ENVS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ENVS - Essay Example 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 wi th 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 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