The Aspects of Water Quality Identification - Lab Report Example

Water quality Lab report. Introduction Water quality involves the water sustainability for a specific purpose. The monitoring of water quality is useful in finding out whether the water is satisfying the required uses. The different states have highlighted the particular criteria, which may limit the existence of pollutants by identifying the category of concentration of the pollutants that is allowed in the waters. Whenever the chemical pollutants are far much below the minimum level or higher than the maximum level of concentration, the water may fail to support the rewarding uses like swimming, fishing, and drinking for which the water is designed (Diersing 14). The uses of water together with the particular criteria that protect the water form up the standards of water quality. The water quality professionals of the state may assess the quality of water through comparing the chemical pollutants concentration found in streams to that criterion in the standards of the state, thus judging whether the streams do fulfill the aspect of designated use. However, the monitoring of water quality cannot establish whether the aquatic life uses are satisfied in a river. Even as some constituents are vital for maintenance of the quality of life, other factors such as the physical structure and the habitat condition have a role to play. In many case, the biological methods of monitoring may be suitable in finding out whether the water supports aquatic life. In the identification of the specific pollutant and pollution sources, the monitoring of the water quality is useful in linking the pollution sources to the quality of water. This is so because it helps in the identification particular problem pollutants (Diersing 16). As some activities happen to show the pollutant, tentative linkages could be established warranting more monitoring and investigation. For the determination of the trends, the properly monitored chemical composition could be analyzed for the different trends for some time. For screening impairment, coming out with excess levels of more than one chemical constituent could act as warning signs for some pollution challenges. In the year 1970, NSF (National sanitation foundation) identified a standardized method of measuring the quality of water. This is the water quality index or WQI. It is generated through data obtained from nine parameters of water quality tests. In this case, the value for the raw data would be normalized to a score of one and one hundred using the graph of Q-value. Q-value is always multiplied by the weighting factor as per the test of relative importance to the overall quality of the steam. The totals are always totaled and applied in establishing a 1-100 score that reflects the health of the stream. In order to understand the water quality index, a study was done to investigate the water quality index of four sites around AU and from a lake near the greenbelt, MD. This study was done to ascertain the ecological health of the water. Hypothesis The closer the site is to the central section of the valley the lower the amount of dissolved oxygen (DO). Method Apparatus In this experiment, the materials and instruments that were used included biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) samples, datasheet, dissolved oxygen (DO) sensors, Q-value graphs, water quality testing data, and the fecal coliform plates. Procedure 1: BOD A sample of water was collected in an empty plastic flask. The flask was covered with foil to avoid any light. The foil was labeled with the group numbers lab sessions, and the sample location. The flask was then placed in the refrigerator. The dissolved oxygen probe was prepared for use. The dissolved oxygen (DO) plate was warmed up and the D.O data collected. The biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) was subtracted from the D.O of the day of sampling and the obtained data recorded in the table under the result section of this report. After this, the D.O probe was cleaned and stored. Procedure 2: FECAL COLIFORM The rapid coliform counting plate was labeled with the names of the group, sample location, and lab session. A rapid coliform count plate was swabbed and placed inside the incubator for a duration of about 72 hours. The plate was removed from the incubator and the colonies counted. The present colonies found within the foam barrier were counted in each plate. The counts of the plates was averaged. The average count was converted from 1ml to 100ml The obtained count was recorded in the data table. Procedure 3: CONVERSIONS To obtain the changes in temperature, two samples per water body were taken in a roughly 1 mile apart within the same stream. An assumption of no temperature changes was made that corresponded to a Q score of about 100. A straight line was drawn between the temperature of the water at the site of test and the oxygen dissolved measured using the monogram. The percentage of saturation was read of at the sloping scale intercepts. For consistency, the entire population sample used the slopping scale. The obtained values were recorded in table 1 under the results section of this report. Conductivity was converted to the total dissolved solids by multiplying the conductivity by 0.67. Using the BOD samples of water, the nitrates levels were tested. Procedure 4: CALCULATING WQI The test results for the different test were recorded using zero to represent phosphate. The Q value was recorded using the weighted graph. The Q value was then multiplied by the weighting factor. The resulting value of each of the test was recorded. The sum of the test subtotals was taken, and the result at the bottom recorded. The score was divided by 1-weighting factor whenever there was no test data. The score was then used in finding the WQI rating. Results The first site was close to the residential area near the highway capital beltway and belt wash. The second site was an artificial pond filled with concrete, leaves and was dirty at the bottom. The third site had a rocky