Studying Samples of Water from Different Sources to Find Pollutants

Title: Studying samples of water from different sources to find pollutants.

Introduction: In this lab experiment I will understand what types of pullants are commonly found in certain types of water samples. In each of the water samples I am looking to find any of the seven listed pollutants, the pollutants are: pesticides, fertilizer, lead, mercury, bacteria, fuel residue, and sulfer. I am testing each of these samples for all of these different pollutants. I will gain knowledge of why these pollutants are found in the samples, where they’re coming from, and share my understanding on of how to fix the problem. The purpose of the lab is to first hypothesis what pollutants I expect to find in each of the water samples. Then test all the different samples to uncover what pollutants exist. Finally, make a conclusion of what I have found and test it against my hypothesis to see if I was close. Also, I will give knowledgeable suggestions on what ways I think someone could correct the problem.

Hypothesis: From what I have learned in class about pollutants it is certain that I will be correct on at least one of my hypotheses. The most common pollutants I expect to find are pesticides and bacteria; this is because most water that is untreated would contain bacteria or pesticides from sources nearby.

Sample A is in a pond near a farm in the central valley in Stockton, I expect to find fuel residue and pesticides in this sample. This is expected because of it being a farm and that farms use pesticides to control bugs and insects on there crops and that fuel residue comes from machines and tractors that work on the farm.

Sample B is downstream from a car manufacturing plant, I expect to find lead and fuel residue from sample B. Lead is often made in or used in car manufacturing plants so it would make sense it might have leaked out with waste or spills that it would go into the water as would the fuel residue.

Sample C is from a creek in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, seeing as its from the Sierra Nevada’s it shouldn’t contain anything but mercury. This is because mercury was used to collect gold in the early gold rush days, leaving tons of it in the water and sediment.

Sample D is from an irrigation ditch from a wheat farm in Canada. Given that it is a wheat farm, it would make sense that it would be full of pesticides, bacteria, and fuel residue. Pesticides, bacteria, and fuel residue is used on farm for harvesting wheat and for keeping the wheat free of bugs; therefore, they would seep into the irrigation ditches.

Sample E is water downstream form a water treatment plant, this water would surely include sulfer. Sulfer is used to sterilize and purify the water by killing other bacteria to make it safe to drink.

Results:

The pollutants in each of the tested water samples

Water Sample A Water Sample B Water Sample C Water Sample D Water Sample E

Pesticides

Fuel Residue

Sulfer

Lead

Bacteria

Mercury

Fertilizer

Lead

Bacteria

Pesticides

Mercury