Water SODIS Experiment - Lab Report Example

Lab Report of water SODIS Experiment: Introduction Majority of the population living in developing countries has no access to supply of reliable and safe drinking water. The population of the third world countries are forced the populated surface water from the ditches, irrigation channels, and ponds. The surface water carry tropical and infectious diseases and need treatment before they are used for consumption, lacking potable and adequate sanitation and water supply facilities exposes the malnourished population to various water diseases. Diarrhea is one most common disease from the contaminated water. The main target of treating the water is removing or inactivating diseases that cause microorganisms like worm eggs, viruses, protozoa cysts. Disinfection is normally applicable by slow sand filtration and chlorination, which cannot be found in rural regions such as lack of skills, funds, and other resources. Therefore, a reliable, efficient, sustainable, and low cost water treatment is needed for domestic purpose. The most common practice to disinfect the water is through boiling the water. The best method to disinfect water is through SODIS process. The process consists of plastic bottles with contaminated water and then exposes it to sunlight for around 6 hours. After 6 hours, the water is then considered safe for consumption. The plastic bottles are preferred compared too glass because they are effective and easily available. Other steps that one needs to take in enhancing the process include reflective surfaces, painting the bottle black, and water filtration. The experiment is regarded to be effective because it reduced the cases of diarrhea. Therefore, the paper carries out SODIS process. Methods and Materials PET bottles, petri dishes, galvanized steel, pipette, membrane pad, graduated cylinder, turbidity tube, tweezers, Escherichia coli, nutrient agar are prepared to carry out the experiment. Methods The samples of water are fetched from river in Vascancy, which is then passed through cow dungs; to contaminate them. Then fill the 4 PET bottles with contaminated water. Two of the PET bottles are covered with aluminum foil since the foil reflects the sunlight. The two bottles are then placed onto different background. The two backgrounds include black background and steel background. This is because the different backgrounds enhance the SODIS procedure. After placing the bottle into the appropriate backgrounds, the bottles are placed in the sunlight for 24 hours. It is important leaving the bottle under sunlight exposure for at least 6 hours. The four bottles were then collected after 24 hours. Two PET bottles were also included for testing. One PET bottle contained contaminated water from the river while the other one contained water that can be consumer from the Webster’s water cooler. After bringing the 6 bottles for testing, then begin the experiment. Additionally, the tweezers are sanitized and pads were placed into their petri dish. Next place the medium in the pad. Then take the samples of water from one of the PET bottle collected and then dripped into the cylinder (Awad, 13). Then place the filter into the machine of water filter with the tweezers. The water found in the cylinder is then poured into the machine and then place the hand pump into the pumping machine hole. Then pump are pumped in order to create a vacuum. The water is then pulled via the filter, the observe the machine until there is no water is left in the machine. Consequently, the filter is then removed and then placed on the pad that contains the medium found in the petridish. Then leave the petri dish for an hour and then placed under incubation for 18 hours at 44 degree. Repeat all the steps continuously for the entire bottle and then calculate the effectiveness of SODIS. Chlorine and PH Measuring the PH balance, the water sample was placed in the comparator along the phenol red tablet and shake until the table is fully dissolved. After liquefying the tablet, the water turned a certain color, which is then compared to color pallet found on the comparator. The PH level was then measured based on the matching color. The procedure was then repeated for the six samples. Repeat similar methods but without the tablet in measuring the chlorine levels found in water samples. Turbidity The water samples are then poured into the tube until the bottom tube is no longer seen. Then measure the turbidity level based in the meniscus level. There is indirect relationship between the water and turbidity level- the lower the water amount the higher the level of turbidity. Therefore, since the sample of water was clear, the turbidity is filled completely. Results. N Source of sample Time (days) Color Odor Turbidity (NTU) Free (DPD NO 1) Total (DPD NO 3) Combined total-free) PH Vol filtered (ml) NO of Colonies TTO per 100 ml 1 Water cooler 1 Clear No smell Read More