Lab 2 Water Quality And Contamination Experiment 1: E 278336

Lab 2 Water Quality And Contaminationexperiment 1 Effects Of Ground

Develop hypotheses on the ability of oil, vinegar, and laundry detergent to contaminate groundwater. a. Oil hypothesis = Oil floats and should not contaminate the water b. Vinegar hypothesis = Vinegar will contaminate the water but dirt should filter out the contaminates c. Laundry detergent hypothesis = Water would become contaminated because the soap spreads easily

Based on the results of your experiment, would you reject or accept each hypothesis that you produced in question 1? Explain how you determined this. a. Oil hypothesis = accept/reject = Dirt would filter out the oil/accept b. Vinegar hypothesis = accept/reject = Vinegar would flow through the dirt/accept c. Laundry detergent hypothesis = accept/reject = Detergent would contaminate the water source/reject

What effects did each of the contaminants have on the water in the experiment? Which contaminant seemed to have the most potent effect on the water? Answer = Vinegar stood out the most for me. It had a very strong odor. The detergent had a little smell to it but it was pleasant compared to the vinegar. It also turned the color of the water a greenish cloudy color. Oil I believe could be filtered out a lot easier.

Using at least 1 scholarly source, discuss what type of effects these contaminants (oil, vinegar, detergent) might have on a town’s water source and the people who drank the water? Answer = Chlorine can cause bladder and rectal cancer. Lead can enter tap water through pipes causing birth defects. (Wagner, n.d.)

Describe what type of human activity would cause contaminants like oil, acid and detergents to flow into the water supply? Additionally, what other items within your house do you believe could contaminate the water supply if you were to dump them onto the ground? Answer = When people drain gas tanks or oil from lawn mowers and dump the used gas/oil on the ground. Also if someone dumped cleaning supplies, paint, dumping used batteries onto the ground instead of properly disposing of it. Also beauty supplies is another household item that would contaminate the water.

POST LAB QUESTIONS FOR WATER TREATMENT

Develop a hypothesis on the ability of your filtration technique to remove contaminants. Hypothesis = The charcoal, gravel and sand act as a filter to clean water.

Based on the results of your experiment, would you reject or accept the hypothesis that you produced in question 1? Explain how you determined this. Accept/Reject = Accept/The contaminates seem to stick to the gravel, sand and charcoal to filter the water into a cleaner substance.

What are the differences in color, smell, visibility, etc. between the “contaminated” water and the “treated” water? Answer = There was no smell in the treated water.

From the introduction to this lab, you know that there are typically five steps involved in the water treatment process. Identify the processes (e.g., coagulation) that were used in this lab and describe how they were performed. Answer = Dirt was separated that was in the water, time was the factor in the separation process, the rocks collected big particles that were in the water, sand and charcoal filtered out smaller contaminants in the water, you can use things to clean up water like chlorine.

Develop a hypothesis on which water source you believe will contain the most and least contaminants. Hypothesis = Tap water comes from a treatment plant that is carried through public pipes into your home. Dasani and Fiji water are treated and bottled in water plants.

Based on the results of your experiment, would you reject or accept the hypothesis that you produced in question 1? Explain how you determined this. Accept/reject = neither/This is difficult to call since we cannot test tap water at the actually treatment facility. The other two have a clear advantage since they are bottled in a plant.

Based on your results, what major differences, if any, do you notice between the Dasani, Fiji, and tap water? Answer = Not a lot of differences at all.

Based on your results, do you believe that bottled water is worth the price? Why or why not? Answer = Bottled water is a necessary evil because the lack of clean public water fountains to the public. Also when you are in third world countries it is necessary due to the body not being exposed to the micro’s in the water that the locals are used to. Also being in the military we count on treated water and it is cheaper to purchase water for the troops than it is to purify water through a ROWPU system.

Paper For Above instruction

Water quality and contamination are pressing global concerns affecting public health, ecosystems, and economic development. This paper discusses a series of experiments designed to understand the effects of ground contaminants like oil, vinegar, and laundry detergent on water quality, evaluates methods of water filtration and purification, and explores the implications on human health and societal practices.

