Water Quality Research
By: Kenneth Pimienta
It is well apparent by the taste of drinking water that the quality ofwater in Elizabeth City is below average. One major factor that may play a role in the quality of water is the streams. This is why for my project, I have decided to run some tests on a stream that is located on the campus of ECSU. The tests will include total dissolved solids, conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and turbidity.
Total dissolved solids, commonly called TDS, is a measure of the capacity of the ions in the solution to carry an electric current. To measure the TDS, a TDS meter is used. TDS is recorded in grams per liter.
Conductivity is a measure of the ability of a solution to pass an electric current and is the reciprocal of the solution resistivity. Inorganic dissolved solids carry the electric current. To measure conductivity one uses a conductivity meter.
PH is tested using a Hach One pH meter. By testing the pH one is able to tell how acidic or basic an acid is. My hypothesis about the pH levels in the stream is that the pH levels will be close to seven, which is what the level of pH is in pure water.
Dissolved Oxygen is a measure of the amount of oxygen that is dissolved in the water. Dissolved Oxygen is commonly referred to as DO. DO is measure using a DO meter. When measurmg the DO level one tests the temperature as well. Both the DO and
the temperature can be measured using a Do meter. The dissolved oxygen levels in the stream should be low, because of the shallow depth of the stream.
Turbidity is a measure of how much light shines through the water. Turbidity is measured using a turbidity meter. Turbidity may be affected by weather.
These tests are ran every week to get an accurate measurement. If my pH results vary much, then as a secondary experiment I will test the rain to see if the rainwater affects the pH of the stream.