Alewife Water Quality Testing Manual

by the

 Cambridge Friends School 8th Grade

Class of 2015

Table of Contents:

1. Salinity
2. pH
3. Bacteria
4. Animals
5. Plants
6. Temperature
7. Dissolved Oxygen (D.O.)
8. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (B.O.D)
9. Nitrogen Compounds (Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate)
10. Turbidity

Salinity test by Adam

Salinity Packing List

• Sample jar
• Refractometer
• Soft cotton cloth
• Distilled water (or tap water)
• Dropper/Pipette
• Tiny screwdriver for calibration

Salinity Testing Directions

1. Please do not touch or scratch the optical surface, and please wash hands  before and after the procedure.
2. To test the refractometer, open the daylight plate, and add 2-3 drops of distilled (or tap) water onto the prism. Close the daylight plate, and press it lightly, so that the water spreads across the entire surface without bubbles, or dry spots. Allow the sample to remain on the prism for approximately 30 seconds, then adjust the Calibration screw so that the light and dark boundary coincides with the null line. Open the daylight plate, clean the surface of the prism with a soft, cotton cloth. It is okay to do this in the classroom before you leave for field work.
3. To test your sample, aim the front of the refractometer towards the light, and adjust the eyepiece until the white scale comes into view. Then drop 2-3 drops of water to be tested on the main prism, close it and press it lightly, then read then read the scale of light and dark boundary. Read the number on the right hand side of the scale. The reading is the value of the measured solution, in parts per thousand.
4. After the measurement, clean away the solution on the prism, and cover the plate with a moist, cotton cloth. After drying, it should be cleaned perfectly.

pH by Ahlam

pH Packing List:

•  Gloves
•  Clean test tubes that have marked 5ml
•  pH testing solution
•  pH color chart
•  Pipette
•  Water that is being tested
•  Group recording packet

pH Testing Directions

1) Wear Gloves and clean test tube.

2) Use the pipette and fill the test tube to 5 ml with water.

3) Add 3 drops of the pH test solution.

4) Cap and invert the tube many times to dissolve the test solution with the water.

5) Compare the color of the end solution to the PH color chart.

6) After you determine what level the water is, record it in your group's packet.

7) Clean the test tube, dispose of gloves, and wash hands.

Addendum 2016 by Jessica: Re - test another sample from same water source using pH test strip. Follow the directions on the pH test strip bottle. Compare results to see if they are the same.

Bacteria by Jason

Bacteria Packing List:

•  Test tube with tablet

•  Gloves

Bacteria Testing Directions:

1. Fill and cap test tube, with the test tube underwater, using gloves.

2. Be careful not to let anything besides the water you are testing touch the inside of the test tube (fingers, other water, etc.)

2. The tablet is already in the test tube.( don't let it get out)

3. Wait 48 hours for the test results to grow.

4. Check the color of the liquid against the indicator chart.

5. If the test is positive, use gloves to clean the test tube with bleach.(yellow means positive red means negative).

6. Remember to wash your hands after cleaning the test tube.

Animals by Loden

Animals Packing list:

• Camera
• Note-taking supplies

Animals Directions

1. Find animals and take pictures of them with the camera you brought.
2. Take notes on where the animal was and what it was doing.
3. Use the macro lens if you want to take close up pictures.

Plants by Nica

Plants Packing List:

•  camera

Plants Directions

1. Take photos of all plants surrounding your site.
2. For each plant, take photos of the whole plant, the buds, bark, and any leaves or flowers you can see. Makes sure that when you take a close up, you will be able to match it with the other photos of that plant.
3. Make sure photos are clear enough to be used for identification.
4. Take close-ups if they have qualities you can't see from farther away.
5. Use the macro setting (the one with a flower on it) to take close-ups.
6. Make sure you upload all photos to docs afterward.

Temperature by Loden

Temperature Packing List:

• Infrared thermometer
• Paper and pencil for taking notes

Temperature Testing Directions

1. Get as close to the water’s edge as you can while remaining safe.

2. Point infrared thermometer at the water.

3. Press trigger while pointing at water.

4. Record result

Dissolved Oxygen Researched and pasted from website by Danny and Ben

DO and BOD Packing List

• Two baby food jars for collecting water samples, one clear and one covered with aluminum foil
• Dissolved Oxygen Testing Kit - Check that you have all 5 testing solution bottles, and a titration syringe, and a titration bottle
• The directions below are imported directly from the La Mottle DO/BOD test kit instructions.

