Environmental Science IA Labs

8/18/2019 Environmental Science IA Labs

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Lab #1

Date: January 29, 2016

Title: The pH of the water in four rivers

Aim: To determine the pH of the water of four rivers

aterial: !ea"er, universal pH indi#ator, droppin$ pipette, stirrin$ rod, measurin$ #ylinder

Procedure: 1% & #m' of water sample was poured into a (ea"er%

2% )sin$ a droppin$ pipette, ' drops of indi#ator were added to the water%

'% The mi*ture was stirred usin$ a stirrin$ rod and left to settle%

+% The #olour was o(served and #ompared with a pH #olour s#ale to determine the

overall pH%

&% A note was made and the results re#orded in a ta(le%

Results:

Ta(le showin$ the pH of the four rivers

River pH Range(USGS/NRC

!

Rio Cobre %& 6-9

"res River .%& 6-9

$uuane% River .%& 6-9

Hope River 6-9

$iscussion: The pH of a su(stan#e #an (e des#ri(ed as how al"aline or a#idi# a su(stan#e is% The

pH of four rivers were ta"en/ io o(re, resh iver, Duhaney iver and Hope iver% The

readin$s a(ove illustrate that io o(re3s pH is the hi$hest with Duhaney and resh iver the

lowest% The results also show that the rivers are al"aline with io o(re a$ain havin$ the hi$hest

fi$ure% A4uati# life is affe#ted (y the #han$e in pH/ reason (ein$ they are a##ustomed to

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survivin$ at a #ertain pH/ or$anisms3 life is at ris" if this is altered even sli$htly% The ta(le also

illustrates that our rivers are in line with the )5 eolo$i#al 5urvey 7)558 and Jamai#a3s

A ran$e of 6-9 for international standards%

Conclusion: t #an (e #on#luded that the pH level affe#ts water 4uality, and on#e water 4uality is

affe#ted a4uati# life;or$anisms are at ris"%

Lab #&

2




Title: The temperature of the water in four rivers

Aim: To determine the temperature of the water of four rivers

aterials: !ea"er, measurin$ #ylinder, mer#ury thermometer

Procedure: 1% 10#m' of water sample was ta"en and then poured into a (ea"er%

2% The temperature was ta"en twi#e usin$ a la(oratory mer#ury thermometer%

'% The (ea"er with the river water sample was pla#ed on a flat surfa#e%

+% The thermometer was pla#ed into the (ea"er with the river water and stirred to

#reate a homo$enous solution%

&% The thermometer was read at eye level and the results re#orded in a ta(le%

Results:

Ta(le showin$ the temperatures of the water of four rivers

River Sa'ple e'perature/

)

c veragee'perature

Range(USGS/NRC!

Rio Cobre io o(re 1 2 2 2'-'0

io o(re 2 2.

"res River resh iver 1 26 2& 2'-'0

resh iver 2 2+

$uane% River Duhaney iver 1 26 26 2'-'0

Duhaney iver 2 26

Hope River Hope iver 1 22 22 2'-'0

Hope iver 2 21

$iscussion: Temperature is the avera$e measure of thermal ener$y of a su(stan#e% The

temperatures of four rivers were ta"en, namely: io o(re, Hope iver, Duhaney <ar" and resh

iver respe#tively% !ased on the results io o(re was the hottest of all four rivers, while Hope

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iver was the #oolest% As it relates to water 4uality, temperature has its effe#t on a num(er of life

#y#les% ainly that of a4uati# life and ha(itats, an in#rease in temperature more than li"ely will

result in an in#rease in (ody fun#tions, su#h as: the respiration and meta(oli# rates% The readin$s

a(ove in the ta(le indi#ate that most or$anisms would have an in#rease in (odily fun#tions hen#e

puttin$ their lives in dan$er% Temperature also affe#ts the pH, dissolved o*y$en #ontent,

#ompound to*i#ity and the #ondu#tivity of water% The A and international standards ran$e is

2'-'0 de$rees #elsius and all rivers e*#ept Hope iver were in the spe#ified ran$e%

Conclusion: Temperature has its pros and #ons however, if it is the only fa#tor #onsidered for

water 4uality, then it #an (e said that all four rivers are suita(le for a4uati# life and or$anisms%

Lab #*


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Title: Dissolved =*y$en in >ater

Aim: To determine the dissolved o*y$en level in the water of four rivers

aterial: >ater sample, 2 measurin$ #ylinders, 2 (ea"ers

est +it ,anu-acturer

Dissolved =*y$en ?*te#h

Procedure: 1% 10#m' of river water sample was measured in a measurin$ #ylinder and then poured in a (ea"er

2% The ?*te#h dissolved o*y$en meter was used

'% The meter was su(mer$ed and turned on% This was repeated and then

avera$ed

+% 5tep 1-' were repeated for the three other river samples

Results:

River Sa'ple $issolved

.%gen

Concentration

verage

$issolved

.%gen Level

Range

(USGS/NRC!

