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Lab 2 – Water Quality and Contamination

Experiment 1: Drinking Water Quality

Bottled water is a billion dollar industry in the United States. Still, few people know the health

benefits, if any, that come from drinking bottled water as opposed to tap water. This experiment

will look at the levels of a variety of different chemical compounds in both tap and bottled water

to determine if there are health benefits in drinking bottled water.

POST-LAB QUESTIONS

1. Develop a hypothesis regarding which water sources you believe will contain the most and least contaminants, and state why you believe this. Be sure to clearly rank all three sources from most to least contaminants.

Hypothesis = Dasani water will have the most contaminants followed by Fiji water and tap water will have the least contaminants.

Table 1: Ammonia Test Results Water Sample Test Results (mg/L)

Tap Water 0 Dasani® Bottled Water 0

- 1 -

1. Hypothesis = Dasani

water will have the most

contaminants followed by

Fiji water and tap water will

have the least

contaminants.

These are great observations

and predictions but for future

labs make sure you utilize an

if/then format for your

hypothesis:

https://www.youtube.com/wat

ch?v=bp2fbzWZDmA [Marc

Hnytka]

2. You also needed to explain

your reasoning behind your

hypothesis [Marc Hnytka]

Fiji® Bottled Water 0

Table 2: Chloride Test Results Water Sample Test Results (mg/L)

Tap Water 0 Dasani® Bottled Water 0

Fiji® Bottled Water 0

Table 3: 4 in 1 Test Results

Water Sample Total Alkalinity

(mg/L) Total Chlorine

(mg/L) Total Hardness

(mg/L) Tap Water 80 1.0 50

Dasani® Bottled Water 40 0 50 Fiji® Bottled Water 40 .2 50

Table 4: Phosphate Test Results Water Sample Test Results (ppm)

Tap Water 10 Dasani® Bottled Water 50

Fiji® Bottled Water 50

Table 5: Iron Test Results Water Sample Test Results (ppm)

Tap Water 0 Dasani® Bottled Water 0

Fiji® Bottled Water 0

Table 6: pH Results

- 2 -

[no notes on this page]

Water Sample Test Results Tap Water .2

Dasani® Bottled Water 3 Fiji® Bottled Water 8

2. Based on the results of your experiment, would accept or reject the hypothesis you produced in question 1? Explain how you determined this.

Accept/reject = Assuming that the higher the number means its more contaminated. I would Accept, it appears based on the results that my Tap water is healthier followed by Dasani and Fiji.

3. Based on the results of your experiment, what specific differences do you notice among the Dasani®, Fiji®, and Tap Water?

- 3 -

1. Great job on filling out the

data tables completely!

[Marc Hnytka]

2. Accept/reject =

Assuming that the higher

the number means its more

contaminated. I would

Accept, it appears based on

the results that my Tap

water is healthier followed

by Dasani and Fiji.

You have some really great

explanation of why you

accepted or rejected your

hypotheses - this is great

work! [Marc Hnytka]

Answer = After my test results I notice that all had different PH levels, Alkalinity, and phosphate levels. Both Fiji and Dasani waters had almost the same levels based on the conducted test.

4. Based upon the fact sheets provided (links at the end of this document), do any of these samples pose a health concern? Use evidence from the lab to support your answer.

Answer = The tap water had a low pH level, which means it can be acidic. According the water system council acidic water can damage water pipes and leach metals from it (Watersystemcouncil, 2007). Having a low level doesn’t necessarily mean we should be worried about health risk. According to EPA water pH levels should be between 6.5 and 8.5.

- 4 -

1. Answer = After my test

results I notice that all had

different PH levels,

Alkalinity, and phosphate

levels. Both Fiji and Dasani

waters had almost the same

levels based on the

conducted test.

This is a good start but for

this question your answer

should have described some

of the actual measured

numerical differences in pH,

alkalinity, chloride, chlorine,

phosphate, ammonia, and

iron. [Marc Hnytka]

5. Based on your results, do you believe that bottled water is worth the price? Use evidence from the lab to support your opinion.

Answer = Based on my result, I don’t believe bottled water is worth the price. The price of bottled water to me is driven by the amount of plastic needed, and all the cost associated with bottling the actual water. I am actually getting a water softener installed for my whole house as I conducted this research, and I want to try to test my water after my installation is complete to see how much water changed with the softener installed.

**NOTE: Be sure to complete steps 1 - 32 of Lab 3, Experiment 1 (the next lab) before the

end of this week. Lab 3 involves planting seeds, and if the work is not started this week,

your plants will not have time to grow and the lab will not be finished on time.**

FACT SHEETS: Please refer to these to answer Question 3. If you use information from

any of these, don’t forget to cite and reference it in APA format in your lab. You are also

welcome to use additional or alternative credible resources that you locate online if you

wish.

- 5 -

[no notes on this page]

Ammonia https://www.wqa.org/Portals/0/Technical/Technical%20Fact

%20Sheets/2014_Ammonia.pdf

Chloride

http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/chloride.pdf

Phosphate

http://osse.ssec.wisc.edu/curriculum/earth/Minifact2_Phosphorus.pdf

Iron

http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/chemicals/iron.pdf

https://www.watersystemscouncil.org/download/wellcare_information_sheets/potential_groundw

ater_contaminant_information_sheets/9709284pH_Update_September_2007.pdf

Alkalinity

http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water_quality/quality1/28-08-alkalinity.htm

Chlorine http://www.watertechonline.com/testing-for-chlorine-in-drinking-water/

Hardness

http://des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/dwgb/documents/dwgb-3-6.pdf

References

- 6 -

[no notes on this page]

https://www.watersystemscouncil.org/download/wellcare_information_sheets/potential_grou ndwater_contaminant_information_sheets/9709284pH_Update_September_2007.pdf

- 7 -

1 1.

https://www.watersystemsc

ouncil.org/download/wellca

re_information_sheets/pote

ntial_grou

ndwater_contaminant_infor

mation_sheets/9709284pH_

Update_September_2007.p

This is not proper APA format

for your references list.

Please review the information

on proper APA format for

references on the Ashford

Writing Center website:

http://writingcenter.ashford.ed

u/format-your-reference-list

[Marc Hnytka]