a.   Recommended Treatment:

→ Calcium hydroxide is a slightly soluble compound, while copper\(\text{(II)}\) hydroxide and lead\(\text{(II)}\) hydroxide are very insoluble in water.

→ When these compounds are added to water, the metal ions tend to precipitate out of solution.

→ For example, the addition of solid calcium hydroxide to water produces calcium ions \(\ce{Ca^2+}\) and hydroxide ions \(\ce{OH-}\), which can then react with lead\(\text{(II)}\) ions (\(\ce{Pb^2+})\) and copper\(\text{(II)}\) ions \(\ce{Cu^2+}\) to form precipitates of lead\(\text{(II}\) hydroxide and copper\(\text{(II)}\) hydroxide, respectively.

→ These reactions are represented by the equations:

\(\ce{Pb^2+ + 2OH- -> Pb(OH)2, \ \ Cu^2+ + 2OH- -> Cu(OH)2}\)
 

b.   Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS):

→ Can be used for determining the concentration of metal ions in a sample by measuring the absorbance of light at specific wavelengths that are characteristic of each metal.

→ AAS uses light wavelengths that correspond to atomic absorption by the element of interest, and since each element has unique wavelengths that are absorbed, the concentration of that element can be selectively measured in the presence of other species.

→ As a result, AAS can be used to independently measure the concentrations of different metal ions, such as lead\(\text{(II)}\) ions and copper\(\text{(II)}\) ions in a sample containing both types.
 

c.   Concentrations of ions:

\begin{array} {|l|c|c|c|}
\hline  \text{Sample }& \ce{Cu^2+ \times 10^{-5} mol L^{-1}} & \ce{Pb^2+ \times 10^{-5} mol L^{-1}} \\
\hline \text{Water (pre-treatment)} & 5.95 & 4.75 \\
\hline \text{Water (post-treatment)} & 0.25 & 0.85 \\
\hline \end{array}

→ Concentrations of copper and lead have been significantly reduced.

→ Convert concentrations to compare with standard:

\begin{array} {ccc}
\ce{Cu^2+}: & 5.95 \times 10^{-5} \times 63.55 \times 1000 = 3.78\ \text{mg L}^{-1} \\
 & 0.25 \times 10^{-5} \times 63.55 \times 1000 = 0.16\ \text{mg L}^{-1} \\
& \\
\ce{Pb^2+}: & 4.75 \times 10^{-5} \times 207.2 \times 1000 = 9.84\ \text{mg L}^{-1} \\
& 0.85 \times 10^{-5} \times 207.2 \times 1000 = 1.76\ \text{mg L}^{-1} \end{array}

Conclusion:

→ The concentration of copper ions has been reduced to a level that is lower than the discharge limit (0.16 < 1.0) but the lead ion concentration has not (1.76 > 1.0).

→ The treatment has only been partially successful.