SCI 207 Impact of Contaminants and Filtration Methods on Water Quality: A Comprehensive Study

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Running head: FINAL LAB1SCI 207 Impact of Contaminants and Filtration Methods on Water Quality: AComprehensive StudyHow do common household contaminants, such as oil, vinegar, and liquid laundry detergent,affect water quality, and what filtration methods can be employed to remove these contaminants?In your response, evaluate the effectiveness of filtration materials such as sand, charcoal, andgravel, and discuss the results of testing various water samples (tap water, Dasani, and Fijibottled water) for contaminants. Please include the concepts of water pollution, filtration, and theimpact of these factors on water safety, supporting your argument with findings from theexperiments conducted.Word Count Requirement: 1000–1200 words

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Running head: FINAL LAB2Final Lab ReportRhiannon NeufellSCI 207–Dependence of Man on the EnvironmentDoctor Cynthia CollinsSeptember 1, 2014

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FINAL LAB2AbstractWater quality is an increasing concern with humanity's exploding population. From oilspills, to illegal chemical dumping, and beyond, the quality of water available for drinking isgoing down, leading to growing concerns over water shortages and water-born illnesses. Theseexperiments were performed to understand a) the ease, or lack thereof, of removing contaminantsfrom groundwater, the ability of a filter to remove contaminants from the water, and the levels ofcontamination contained within tap water and various bottled waters.Vinegar, oil, and liquid laundry detergent were added to water samples, then strainedthrough soil-lined cheesecloth to examine the effects of residues on soil and groundwater in thefirst experiment, and results were found that support a conclusion that any contaminant beingintroduced into groundwater leaves traces. In the second experiment, a filter was built out ofsand, activated charcoal, and gravel, contained within a cheesecloth-lined funnel, and water thanhad been mixed with soil was passed through it, with several drops of bleach being added to theresulting liquid to sterilize it. The results of this experiment appeared to conclude that filtrationand sterilization allowed 'contaminated' water to be cleansed and rendered safe for drinking. Thethird experiment consisted of testing tap water and two types of bottled water for variouscontaminants, and appeared to show that filtered water is the best, as well as concluding that notall bottled water is of the same quality.

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FINAL LAB3Final Lab ReportWater quality and contamination are important issues in need of study for the benefit ofhumanity. According to the USGS Water Science School (2014), “Water is of major importanceto all living things; in some organisms, up to 90% of their body weight comes from water. Up to60% of the human adult body is water” (pp. 1). Humans contribute greatly to watercontamination, through chemical spills, illegal dumping of caustic or poisonous substances, orsimple runoff from homes and farms. This uncontrolled release of unfiltered and untreated wateris detrimental to groundwater, because “99% of the [Earth's] water is composed primarily of saltwater... due to the high costs involved in transforming salt water into freshwater, the Earth'spopulation survives off the less than 1% of freshwater available. Humans obtain freshwater fromeither surface water or groundwater” (Lab 2 Manual, 2012, p. 23-24).The objective of the experiment was to see the impact on soil and water quality throughdemonstrating the impact that common household contaminants have on water and soil, theability to filter out contaminants from said water, and what contaminants exist within tap waterfrom faucets, as well as what may exist in bottled water.HypothesisFor the first experiment, the hypothesis was that a) oil would not actually contaminate thewater, as oil and water do not mix, b) vinegar would contaminate the water, because vinegardiffuses throughout water, leading to major filtration being needed to remove it, and c) liquidlaundry detergent is also a compound that dissolves throughout water, leading to majorintervention to remove it.In the second experiment, the hypothesis was that bleach would not be an effectivefiltration method, as it leaves itself behind in the water in the form of a taste or smell, as well as

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