Period1B

​ __Passaic River 2010!!! Is this river CLEAN?​__


 * __What qualities does a healthy river have?__**
 * Noticabley clear in color
 * No garbage/waste
 * Healthy and many living organisms
 * No lead
 * No e. coli
 * Clean point sources
 * Not too acidic

A river can't be PERFECT but it can be considered clean if it displays these qualities.


 * __Observations:__**
 * garbage/waste: tennis balls, plastic bags, plastic boards, and plastic water bottles
 * fish or some type of organism swiming in water
 * point sources
 * fast flowing sections
 * deposition zones

__**Hypothesis:**__ Two out of our three spots along the river there was garbage/waste. The other spot was a point source. The first spot we saw had a large piece of plastic gutter-like object. Our second spot had a lot of plastic water bottles and tennis balls floating in it. For a river to be considered clean, it should have a decent amount of living, healthy organisms and virtually no pollution. We saw small tadpoles and visually clean point sources (we could not see pollution but there could some harmful minerals that are not visible by the eye). Overall, we believe the river is dirty enough that it is not drinkable but it has a reasonable amount of nutrients to support organism life.

__**Prediction:**__ If the creek is clean, and we test this by performing quality tests (tests for lead, iron, e. coli, etc.) and all of the test results are negative, then the creek is clean.

Descripition:** Polluted area
 * __Spot 1:__
 * Temperature:** 20.9 Degrees Celsius/ 69.62 Degrees Fahrenheit
 * Flow Rate:** 0.260 m/s
 * Depth:** 3.5 cm
 * pH level:** 8.5
 * Conductivity:** 900 μs/cm
 * Noticeable Garbage:** When we first observed this area, there was a plastic gutter-like object. The next few times we observed this area there has been a plastic newspaper bag. Plastic does not decompose and it will eventually travel to the Passaic River and then the ocean.

Description:** An area near a large pipe with lots of garbage.
 * __Spot 2:__
 * Temperature:** 22.1 Degrees Celsius/ 71.78 Degrees Fahrenheit
 * Flow Rate: .**042 m/s
 * Depth:** 21 cm
 * pH level:** 8.68
 * Conductivity:** 873 μs/cm
 * Noticeable Garbage:** This spot had a large amount of pollution. There were several plastic water bottles and tennis balls. As we mentioned before, plastic is not decomposable and it is very harmful to any organisms or animals in or around the river area.

Description:** Point source
 * __Spot 3:__
 * Temperature:** 23.3 Degrees Celsius/ 73.94 Degrees Fahrenheit
 * Flow Rate:** 0.174 m/s
 * Depth:** 1.5 cm
 * pH level:** 8.1
 * Conductivity:** 719 μs/cm
 * Noticeable Garbage:** There was no noticable garbage.

Conductivity measures the ability of water to conduct an electrical current. This can be used to signal the presence of contaminants.
 * What is CONDUCTIVITY?**

The recommended drinking water level of conductivity in less than 900 μs/cm.
 * What is the normal level of conductivity in water?**

pH is the measure of hydrogen ion or acid concentration in the water.
 * What is pH?**

Normal water's pH level is about 7.7 but the ideal range is between 7 and 8.5.
 * What is the normal pH level in water?**

Alkalinity is the measure of how much acid it can neutralize.
 * What is ALKALINITY?**

It is good to have a higher level of alkalinity because it means that it will protect the life of the river from acid rain. If the river some how increases in acid level the alkalinity will protect the living organisms. The normal water level of alkalinity is between 100 - 200 mg/L.
 * What is the normal alkalinity level in water?**

Dissolved oxygen is exactly what it says. It is the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water to support life.
 * What is DISSOLVED OXYGEN?**

It is not good to have low amounts of dissolved oxygen because that means that the water cannot support life. The normal/good quality level is between 8 - 12 ppm (parts per million).
 * What is the normal amount of dissolved oxygen in water?**


 * __Procedures:*__**

For the description of each spot, we took note of what we saw and drew pictures. We looked for garbage and organisms. We looked for landmarks like pipes and bushes to remember the exact location of each section.


 * __Procedure for Measuring Depth:__**

1.) Go to each spot and repeat the following steps 2.) Place the meter stick in the center of each source and hold it still 3.) Make sure it is perpendicular to and touching the bottom 4.) Record where the surface of the water hits the meter stick (Centimeters)


 * __Procedure for Measuring Temperature:__**

1.) Plug the sensor into the LabQuest 2.) Turn the LabQuest on 3.) Hold the sensor still in the center of each source 4.) Wait for the temperature to fluxuate for a few seconds 5.) Record the one it stops near (Degrees Celsius)


 * __Procedure for Measuring Flow Rate:__**

1.) Plug the sensor into the LabQuest 2.) Turn the LabQuest on 4.) Hold the sensor in the center of the source without moving it 5.) Make sure it is the perpendicular to and touching the bottom 6.) Wait for the speeds to fluxuate for a few seconds 7.) Record the rates in meters per second


 * __Procedure for Measuring pH:__**

1.) Plug the sensor into the LabQuest 2.) Turn the LabQuest on 3.) Hit calibrate now and pour distilled water over the sensor 4.) Hold the sensor in each source close to the center 5.) Try not to move it and wait for the number to change around 6.) Record the number is stops on


 * __Procedure for Alkalinity Test__**

1.) Fill Tirration tube to the 5mL line with the sample water 2.) Add one BCG-MR indicator tablet 3.) Cap and swirl to mix until tablet dissolves (solution should turn blue-green) 4.) FIll direct reading Tirrator with Alkalinity Titration Reagent B 5.) Insert the Titrator into the center hole of the test tube cap 6.) Swirl tube and press plunger until solution changes from blue-green to purple 7.) Read test results directly from the scale where the large ring on the Titrator meets the Titrator burrel 8.) Record as ppm total Alkalinity in ppm calciam carbonate


 * __Procedure for Dissolved Oxygen Test__**

1.) Pour the water sample into a specified bottle 2.) Add 8 drops of Manganous Sulfate solution 3.) Add 8 drops of Alkaline Potassium Iodine 4.) Cap bottle and shake by inverting the bottle serveral times 5.) Wait for precipitate to settle 6.) Add 8 drops of Sulfuric Acid 7.) Cap bottle and shake until the precipitate has totally disolved. The solution should be a clear yellow to orange color. 8.) Fill a titration tube to the 20 mL line with the fixed sample 9.) Cap tube 10.) Insert the titrator into the plug in the top of the Sodium Thiosulfate titrating solution (make sure the titrator plunger in completely depressed) 11.) Invert the bottle and slowly withdraw the plunger until the large ring is opposite the zero line on the scale. 12.) Turn bottle upright and remove the titrator. 13.) Slowly depress the plunger of the titrating solution into the titration tube until it turns a pale yellow (swirl tube during proccess) 14.) Remove the titrator 15.) Add 8 drops of Starch Indicator solution. The solution should turn blue. 16.) Insert the titrator into the titration tube 17.) Slowly depress titrator until the blue color disappears and solution becomes colorless 18.) Where the ring on the titrator meets the titrator barrell read the number 19.) Record this amount as ppm Dissolved Oxygen


 * Note that all of the tests won't give you completely accurate readings but they give you a general idea you can base conclusions off of.