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Real World: YCP Construction Run-off. By: Jess Bases, Zach Bensley, Nikki DeLuca, and DJ Hall. Topography. Construction site uphill from Tyler Run Creek Drainage systems. Construction on Campus . Began summer 2012 Expanding Business Admin Building Digging to create new foundation.
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Real World: YCP Construction Run-off By: Jess Bases, Zach Bensley, Nikki DeLuca, and DJ Hall
Topography Construction site uphill from Tyler Run Creek Drainage systems
Construction on Campus Began summer 2012 Expanding Business Admin Building Digging to create new foundation
Hypothesis • Groundwater run-off from construction site has contaminated Tyler Run Creek • Specific analytes present based on soil composition (Ca2+, CO32-) • Metals from materials used (hardness)
Water Quality Calcium • Determines deposit formation and corrosive nature of water Hardness • hard water consumes more soap and scales formation in cooling water circuits and boilers • soft water induces corrosion in iron pipelines Carbonate • Contributes to alkalinity , which determines buffering capacity
Sampling Sites 3 2 1
Methods • Broke up into 3 procedures • Determination of Calcium • Determination of Hardness • Determination of Carbonate Ions
Method – Determination of Calcium Measured out an aliquot of the sample Methyl red was used as an indicator Ammonium oxalate was added to precipitate out the calcium oxalate in the solution Vacuum filtered, dried, recorded mass Was repeated for 27 samples
Method – Determination of Hardness Standardized 0.01 M EDTA solution pH of the 27 samples was adjusted to 10 1 g of KCN and calmagite was added to each sample Samples were titrated with the EDTA solution
Method – Determination of Carbonate Ions Standardized HCl and NaOH 50 mL unknown, 100 mL standard NaOH, and 20 mL 10 wt % BaCl2 was added to an Erlenmeyer Solution was swirled to precipitate out BaCO3 After titrating with standard HCl, using phenolphthalein, the amount of CO32- could be determined
Determination of Calcium – Averages and Standard and Relative Deviation
Comparison Using Days Comparison Using site
Determination of Hardness – Averages and Standard and Relative Deviation
Comparison Using Days Comparison Using site
Determination of Carbonate Ions – Averages and Standard and Relative Deviation
Comparison Using site Comparison Using Days
Practical Error • Inexact measurement of mass and volume • Over-titration • Different concentrations of oxalate • Loss of product
Theoretical Error • Assumptions of areas with calcium and hardness • Other ions could interfere with calcium concentration • A lot of rocks in areas, unsure of results from rocks or water • More contaminants than assumed
Encountered Error Inconsistent heating and stirring of solutions in determination of calcium Ran out of BaCl2 Snowfall run-off on only one day Tim Abell Nikki went to Qatar
In summation… • The levels of the analytes tested were not at any dangerous levels, although they were slightly elevated where we had predicted and after snowfall • Construction site may play a role in the higher concentrations of analyte downstream than the control site upstream • The standard and relative deviation for each part of the method showed that the results were not too extreme as to offset any trend lines
References • “Water Chemistry” by K.S. Venkateswarlu • USGS Water Quality Tables • PA land composition map – • https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog160/node/1977