SCI207 Lab 2 – Water Quality and Contamination 2017
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 =
Table 1: Ammonia Test Results
Water Sample
Test Results (mg/L)
Tap Water
Dasani® Bottled Water
Fiji® Bottled Water
Table 2: Chloride Test Results
Water Sample
Test Results (mg/L)
Tap Water
Dasani® Bottled Water
Fiji® Bottled Water
Table 3: 4 in 1 Test Results
Water Sample
Total Alkalinity
(mg/L)
Total Chlorine
(mg/L)
Total Hardness
(mg/L)
Tap Water
Dasani® Bottled Water
Fiji® Bottled Water
Table 4: Phosphate Test Results
Water Sample
Test Results (ppm)
Tap Water
Dasani® Bottled Water
Fiji® Bottled Water
Table 5: Iron Test Results
Water Sample
Test Results (ppm)
Tap Water
Dasani® Bottled Water
Fiji® Bottled Water
Table 6: pH Results
Water Sample
Test Results
Tap Water
Dasani® Bottled Water
Fiji® Bottled Water
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 =
3. Based on the
results of your experiment, what specific differences do you notice among the
Dasani®, Fiji®, and Tap Water?
Answer =
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 =
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 =
**NOTE: Be sure to complete steps 1-32 of Lab 3, Experiment
1 (the next lab) before completing your work for this week. Lab 3 involves
growing plants, and if the work is not started this week, your seeds will not
have time to grow and the lab will not be finished on time.**
FACT SHEETS
Ammoniahttps://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
pHhttps://www.watersystemscouncil.org/download/wellcare_information_sheets/potential_groundwater_contaminant_information_sheets/9709284pH_Update_September_2007.pdf
Alkalinity
https://www.safewater.org/PDFS/communitywatertestkit/Water_Quality_Tests.pdf
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
Any sources utilized should be listed here.
