1. Chemical Water Testing

2. Temperature Remember water-temperature and oxygen relationship:
High temperature= Low DO
Low temperature= High DO
Causes: industry (power plants)
AKA thermal pollution

3. pH Scale from 0 to 14 0 is acidic 14 is basic
7 is neutral (ideal for most streams)
Limestone bedrock tends to neutralize a lot of acid in our area

5. Total Dissolved Solids
AKA “TDS”
Includes mineral, organic matter, and nutrients
Regulates osmosis
Found in rock, bedrock and soil
Pollution caused by road salt, fertilizers, acid rain

6. Dissolved Oxygen Oxygen molecules suspended between water molecules
Diffuses into water when it travels over rocks, in riffles
Valuable to water breathers
Low DO caused by: fertilizers, sewage treatment, animal waste, soil erosion, paper mills, food processing plants

7. Nitrogen NO3
N2 gas makes up 79% of atmosphere but not useful to plants and animals
Must be converted to nitrates or ammonia through nitrogen cycle
Humans can disrupt the cycle: farmers add too much fertilizer, crops removed from a site

8. The Nitrogen Cycle

9. Phosphorous Necessary for growth and metabolism in plants and animals
Can be washed into streams if attached to soil particles, with human/animal waste
Causes: faulty septic tanks, livestock in streams, industrial waste
Effects: rapid growth in algae and plants in stream, eutrophication

10. Phosphorus Cycle

11. Eutrophication Explosion of algae or plant life Eventually these die
Decomposition of dead plants uses up oxygen
DO level drops: kills animal life/creates toxic situation

12. Eutrophication

13. Examples of Eutrophication
Nutrient Pollution Video

14. Alkalinity
Ability of a water system to resist changes in pH when acid is added
High alkalinity= stream can handle addition of acid
Low alkalinity= stream pH will go down with the addition of acid
Limestone can neutralize acid and increase alkalinity (PA has a lot of limestone)

15. Turbidity Measures cloudiness of the water High turbidity=cloudy water
Causes: suspended organic matter/minerals EROSION
Effects: clouds water blocks sunlight
Reduces visibility
Clogs fish gills, covers eggs
Absorbs heat, raises temp. of stream, DO goes down

16. High Turbidity

18. Review Exit Ticket…. How are temperature and DO related?
What biological process is affected by the Total Dissolved Solids in a waterway?
Why is acid rain not a big problem in western PA?
Name 2 problems caused by high turbidity.