WET 215 - Water Quality Analysis And Wet Instrumentation

Credits: 3
Instructional Contact Hours: 4

Investigates conventional water and wastewater laboratory test procedures, with particular emphasis on those analytical techniques that require an understanding and practical use of laboratory instrumentation. Water Quality Lab tests include BOD, TSS, temperature, DO, pH, conductivity, TDS, total and volatile solids, alkalinity, TRC, and others common to the daily operation of both drinking water and wastewater plants; includes discussions of basic stream ecology and applied environmental science principles. Instrumentation Lab includes the use of pH, millivolt and specific ion meters and probes and an introduction to Spectrophotometry, atomic absorption (AA), and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Includes field tours of municipal water and wastewater treatment facility labs and related field study discussions.

Prerequisite(s): READING LEVEL 2 and WRITING LEVEL 2 and MATH LEVEL 6 and WET 110 and WET 112 and CHM 105W or CHM 111 or permission of the instructor.
Corequisite(s): None
Lecture Hours: 30 Lab Hours: 30
Meets MTA Requirement: None
Pass/NoCredit: Yes

Outcomes and Objectives

Demonstrate a working knowledge and hands on experience with water and wastewater bacteriological methods, analytical procedure and concentration determination
1. Conduct BOD, TSS, pH, TRC, DO, TDS, alkalinity and other test procedures
2. Identify the equipment and apparatus used in the procedures studied.
3. Discuss the health implications of coliform found in waters humans are exposed to.
4. Explain the importance of “conventional pollutants” discharged to surface waters.
5. Explain the importance of “conventional pollutants” found in untreated drinking water
6. Discuss health and safety concerns commonly found in water and wastewater labs.
Demonstrate a working proficiency with the basic test procedures.
1. Explain the purpose and function of phosphorus, nitrogen, carbon, chlorine and other tests
2. Describe the analytical test procedures, good lab technique and the waste disposal concerns related to the analytical procedures presented. concerns related to the analytical procedures presented.
3. Describe the additional and unique health and safety issues related to these tests.
Demonstrate practical proficiency with the basic analytical instruments.
1. Explain the principles of spectrophotometry.
2. Identify the working parts of a typical spectrophotometer.
3. Properly prepare and arrange the instruments prior to conducting a test.
4. Prepare calibration standards and establish a standard curve.
5. Determine am unknown concentration using good analytical technique and a standard curve prepared for that purpose.
6. Calibrate a pH meter using three buffered dilutions.
7. Using pH or millivolt meter and specific ion probe, properly calibrate the equipment.
8. Conduct a dissolved oxygen analysis on either an incubated or grab water sample.
Demonstrate a working knowledge of basic water - laboratory equipment.
1. Describe the process and set up requirements for a BOD incubator.
2. Describe the purpose and set up requirements for a drying oven and muffle furnace.
3. Describe the purpose and set up requirements for dessicator equipment.
4. Demonstrate a working understanding of an Atomic Absorption (AA) unit.
5. Demonstrate a working knowledge of Gas Chrome/Mass Spec (GC/MS) unit.
6. Properly set up and use typical manual and automatic titration equipment.
7. Describe the importance of quality “lab water” and the equipment used to produce it.
Relate the significance of various findings from typical water and wastewater laboratories, by means of written report.
1. Make verbal and/or written report to interested stakeholders (City Council).
2. Correctly describe, using professional verbiage, the importance of analytical findings.
3. Evaluate the treatment process, draw conclusions and make valid recommendations based on the knowledge of water/wastewater treatment and the analytical findings described.