The Effects of Cigarette Pollution on Algal Growth Vinny Tassari Pittsburgh Central Catholic 9th Grade

Cigarettes The filters in a cigarette are made of cellulose acetate. After a cigarette is smoked the filters still contain the remnants of the tobacco. There are 599 ingredients in a cigarette and over 4,000 chemicals, 51 of which are carcinogenic.

Cigarette pollution 50% of all littered items are cigarette butts Most common household product ingested by children Cigarettes may soon be taxed or smokers may be fined if they litter the butts

Relationship In 2011, over 50% of the World’s population lived closer than three km (1.86 mi) to a body of freshwater. Only 10% lived further than 10 km (6.21 mi) away from a body of freshwater. It is estimated that in 2012, 967 million people smoked every day, and they smoked at least one cigarette.

Euglena gracilis Single-celled organisms Belong to Protist Kingdom, because they make their own food like a plant, and they eat food like an animal They contain Chloroplasts They grow on the surface of ponds or marshes Have flagella that helps them move Undergo mitosis

Past studies A San Diego University researcher named Richard Gersberg evaluated the effects leftover cigarette butts have on marine life.

Purpose To identify the effect of different concentrations of the homemade cigarette solution on Euglena growth.

Hypotheses Null Hypothesis The cigarette solution will not have a significant effect on the algal growth. Alternate Hypothesis The cigarette solution will have a significant effect on the algal growth.

Materials 27 Test tubes Test tube rack Euglena gracilis Cigarette solution (absorbency of .385) Spectrophotometer (set on a wavelength of 430) Soil Water Natural Spring Water Micropipette and tips Grow Light Sharpie Wax paper

Procedure Various concentrations of the toxicity agent were made inside test tubes (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%) The tubes were placed in a blanked spectrophotometer at 430 nm. Water height and the “front” of the tube was marked.

Procedure 4. Wax paper was used to cover each tube. The tubes were each inverted 3 times. 5. Results were recorded. Steps 3 through 5 were repeated once a day for 10 days.

P-Value= 10^-6 P-value= 2.23723E-10

Conclusion The Null hypothesis was rejected. The toxicity agent did appear to have a significant effect.

ANOVA results Source of Variation SS df MS F p-level F crit Between Groups 0.55834 4 0.13958 195.62354 2.55718 Within Groups 0.03568 50 0.00071

Dunnett’s Test 10% 4.094 3.48 Significant 20% 6.646 30% 9.791 40% T-value T-crit Significant or not 10% 4.094 3.48 Significant 20% 6.646 30% 9.791 40% 17.742

Limitations Temperature and lighting was not consistently controlled Human Error Performed in December so the days were darker

Extensions More concentrations Larger amount of water Different algae or microbial life Different temperatures Different types of habitat (saltwater and freshwater)

References http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2697937/ http://www.cigwaste.org/research/ http://healthliteracy.worlded.org/docs/tobacco/Unit4/1whats_in.html http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3110782/ http://www.litteritcostsyou.org/9-interesting-facts-and-statistics-about-littering/ http://www.litter.vic.gov.au/~/media/sv%20vlaa/downloads/litter_statistics_fact_sheet_-_2014.pdf