BOD Instructions

1. Take out the sample bottle.
2. Submerge and cap the bottle under water.
3. Cover the sample bottle with aluminum foil to ensure complete darkness.
4. Incubate the bottle for 5 days.
5. Follow part 2 and 3 from the DO testing.
6. Subtract the BOD results from the DO results.
7. Write down your answer.  

Nitrogen Compounds by Miriam

Nitrogen Compound Packing List

• Testing solution bottles: 2 for Ammonia, 2 for Nitrate, one for Ammonia
• At least three test tubes
• Tap water for rinsing out bottles
• Pipette/dropper
• Gloves

Ammonia

1. Rinse a clean test tube with the water to be tested.

2. Using the gloves, fill the test tube to the 5 ml line with the water to be tested.
3. Add 8 drops from Ammonia Test Solution Bottle #1, holding the dropper bottle upside down in a completely vertical position to assure uniformity of drops added to the water sample.
4. Add 8 drops from Ammonia Test Solution Bottle #2, holding the dropper bottle upside down in a completely vertical position to assure uniformity of drops added to the water sample.
5. Cap the test tube and shake vigorously for 5 seconds. Do not hold finger over the open end of the tube, as this may affect the test results.
6. Wait 5 minutes for the color to develop.
7. Read the test results by matching the test solution against the Ammonia color chart. The tube should be viewed against the white area beside the color chart. Color comparisons are best made in a well-lit area. The closest match indicates the ppm (mg/L) of ammonia in the water sample.
8. Rinse the test tube with clean water after each use.

Nitrite

Read thoroughly before testing. Do not allow test solution to get into aquarium.
1. Rinse a clean test tube with the water to be tested.
2. Fill the test tube to the 5 ml line with the water to
be tested.
3. Add 5 drops of Nitrite Test Solution, holding dropper bottle upside down in a completely vertical position to assure uniformity of drops added to the water sample.
4. Cap the test tube and shake the tube for 5 seconds. Do not hold finger over the open end of the tube, as this may affect test results.
5. Wait 5 minutes for the color to develop.
6. Read the test results by matching the color of the solution against those on the Nitrite Color Chart. The tube should be viewed against the white area beside the color chart. Color comparisons are best made in a well-lit area. The closest match indicates the ppm (mg/L) of nitrite in the water sample.

7. Rinse the test tube with clean water after each use.

Nitrate

1. Rinse a clean test tube with the water to be tested.
2. Fill the test tube to the 5 ml line with the water to be tested.
3. Add 10 drops from Nitrate Test Solution Bottle #1,holding dropper bottle upside down in a completely vertical position to assure uniformity of drops added to the water sample.
4. Cap the test tube and invert tube several times to mix solution. Do not hold finger over the open end of the tube, as this may affect test results.
5. Vigorously shake Nitrate Test Solution Bottle #2 for at least 30 seconds. This step is extremely important to insure accuracy of test results.
6. Now add 10 drops from Nitrate Test Solution Bottle #2, holding dropper bottle upside down in a completely vertical position to assure uniformity of drops to the water sample.
7. Cap the test tube and shake vigorously for one minute. This step is extremely important to insure accuracy of test results.
8. Wait 5 minutes for the color to develop.
9. Read the test results by matching the color of the solution against those on the Nitrate Test Color Chart. The tube should be viewed against the white area beside the color chart. Color comparisons are best made in a well-lit area. The closest match indicates the ppm (mg/L) of nitrate in the water sample. Rinse the test tube with clean water after each use.

Turbidity

1. Get as close to the water as you can safely get.
2. Look at the water and make a decision about the turbidity.
3. If you can see clearly the bottom, write “low turbidity.”
4. If you can see several inches into the water but not to the bottom, write “medium turbidity.”
5. If you can really not see past the surface of the water or see a lot of cloudy sediment, write “high turbidity.”

OR

1. Use the secchi disk.
2. Drop the disk gently until it hits the bottom of the waterway.
3. Note the depth at which you can no longer distinguish the difference between the red dot pattern and the larger red circles.