Regan+McDougal+&+Kaitlyn+Olsen

Water Decontamination: Boiling, Filtration, Chemical, and UV Rays

Regan McDougal and Kaitlyn Olsen  5th Hour Chemistry
 * Question: ** Does cleaning contaminated water in different ways yield the same results?

**Background** **Research:** Since third-world countries do not have access to the same economic resources that we have in the United States, this project was designed to find the most efficient way to clean water, that citizens of these countries might have access to. After researching into ways that people that go camping clean their water. Another thing researched looked at survival websites to see more ways to effectively clean water. The simplest, most common ways to clean water that was found involved filtering water, chemically cleaning water with iodine, boiling water, and a new study that involves using the UV rays from the sun to clean the water. “The SODIS method is ideal for treating water for drinking in developing countries" (SODIS method). Everyday, people around the playground are faced with problems that involve water. They are not only just drinking the bad water, but bathing, washing their clothes, and growing their crops with it. This water can carry diseases such as AIDS, Cholera, and Typhoid Fever, and causes symptoms such as diarrhea, headache, rashes, vomiting, and even death.

**Independent Variable:** Boil Water, Filter Water, Chemically Clean Water, and use UV Rays on Water **Dependent Variable:** Amount of bacteria in the water


 * Hypothesis: ** If we use UV rays to clean water, then it will be more efficient in killing bacteria than cleaning the water by boiling it, filtering it, chemically treating it, or not doing anything at all.

Approximate total if we were to buy everything - about $89.25
 * Materials: **
 * Dirty river water from Illinois River - free
 * Jugs: about 4 Gallons - can use old milk jugs so free
 * Water Bottle: 3 bottles - can reuse old ones
 * Bleach: 1 bottle - $4
 * Reading Lamp: 1 - $10
 * Beaker: 1 - $3
 * Dropper: 1 - $0.35
 * Daylight Blue Reptile Light Bulb (100 watt): 1 - $5
 * Bunsen Burner: 1 - $15
 * .5cm^2 graph paper - free
 * Agar Petri Dishes:15 - $3=$45
 * Coffee Filters: 1 package - $3
 * Lab Notebook:1 - $0.90
 * Erlenmeyer Flask: 1 - $3


 * Methods: **
 * Plain Water Procedure: **
 * 1) Place 1 jug of water aside
 * 2) Take water samples of from the jug..
 * 3) Place water samples into a petri dish.
 * 4) Place dish on piece of .5cm^2 graph paper.
 * 5) Count number of squares with bacteria colonies growing in them.
 * 6) Record observations every day for 3 days.


 * Boiling Water Procedure: **
 * 1) Set 1 jug of water aside.
 * 2) In an Erlenmeyer Flask measure 10 ounces of water.
 * 3) Place it on a Bunsen Burner and burn it until it boils,
 * 4) Boil the water for 5 minutes.
 * 5) Place samples of water in a petri dish
 * 6) Place dish on piece of .5cm^2 graph paper
 * 7) Count number of squares with bacteria colonies growing in them
 * 8) Record observations every day for 3 days.


 * Chemically Cleaning Water Procedure: **
 * 1) Take 1 of the jugs of water and set it aside.
 * 2) Pour 10 ounces of the water into an Erlenmeyer Flask.
 * 3) Use a dropper and drop 5 milliliters of bleach into the Erlenmeyer Flask.
 * 4) Gently shake/stir it, do not splash the water out of the flask.
 * 5) Let sit for 30 minutes.
 * 6) Waft the smell.
 * 7) If it does not smell like chlorine, repeat the process.
 * 8) If it does, move on to step 8.
 * 9) Place samples of water in a petri dish
 * 10) Place dish on piece of .5cm^2 graph paper.
 * 11) Count number of squares with bacteria colonies growing in them.
 * 12) Record observations every day for 3 days.


 * Water Filtration Procedure: **
 * 1) Take one of the jugs of water and set it aside.
 * 2) Pour 10 ounces of the water into an Erlenmeyer Flask.
 * 3) Set an empty beaker aside.
 * 4) Place a coffee filter tightly in the end of the Erlenmeyer Flask. (It should be wedged into the flask so that water can’t go around it.
 * 5) Pick up Erlenmeyer Flask.
 * 6) Slowly turn upside down over the beaker so that the water can be filtered into it.
 * 7) If water starts to flow around the coffee filter, replace it with a new one.
 * 8) If water is not clear after the water has been completely drained from the Erlenmeyer Flask, clean the Erlenmeyer flask.
 * 9) Pour the dirty water from the beaker back into the Erlenmeyer Flask.
 * 10) Clean the beaker.
 * 11) Repeat process until water is clear.
 * 12) After water is cleaned, place samples in a petri dish.
 * 13) Place dish on piece of .5cm^2 graph paper.
 * 14) Count number of squares with bacteria colonies growing in them.
 * 15) Record observations every day for 3 days.


 * UV Ray Procedure: **
 * 1) Set 1 jug of the gallons of water and set it aside.
 * 2) Fill empty, clear plastic water bottle 3/4 of the way with the water.
 * 3) Twist on cap tightly.
 * 4) Shake the bottle.
 * 5) Fill bottle the rest of the way.
 * 6) Tightly twist on cap.
 * 7) Place bottle directly under UV light.
 * 8) Wait at least 1 day.
 * 9) Place samples in a petri dish
 * 10) Place dish on piece of .5cm^2 graph paper.
 * 11) Count number of squares with bacteria colonies growing in them.
 * 12) Record observations every day for 3 days.


 * Bibliography: **
 * "Water." World Savvy Monitor. N.p., Nov. 2009. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.
 * "Water Quality Facts and Statistics." Clean Water for a Healthy World. Pacific Institute, 22 Mar. 2010. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.
 * Ellis, Cathy. "How To Purify Water – Water Purification Process." NatureSkills. N.p., 16 Apr. 2009. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.
 * "Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water." Home. EPA, 10 Sept. 2013. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.
 * "SODIS METHOD." SODIS:. SODIS, 24 May 2011. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.


 * Comments: **
 * To find which way is most efficient are you going to look into just how well it cleaned the water or take in to consideration the cost and practicality as well? -Emily Kastl
 * (What do these procedures like the UV rays do to the water to kill the bacteria?-Aaron Stachnik)
 * Also don't forget to state your independent and dependent variables. Are you going to use different kinds of contaminated water or just river water? -Claire Schrock
 * (Why do you believe that using UV rays to clean water will be the most efficient in killing bacteria?-Aaron Stachnik)
 * Instead of waiting 3 days, you should record the amount of bacterial growth each day by placing .5cm^2 graph paper under the petri dish and counting how many colonies of bacteria there is by using the graph paper. -Emily Kastl
 * (I agree with Emily, Emily and I did an experiment with bacteria last year also, and if you measure the amount of bacteria, there is no real need for a microscope during any of the processes. - Tia Sherman)
 * (Also, instead of "placing water samples into a petri dish" I would word it more as swab your samples of water on the petri dish because you won't necessarily be just pouring a certain amount of water into a petri dish. - Tia Sherman)
 * Make sure to use the same amount of water for each type of the procedures. Kasey Miller
 * Is using UV rays the simplest way to clean water or the most effective based on the others? Kasey Miller
 * Where will you be placing the jug of water? Does this spot have a lot of sunlight because that could affect the bacteria growth as well.-Kelly Glick
 * Are you sure that 3 days will be enough time for the bacteria to start growing or should it be longer?- Kelly Glick
 * Need a specific amount of time. Ms. Miller
 * Need a more accurate way of measuring this. Why 5 drops? Ms. Miller