Rio Cobre io o(re 1 &%66 &%. @6%00io o(re 2 &%90

"res River resh iver 1 .%20 .%26

resh iver 2 .%'2

$uane% River Duhaney iver 1 &%9. 6%0+

Duhaney iver 2 6%10

Hope River Hope iver 1 %20 .%99

Hope iver 2 .%.9

Ta(le showin$ the Dissolved =*y$en on#entration level of the water of four rivers

$iscussion: n the ta(le, the results depi#t the Dissolved =*y$en on#entration evel in four

rivers% The suita(le )55;A ran$e is $reater 7@8 than 6 and it #an (e noti#ed that three of

the four rivers have met this tar$et% io o(re proves to have the lowest level, meanin$ there is

an inade4uate supply of o*y$en in the water (ody for a4uati# life to survive% The other three

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rivers 7'8 resh iver, Duhaney iver, Hope iver have met the stated ran$e a(ove 7@68/

meanin$ these water (odies have enou$h o*y$en to allow the survival of a4uati# life%

Conclusion: t #an (e #on#luded that if the stated ran$e is met, then the water (ody #an (e said

to (e safe for a4uati# life%

Lab#0


Title: itrate evel of water

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Aim: To determine the nitrate level in the water of four rivers

aterial: >ater sample, 2 measurin$ #ylinders, 2 (ea"ers, &#m' test tu(e

Procedure: 1% 10#m' of river water sample was poured in a measurin$ #ylinder and then poured

in a (ea"er

2% The itrate itro$en Test Bit was used to determine the nitrate level in the

sample at io o(re 1

'% The water samplin$ (ottle was filled with sample water

+% The &#m' test tu(e was filled to the lower line with sample water

&% t was diluted to the se#ond line with i*ed A#id ea$ent% t was #apped and

mi*ed

6% t was left for 2 minutes

.% The 0%1$ spoon was used to add one level measure of itrate edu#in$ ea$ent

% The tu(e was #apped% The tu(e was inverted slowly and #ompletely for '0 times

in 1 minute to ensure #omplete mi*in$%

9% t was left for 10 minutes

10% The test tu(e was inserted into a low ran$e #omparator with a itrate-itro$en

ow an$e omparator !ar%

11% The 10#m' test tu(e was filled with sample water

12% The ow an$e omparator was then pla#ed in it% The sample #olour was

mat#hed to the #olour of standard% t was re#orded as ppm itrate-itro$en%

1'% To #onvert to nitrate, the results were multiplied (y +%+

1+% 5teps 1-1' were repeated for the other lo#ations%

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Results:

Ta(le showin$ the itrate evel of four rivers%

River Sa'ple Nitrate level verage Nitrate

level

Range

(USGS/NRC!

Rio Cobre io o(re 1 0%0' 0%02 0%001-0%01

io o(re 2 0%00

"res River resh iver 1 0%06. 0%06'

resh iver 2 0%0&9

$uane% River Duhaney iver 1 0%01 0%00

Duhaney iver 2 0%0.9

Hope River Hope iver 1 0%0.' 0%0.&

Hope iver 2 0%0..

$iscussion: The in#rease in nitrate level is mostly due to run-off from farms amon$ other

fa#tors% The suita(le ran$e for nitrate level is 0%001-0%01/ it is said that (etween these values,

a4uati# life is safe or is a(le to sustain life lon$er% f the nitrate level in#reases al$ae and morass

is formed, preventin$ li$ht from enterin$ the river% i$ht is ne#essary for the splittin$ of water

mole#ules% Therefore, it #an (e said that if the nitrate level surpasses the spe#ified ran$e then the

water (ody #an (e deemed to*i#, unsafe and un#lean for a4uati# life% io o(re is the only river

surpassin$ the ran$e/ hen#e it is the most to*i# of the four% ?very other river met the spe#ified

ran$e/ therefore they are is suita(le for a4uati# life%

Conclusion: t #an (e #on#luded that if the nitrate level in#reases or surpasses the spe#ified

ran$e then the water (ody is unsafe, to*i# and un#lean for the survival of a4uati# life%

Lab #


Title: e#al oliform

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Aim: to investi$ate the presen#e of fe#al #oliform in four rivers samples%

Apparatus: #olis#an easy $el/ dropper/ measurin$ #ylinder/ petri dish/ in#u(ator

Procedure: 1% A steriliCed dropper was used to e*tra#t 1&ml of water

2% A measurin$ #ylinder was used to measure the volume of water%

'% <la#e the sample of water in the (ottle with the #olis#an easy $el%

+% The mi*ture was sha"en for '0 se#onds

&% The mi*ture was poured in a petri dish and then pla#ed in an in#u(ator at '&

de$rees elsius%

6% This was left for 2+hrs%

.% esults were o(tained (y #ountin$ the #olonies%

Results:

Ta(le showin$ total fe#al #oliform of four rivers%

Sa'ple otal Coli-or' Colonies

io o(re +'

resh river 10Duhaney river '+

Hope river 9

$iscussion: The results ta(le depi#ts that the #olony #olifrom level is relatively hi$h in all four

rivers with io o(re havin$ the hi$hest 7+'8 #olonies and Hope iver the lowest 798% e#al

oliform is mi#ro(ial/ it #an (e found in the di$estive tra#t of warm-(looded animals and

e*#reted with fe#es%

Therefore if animal fe#es are present, then the water (odies with the hi$hest #olony #an (e said

to (e infe#tious, unsafe and un#lean/ thus with the lowest is not as #ontaminated as the others%

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Conclusion: t #an (e #on#luded that fe#al #oliform affe#ts water 4uality in a ne$ative manner,

(y ma"in$ it infe#tious, unsafe and un#lean for use (y humans and a4uati# life%

<i#tures

5ite 1: io o(re

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5ite 2% resh iver

5ite '% Duhaney iver

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5ite +% Hope iver

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