Nitrate+Project

For our Nitrate test, we took a sample of the water. It was held for 48 hours until our next class. We had to take 5ml of the sample of water and put it into three different tubes. We had distilled water that we put into the colorimeter and had to push the "30 second read" button and adjust the "Set Blank" button to 100%. Pour 5Ml of water into a graduated Cylinder. Return it to the 'Reading tube'. Measure 5ml of Mixed Acid Reagent to the tube, mix and wait. Add .2g of Nitrate reducing reagent by filing the .1g spoon twice. Mix within a four period minute. Wait ten minutes. Insert the reading tube into the chamber and press the "30 second read button". Then read the percentage and change it to ppm with the chart given. Clean up materials.

Michael - He wasn't on the field trip, but he collected the pond water from the school. And help write up our presentation. Hilary- She did the Nitrate test back in class, along with the Ammonia test. While helping write part of our presentation. Trista- Assisted with the Nitrate test, and ammonia test. Wrote part of the presentation, and finished putting it together. Breahna- Assisted with the two test. And presenting.

For a healthy result in an unpolluted area, the levels are usually less than 1.0 mg/l. Acceptable concentrate in CT with a pH pf 7.0 and temp of 250C is 1.24 mg/l For an unhealthy result would be exceeding more than 10 mg/l. If Elevated this is caused by human contamination from fertilizers and sewage. The high levels of nitrates causes growth to aquatic plants and can be harmful to small mammals.

The test results at Mashamoquet State Park was two that were done by our group, which was Ammonia and then the Nitrate test. Our results for the Ammonia test was 0.25 ppm for each of our three tries. Our results for the Nitrate test was 0.40 ppm for the first try, 0.34 ppm for the second try, and 0.38 ppm for the last try.

Mashamoquet, it is a little lower than it should be to be able to meet the standard of a healthy environment. The numbers for a healthy environment are usually less than 1.0 mg/l, which with our results for the Nitrate test works. It may be on the lower side for a healthy environment but at least it is in the range where it will not cause much harm.