Comparative Study on the Hardness of Mechroha Water Springs

T he vacancy of natural resources is undoubtedly limited by time. The sustainable development principle recommends modern technology for its protection and renewal. This project conducted analyses on two underground water sources in the north of Algeria (Mechroha Province). Besides, the use of the hardness factor and the adoption of the titration method, which is the determining the concentration of an unknown solution using a known solution concentration, have permitted the characterization of the examples taken and to verify their conformity to the standard required, the results found showed 𝐻 𝑇 = 6.66 French degrees (°F ) for Ain Guilloume water spring in comparison to Ain Messai water spring 𝐻 𝑇 = 7 French degrees (°F ). Those data conduct us to select the drinking water source of Ain Guilloume due to its attractive composition and value.


INTRODUCTION
Natural resources can be materials or energies from the earth intended to optimize the quality of human life (Cherepovitsyn and Ilinova, 2018). One of them is mineral water. This later has recently been the subject of several studies due to its importance. Knowing that water is an essential component of life, which is the most basic need of humans as well as other living organisms and an engine of numerous sectors; the main drink of citizens, agriculture, industry, etc. (Nasier and Abdulrazzaq, 2022); (Mathew and Krishnamurthy, 2014), and (Naser and Abdulrazzaq, 2022). Water resources can be significantly affected by human action (industry, overconsumption, overexploitation), anthropogenic factors, and more rarely by severe climatic conditions. This work is more interested in applying the classical method for determining hidden concentrations, lime salts (Ca 2+ ), and magnesia (Mg 2+ ) recognized by the name titration. Moreover, the method is reliable and proven with convincing results, and it has been used previously to measure the energy required to separate the bonded atoms (Velázquez-Campoy et al., 2014). In the same context, hydrotimetric titration is the only traditional titrimetric process applied for metal ions' instantaneous and quantitative chemical analysis (Zhai and Bakker, 2016). By the way, the total hardness of water index is often calculated from the sum of calcium and magnesium ions concentration. Hard water can cause many complications, scaling on water pipes, boilers, eczema, and odd-tasting drinking water  The objective of this study is to measure the hardness of water from two underground springs (Ain Guilloume and Ain Messai, Fig.2, and Then measure their hardness ( ) by the appropriate equipment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The product used during the tests can be summarized in Fig. 3. The equipment used during the test were: graduated burette with stand, hot plate magnetic stirrer, beaker, Erlenmeyer flask, graduated cylinder, funnel, dropper, graduated pipette and pear, volumetric flask and spatula.
The assay procedure begins with filling the graduated burette with ethylenediaminetetra acetic acid (EDTA) solution up to scale 0. 100ml of mineral water to be analyzed is poured into the beaker and heated at 60°C. At that time, 5 ml of the buffer solution are added with 10 drops of eriochrome Black T (NET).
The starting color is purple; the EDTA solution is poured drop by drop until the color of the beaker solution changes abruptly (blue turn), then the equivalence of volume ( ) is taken. 5-Titrage process; 6-The solution to be assayed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Water is a crucial element of human life which is why all people should have an adequate supply of water; sufficient, safe, and accessible (Directives de qualite pour l'eau de boisson, 2004).
Talking about the quality, this conducted the authors to the sampling process. To control spring waters, analysis is mostly recommended, especially in the absence of water treatment installation (Directives de qualité pour l'eau de boisson, 2017). Before interpreting the results obtained, it should be said that in most cases, the so-called water hardness is not favorable for home use since it minimizes the action of soaps. However, water hardness in other sectors such as agriculture, forces the soil to maintain a suitable structure (COUTURE, 2006). To do this, two samples were taken during the rainy season (February 2022), one sample for each water source, and the volume of each sample taken is approximately 5 liters. is an index that allows us to calculate water hardness. It shows the overall water content in terms of lime salts (Ca 2+ ) and magnesia (Mg 2+ ) (ANDRIAMANJATO NAJA, 2019). Further clarification is given in Table 2.

Determination of total hardness
The total hardness of the water is linked with the quantity of calcium and magnesium ions by these formulas (RANDRIAMITSIRY, 2017): By exploiting equations (2) and (3), it was found: [ 2+ ] = 7 * 4 = 28 / [ 2+ ] = 7 * 2.43 = 17.01 / This study aims to calculate the hardness of two samples of mineral water springs already used for the drinking water supply of residents from the Mechroha region to choose the best from them concerning quality and taste. To discuss the results obtained, the study carried out using comparison from the point of view of the hardness index ( ) in other words, the results of the hydrotimetric titration tests and by evaluation with the reference values mentioned in Table 1 it can be said that Ain Guiloume spring has soft water ( = 6.66 °f) compared to Ain Messai spring ( = 7 °F), which is above standard, and it is considered slightly salted by carbonates (Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ ).

CONCLUSIONS
Given the purpose of this research project, we are focusing this study on the determination of the hardness from two water sources (Ain Guilloume and Ain Messai), both located in the municipality of Mechroha. The results harvested confirm that Ain Guilloume spring has a sweet taste and a pleasant quality compared with Ain Messai spring, which has a hardness close to the standard and can be acceptable as drinking water. This paper illustrates the importance of hydrotimetric titration used as an effective analysis technique to characterize the nature of the waters studied and to distinguish between two qualities of potable waters, and it should be noted that excessive hardness reduces its ability to soap (formation of foam). In conclusion, the optimal hardness is less than 7 °F, and this is the case of Ain Guillome water.