Water Quality in an Urban Environment - Essay Example

? Lab 6: Water quality in an urban environment July 23, Introduction and background information Water is a fundamental substance to biotic factors and this establishes significance of its quality to environmentalists. Human beings and other animal species ingest water for their biological composition and processes and chemical and physical composition of water affect the animals lives. Plants also utilize water for photosynthesis but absorbed polluted water may hinder the process due to concentration gradients besides toxicity. Interaction between contaminated water and body surfaces of plants and animals also has adverse consequences to establish significance of water quality to environmentalists. This paper reports on water quality of a section of Cherry Creek, based on results from a field study. The experiment aimed at understanding the anthropogenic and natural sources of common water pollutants and understanding the role of sampling and sources of errors in performing an experimental analysis. The study was conducted on July 16, 2013, from Denver country’s Platte River and the experimental procedures implemented near bridge down. The one hour exercise was conducted in the afternoon in a sunny weather and a temperature of 790 . Prior 48-hour period to the exercise had an average temperature of 73.50 and a combination of rainy and sunny weather. Existence rain prior to the study indicates chances of pollution while the river section had algae growth of five percent, no submerged aquatic plants with grass vegetation along the road to the stream site. The stream’s bottom was majorly composed of sand, 60 percent, gravel, 10 percent, silt, 10 percent, and rock shelf, 20 percent. Water contamination from pollutant gases that gets absorbed in rainwater and washed materials from earth’s surface were therefore anticipated. The study explored the hypothesis that the stream water is significantly polluted and was safe for consumption. Materials and procedure Site survey chart, water collection jar, and turbidity chart were the used materials in the study. Data collection site was selected and information collected on its characteristic. Water sample was collected using a sterile large mouthed jar that was rinsed three times with the stream water. The jar was then held near the bottom of the stream and water collected from an inverted position of the submerged jar. Water was allowed into the jar for 30 seconds and turbidity chart used to determine the water’s turbidity level. The water was emptied into the stream and the same collection procedure repeated for tests on alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, hardness, nitrate level, Ph level, phosphate level, ammonia level, water temperature and coli form bacteria. Data Data shows concentration of the tested components that dissolved in water: alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, and ammonia. Concentration was measured in ppm and the different minerals had different concentration level in the stream water. Other measures are turbidity, hardness, pH, coli form bacteria and water temperature. The following table summarizes results of the experiment. Turbidity Alkalinity DO Hardness Nitrate pH Phosphate Ammonia Q Tem 40 JTU 180 ppm 3 ppm 240 ppm 2 ppm 7.6 1.5 ppm > 4 ppm 34.61 260 c The table bellow summarizes data from other experimental groups. Turbidity Alkalinity DO Hardness Nitrate pH Phosphate Ammonia Q Tem H1 20 JTU 120 ppm 6 ppm 360 ppm 1 ppm 7.5 1.5 ppm 0.25 ppm 32.536 250 c CCH2 0 JTU 240 ppm 4 ppm 280 ppm 0 ppm 7.5 4 ppm 0 ppm 22.16 270 c PH2 80 JTU 180 ppm 4 ppm 240 ppm 2 ppm 7 4 ppm 0 ppm 20475 280 c Results The study reported a turbidity level of 40 JTU. This value is far beyond the recommended maximum level of 0.5 JTU. Reported rainfall in the past 48 hours to the exercise could be one of the reasons for the high turbidity level. While this is a temporary but recurrent cause of turbidity, a more permanent cause could be washed physical materials from the streams banks and base at regions before the experimental sight. The high turbidity indicates the stream’s unsafe condition for aquatic life and for domestic and industrial use unless the water is treated. Alkalinity level, measured at 180 ppm, is also too high for safe consumption level that should be bellow 100 ppm for human beings and animals. High alkalinity level implies possible reaction of the water with body cells and a destabilizing effect on body fluids. Low oxygen level is another adverse condition to the stream water and implies unsuitable condition for aquatic life because flora and fauna requires sufficient supply of oxygen for their survival. The stream water’s level of dissolved oxygen is three ppm while the recommended lower limit is four ppm and the low oxygen level further indicated possible high mortality rates among aquatic plants and animals that submerge in the stream water to increase turbidity and decayed substances in the water, effects that are then transferred to regions down the stream. Recorded water hardness of 240 ppm is also too high for domestic and industrial applications and may not be safe for aquatic lives, being more than 200 percent of the recommended 80 mg/L to 100 mg/l. Such a high level of hardness also communicates high concentration of chemicals like calcium and magnesium, a condition that may not be suitable for aquatic life. The 2 ppm nitrate level of the stream water is also higher than the recommended concentration level of bellow 1 ppm and also communicates the water’s unsafe condition. High nitrate concentration could be attributed to acidic water from the rains in the previous 48 hours into the study besides possible industrial wastes into the stream. The Ph level is however within the recommended limits of between six and eight while phosphate and ammonia are above safe levels. Significant level of coli form bacteria in the water also indicated possible existence of harmful pathogens in the water and therefore indicates that it is not safe for consumption. The water temperature however falls within recommended limits. Results from other groups identified safe levels of ammonia, temperature, pH, and dissolves oxygen in the tested waters. Water at CCH2 further had safe turbidity, turbidity, and nitrate levels. Conclusion Results on water at Cherry Creek identify poor quality from extremely high concentration levels of chemical components, suspended particles, and pathogens. It therefore adapts the stipulated hypothesis that the stream water is significantly polluted. Concentration of dissolved oxygen is also low with high level of hardness. Even though some water quality indicators communicated safety results, the stream water has a general poor quality level for aquatic life, and industrial and domestic use. Results from other groups also identify poor water quality but test at CCH2 identifies the best water quality among the tests. Measures should therefore be taken to improve the water condition in the stream a sustainable aquatic environment. The water should also be treated before use in domestic and industrial purposes. Read More