 0.2329x + 0.0549 R = 0.9927

Straight line equation for this graph is: y = mx + c y = 0.2329x + 0.0549 x = y 0.0549/0.2329 For Tap water value of y = 1.593, therefore x = 1.593 0.0549/0.2329 x = 6.604 Calculations show that 6.604 mg/l NO3- N was found in tap water. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) for nitrate in drinking water of 10 mg/L nitrate-nitrogen (nitrate-N) (equivalent to 45 mg/L as nitrate) and the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline (WHO 2004b) of 50 mg/L as nitrate (equivalent to 11 mg/L as nitrate-N).
Potential Health Concerns

The current regulatory standard of 50 mg/l nitrate is derived from the standard in the European Union's Drinking Water Directive. The EU standard is based on the World Health Organisation's guideline value for drinking water, which is also 50 mg/l. That standard is intended to ensure that drinking water will not cause methaemoglobinaemia.

Refrences

WHO 2004a. Nitrates and Nitrites in Drinking-Water. WHO/SDE/WSH/04.08/56. Rolling revision of the WHO guidelines for drinking-water quality. Draft for review and comments. Geneva:World Health Organization. Available: http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/chemicals/en/nitratesfull.pdf [accessed 31 May 2005]. WHO 2004b. Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. 3rd Ed, Vol. 1, Recommendations. Geneva:World Health Organization.