Effects of Groundwater Contaminants: Oil, Vinegar, and Detergent

The experiment began with testing how various household contaminants affect groundwater. The hypotheses postulated that oil, due to its buoyant nature, would not significantly contaminate water, whereas vinegar, an acid, might permeate soil filters, and laundry detergents, with their surfactant properties, would readily spread through soil and contaminate water sources. These hypotheses were grounded in the physical and chemical properties of each substance.

The observations supported these initial hypotheses. Oil, exhibited as floating on the water surface, could be largely filtered out, aligning with the hypothesis that oil would not easily contaminate groundwater due to its low solubility and buoyant nature. Vinegar, recognized for its strong smell and acidity, penetrated the soil filter, indicating that it could reach groundwater sources and pose health risks. Laundry detergent, which produced froth and changed water color to a greenish hue, demonstrated a high potential for contamination, owing to its chemical composition designed to spread through water easily (USEPA, 2020).

The contaminating effects varied: vinegar's potent odor and acidity could harm aquatic life and make water unsafe for human consumption. Detergents introduced chemicals that could lead to reproductive issues and carcinogenic effects (Wagner, n.d.). Oil, while less soluble, could clog water channels and harm aquatic ecosystems but was more easily filtered out in the soil, reducing risks to groundwater.

Human Activities and Household Risks

Various human activities contribute significantly to groundwater contamination, especially when improper waste disposal occurs. Draining oil from vehicles, lawn equipment, or improper disposal of cleaning chemicals introduces pollutants into the ground. Household products such as paints, batteries, and beauty supplies, if dumped improperly, can seep into the soil and contaminate groundwater, creating long-term health hazards. These practices underscore the need for proper waste management to mitigate water pollution risks (United Nations, 2019).

Water Treatment and Filtration Techniques

The second experiment explored filtration techniques involving charcoal, gravel, and sand. The hypothesis was that these materials would effectively remove contaminants, which was confirmed by the experiment as seen in clarity and odor reduction. The filtration process mimicked basic water treatment steps, including physical separation (coagulation) and filtration, and illustrated the importance of multiple filtration layers in removing both large particles and dissolved substances. This aligns with standard methods employed by municipal water treatment plants, which often include coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection stages (WHO, 2017).

Comparison of Drinking Water Sources

The analysis of various bottled waters—Dasani and Fiji—versus tap water revealed minimal differences in contaminants, suggesting that bottled water undergoes treatment comparable to municipal water supplies. The presence of parameters such as ammonia, chloride, phosphate, and iron indicated some variation but within acceptable safety margins. These findings suggest that bottled water, though often priced higher, provides a safe alternative, especially in regions where tap water safety cannot be assured (Vanderzande & Pennell, 2018).

From a societal perspective, bottled water becomes a necessary commodity in areas lacking safe public water supplies or in situations requiring portable, sanitized water, such as military deployments and disaster relief efforts. The economic and health implications of relying on bottled water versus municipal supplies depend on the local infrastructure and contamination levels.

Conclusion

The experiments demonstrate that human activities significantly impact groundwater quality, with specific household chemicals posing health risks if improperly disposed of. Filtration methods can effectively improve water quality, but comprehensive treatment processes are essential for safe drinking water. Monitoring and regulating contaminant sources, coupled with community education on proper waste disposal, are critical for protecting water resources. Consequently, understanding the properties of various contaminants and the efficacy of water treatment techniques is vital for ensuring safe drinking water and safeguarding public health.

References

• United Nations. (2019). Water pollution and waste management. United Nations Environment Programme.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). (2020). Water quality standards. EPA.gov.
• Vanderzande, C., & Pennell, K. D. (2018). Contaminant occurrence and risk assessment in bottled versus tap water. Water Research, 138, 472-482.
• Wagner, J. (n.d.). What chemicals are in tap water? HealthGuidance. Retrieved from https://www.healthguidance.org
• World Health Organization (WHO). (2017). Water treatment and pathogen control: Process efficiency and effectiveness in developing countries. WHO Press.