shoreline, which was thinner than the layer of ice leaves in water. The pond was extremely shallow. The fourth site had a narrow muddy, rocky shore, which was 15 cm deep. The obtained data was recorded in table 1. The resulting values were recorded in the second column. The Q-values were recorded in the fourth column of the table, whereas the subtotals were recorded in the sixth column of the table. Table 1: Green belt PARAMETER SITE 1 SITE 2 SITE 3 SITE 4 Site name Greenbelt Katzen Koi pond Amphitheater Site description Residential area near highway capital beltway and balt. Wash. Artificial pond concrete filled with pennies leaved dirt on bottom Rocky shoreline thin ice layer leaves in water very shallow Narrow Rocky Muddy shore 15cm deep WQI Data Table A B C D Test Results Unit Q-Value Weighting Factor Subtotal Temperature, ∆T 23.5 0 C 100 0.11 11 PH 6.91 87 0.11 9.57 Turbidity 27.4 NTU 56 0.08 4.48 Total dissolved Solids 195.975 Ppm 73 0.07 5.11 Dissolved Oxygen 4.6 %sat 50 0.17 8.5 7-Day BOD 8.2 Mg/l 37 0.11 4.07 Total Phosphate 0 Mg/l PO4-P 100 0.10 10 Nitrates 5.0 Mg/L NO3- -N 70 0.10 7 Fecal Coliform 5500 CFU/100 ml 12 0.16 1.97 Score 61.7 WQI Rating Medium C Discussion The amount of dissolved oxygen shows the water sample concentration since oxygen is one constituent of water. From the study, it is true to say that the garbage, farms, drains, biotic and abiotic organisms may all influence the D.O levels. The first site was near to the residential area near highway capital beltway and balt wash, and the D.O. levels were low. The hypothesis set for this study was reasonable since the obtained results conquered with the hypothesis. The first site was near to the source in comparison to the other sites; hence the D.O had a larger value. The second site was an artificial pond that was concrete filled and had pennies leaved dirt on bottom. This showed that the water was moving slowly providing a room for more organisms to use the water (Diersing 10). The third site had a rocky shoreline with thin ice layer, leaves in water, and very shallow. The bacteria in the source use oxygen and provide the fossil fuel that may reduce oxygen level or use it up. The fourth site had a narrow, rocky, and muddy shore, which was 15 cm deep. These are possible explanation of the lowered oxygen in the site displaying a bad water quality. The study showed that a single problem within the trial could be signaling different problems in some other place. A low level of oxygen indicated other water quality aspects. Bacteria, fossil fuels, organic fertilizers, and synthetic, all partially determine the level of oxygen in a water body. The recorded data was slightly different from the theoretical values due to the experimental errors. In this study, the sources of errors were as a result of wrong calculation, air resistance, and faultiness of the equipment. This can be corrected by performing the experiment in a place with vacuum conditions to avoid the experimental errors as a result of the air resistance. The experiment should be done at least three times and a average of the values made to avoid the errors of generalization. The study has also approved the proposes hypothesis. The procedure of collecting samples needs to use the correct weighting of the samples together with the location where there exist an appropriate average. Whenever a critical minimum or maximum exist, the statistical methods should be applied in the observed variation so as to find the required sampling number that would assess the probability that exceeds the given criteria. Another problem may occur when the sample is taken from the source of water and forms the chemical equilibrium with the new surroundings (Diersing 20). The containers that carry samples for the assessment needs to be made out of those materials with small reactivity with the measured substances, and the pre-cleaning of the containers of sampling. The samples of water could dissolve a section of the sample container together with the remaining residue within the container or the dissolved chemicals in the samples of water that could sorb on the container sample whenever the water is taken for analysis. The chemical and physical interaction could occur with the intermediate devices utilized in the transfer of water sample to the container of samples. The collected water from depths under the surface may normally be positioned at an atmosphere with reduced pressure. The atmospheric gas existing in the air space could dissolve into the sample of water. The different equilibrium reaction may change whenever temperature is altered in the water sample. The divided particles of solid that were suspended by water formerly could be settling to the bottom section of the sample. This was the case in site 2 where the dirt was observed settling at the bottom. In other cases, the microorganisms inside the sample of water would alter the concentration of carbon dioxide, oxygen together with organic compounds biologically. Alterations in the concentrations of carbondioxide may change the pH plus the chemical’s solubility. Preserving the samples could partially be a solution to the second problem. In many case, the sample would be kept cold in order the reduce the chemical reaction rate and the changes in the phase, and the analysis of samples as fast as possible, which would not reduce the changes. Coming up with complex measurements may appear to be expensive. The ongoing programs of monitoring are always done by the agencies of the government. In other case, the local resources and volunteer programs may be available for the general assessment. The biological indicators may be useful in obtaining a generalized water quality reading. A different perception of the quality of water involves a property that is simple that explains whether the water is polluted. The quality of water is a subject considered being complex since water is a complex medium that is tied intrinsically to the Earths ecology. Work Cited Diersing, Nancy. The relevance of water quality. New York: Oxford University press. 2009. Print. Read More