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

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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

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

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

8. 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.

9. 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

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. P-Value= 10^-6
P-value= E-10

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

15. ANOVA results Source of Variation SS df MS F p-level F crit
Between Groups 4
Within Groups 50

16. 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

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

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

19. References http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2697937/