Island School Copper Content Analysis Salish Sea Expeditions Ian, Alexandra, Grace and the German Shepherds

Introduction We are Grace Bonow, Alexandra Lin, and Ian McCallister, Fifth graders from The Island School. Dates of trip: April 18 - 19, 2018

Our Research Question How much copper is in the water in the Puget Sound? Where is it highest? Why? Because copper is super harmful to the wildlife, and cars and boats produce it.

Background knowledge Copper is a natural element in the water, but too much copper can harm salmon and other aquatic wildlife Copper comes from car brakes, bottoms of boats, and other natural resources, and the Puget Sound is surrounded by cars and is filled with boats!

Our Prediction IF we test the water in Eagle Harbor and near Blake Island THEN there will be more copper in Eagle Harbor BECAUSE there are more cars on Bainbridge Island than Blake Island.

Variables Distance from harbors (GPS position) and amount of copper in water. How are they related? Sources of copper are boat paint and car brakes-distance to shore and boats!

Materials Bucket! Colorimeter Vials GPS Copper tablets Timer Pipettes Sample Jars Can include pictures

Methods Collect water with “Bucketometer” Pour water into water sample jars Use pipettes to put water in vials Add copper tablets to vials Measure copper amount using colorimeter Use ship’s GPS to get Latitude and Longitude for each station

Data Analysis Continued Average copper = .03 ppm General location Eagle Harbor 0.04 ppm 47.62°N 122.49°W 0.06 ppm near Blake Island outside the harbor 0.10 ppm 47.33°12'N 122.28°859'W 0.00 ppm 0.01 ppm Blake Island Dock 0.13ppm 47.32°550'N 122.28°28'936"W 0.02 ppm Blake Island Beach 47.32°40'N 122.28°88'W West Seattle near Alki Point 47.34°34'38"N 122.28°25'35"W

Data Analysis, Continued

Conclusion Our data supported our hypothesis Eagle Harbor has more copper then around Blake Island The ferry on Bainbridge Island might have been a source of copper Eagle Harbor had above average copper levels Near Blake Island is below average The level at Blake Island was way above average, but that may or may not have been a human mistake

Evaluation If we could, we would… Like to test the amount of copper in the fish to compare it to the levels in the water Try to make less mistakes Have a longer trip for a more detailed study Test Elliot Bay to compare its copper levels Get more samples that fill in the areas in between Bainbridge Island and Blake Island.

Ideas for the Future Which gives off more copper, boats or cars? Is there something else you could put on the bottom of the boat that is better for the animals then copper? Why is there copper in car brakes, and how much is there? It would also be interesting to test copper at different depths…. Does it sink? Is there a lot at the bottom?

The End! Thank you! Questions?

Pictures/Sources Images from Mike Derzon, https://mikederzonpictures.smugmug.com/School/Salish-Sea-Expedition-with-the-German-Shepherds-2018/i-KFRV96Q/A and Salish Staff http://www.3boatguy.com/puget_sound.asp https://www.boatus.com/magazine/2014/april/boat-bottom-paint.asp http://windborneinpugetsound.blogspot.com/2009/05/destination-blake-island.html