Water Chemistry Monitoring
Water Che emistry Monitoring C Chicago R River Field d Trip Acti tivity
Summa ary
Grad de Level: 5thh – 12th
Students use basic to advanced water w quality monitoring kits and probes p to asssess the wateer quality off the Chicagoo River.
Dura ation: Variabble (dependinng on typpe of monitoring kit usedd, experrience of studdents and numbber of tests peerformed).
Water chhemistry kits available foor loan from Friends of the Chicaago River incclude: GREE EN© kits forr 5th – 8th th grade, annd Hach© kitts for 9 – 12th grade.
GREEN© kits in nclude materrials for temp perature, pH H, dissolved oxygen, bioological oxygeen demand, phosphate,, and nitratees.
Hach h© kits inclu ude materialss for temperrature, pH, dissolved d ox xygen, biologgical oxygen n demaand, phosph hate, and nittrates.
Turb bidity tubes, total dissollved solids probes, p and Coliscan C Eassygel© testss (fecal colifform/e. coli) are a also avaiilable but neeed to be reqquested separately from th he kits.
Backgrround With chemical tests you y are testinng for the prresence and concentraation of speccific chemicaals. Results will only tell you about a the speecific chemiccals you testted, not about thee possible preesence of othher pollutantts. Chemicall tests also only o tell you what is pressent in the water at the t moment you test. Faactors, such as a antecedennt weather conditions (suuch as rainfaall), time of day and year, y will afffect values.
Obje ectives: 1. Sttudents will follow f writteen innstructions too determine thhe vaalue of a variiety of water quuality indicattors of the C Chicago Riverr. 2. Sttudents will be b able to exxplain what the t water quuality values mean for thee heealth of the river. r 3. Sttudents will be b able to inffer w might bee causing anyy what . w water quality impairments i Mate erials: Water W quality testing kits, ennough for stuudents to sharre Water W quality data sheets, onne per group Standards: 11.A..3a, 11.A.4a, 11.A.5a, 11.A..3c, 11.A.4c, 11.A.3d, 11.A..4d, 11.A.5d,, 11.A.3e, 11.A..4e, 11.A.5e, 11.A.3f, 11.A..4f, 11.A.3g, 12.B.3a, 12.B.4a NGSS: MS-E ETS1-1, MS--ETS1-2, MS-E ETS1-3, MS--LS2-3, HS-E ETS1-1, HS-E ETS1-2, HS-E ETS1-3, 6.SP.4, 6.SP.5c, 7.SP.7, HS-S-ID1-4, HS-S-IC-6, RST.111-12.9, SL.8.5
Water Qu uality Monito oring CHICAGO RIV VER SCHOOLS NETWORK
p. 1
Tempe erature Importance: too high h a value willl preclude coold water animals from living l in the river, less
oxxygen can dissolve d in water w the highher its tempeerature, highher temperatuures promotee higher growth h rates. Sources (of high temperatures): hot h water disscharges (pparticularly power p plantss), lack of shhade. Values:
S for cold-water c sppecies such as trout, mayyflies, caddisflies, and sttoneflies. 25˚C: Lethal L to trou ut, salmon, many m aquaticc insects, andd most cold water speciees.
pH Importance: indicatess the numberr of free hyd drogen ions in i the
water [pH = -log10 w (H+)]], too high (aalkaline) or too t loow (acidic) a value will preclude p maany forms off life frrom living in n the water. Sources: acid rain, mining m (note:: in the Chicago region the t pH of rivers, lakees and pondss is buffered by limestonne bedrock and is i quite oftenn above 7.5). Values:
0-4.0: Aqquatic life is severely strressed. 4.0-4.5: Few F fish and d invertebrattes can survive. 4.5-6.5: Acid-toleran A nt invertebrattes and fish can survive. 5.0-9.0: Suitable S for human conssumption. 6.5-8.5: Suitable S for most aquaticc animals. 6.5-13.0:: Suitable forr most aquattic plants.
Water Qu uality Monito oring CHICAGO RIV VER SCHOOLS NETWORK
p. 2
Dissolv ved Oxyg gen Importance: breathed d by aquatic animals. nthesis, mixeed in from aiir when wateer is turbulennt (in riffles)). Sources: by-product of photosyn Values:
0-3.0 ppm m: Few orgaanisms can suurvive. 3.0-4.0 ppm: p Only a few fish andd invertebrattes can survivve. 4.0-7.0 ppm: p Most no on-trout, waarm-water fissh species caan survive. 5.0 ppm: EPA’s sugg gested lowerr limit to maiintain healthhy aquatic biiota. >7.0 ppm m: Necessary y for trout, saalmon and many m invertebrates.
Biolog gical Oxyg gen Demand (BOD D) Importance: Breathed d by aquatic animals, it’ss what’s rem mains after 5 days of bactterial
decompositio on [DO(day 1) – DO(dayy 5)]. Sources: By-productt of photosyn nthesis, mixeed in from aiir when wateer is turbulennt (in riffles)),
affter bacteria use up whatt they need. Values:
5.0 ppm m: Indicates poor p water quality. q The proccedure for BO OD is the same as DO. On day 1, peerform a DO O test. Your BOD samplle is gathered at the same time and neeeds to be stoored for five days in totaal darkness (w wrapped in aluminum m foil) and kept k at room temperaturee. Then the DO test is done again. BOD B = [DO(day 1) – DO((day 5)].
Water Qu uality Monito oring CHICAGO RIV VER SCHOOLS NETWORK
p. 3
Phosphates Importance: promote es growth, exxcessive leveels can lead to t eutrophication and fissh kills and
reeduction in biodiversity. b Sources: fertilizers, detergents. d Values:
0.005-0.005 ppm: Typ pical of undisturbed foreest streams. 0.1 ppm m: Likely to cause algal blooms. b 1.0 ppm: Approximaate ideal upper limit for wastewater w t treatment plaant effluent.
Water Qu uality Monito oring CHICAGO RIV VER SCHOOLS NETWORK
p. 4
Nitrate es Importance: promote es growth, exxcessive leveels can lead to t eutrophication and fissh kills and
reeduction in biodiversity. b Sources: fertilizers. Values:
0.1 ppm: Typical of undisturbed u forest stream ms. 0.1-1.0 ppm: p May inccrease aquattic plant grow wth. >1.0 ppm m: Likely to cause algal blooms. b
Summa ary
Grad de Level: 5thh – 12th
Students use basic to advanced water w quality monitoring kits and probes p to asssess the wateer quality off the Chicagoo River.
Dura ation: Variabble (dependinng on typpe of monitoring kit usedd, experrience of studdents and numbber of tests peerformed).
Water chhemistry kits available foor loan from Friends of the Chicaago River incclude: GREE EN© kits forr 5th – 8th th grade, annd Hach© kitts for 9 – 12th grade.
GREEN© kits in nclude materrials for temp perature, pH H, dissolved oxygen, bioological oxygeen demand, phosphate,, and nitratees.
Hach h© kits inclu ude materialss for temperrature, pH, dissolved d ox xygen, biologgical oxygen n demaand, phosph hate, and nittrates.
Turb bidity tubes, total dissollved solids probes, p and Coliscan C Eassygel© testss (fecal colifform/e. coli) are a also avaiilable but neeed to be reqquested separately from th he kits.
Backgrround With chemical tests you y are testinng for the prresence and concentraation of speccific chemicaals. Results will only tell you about a the speecific chemiccals you testted, not about thee possible preesence of othher pollutantts. Chemicall tests also only o tell you what is pressent in the water at the t moment you test. Faactors, such as a antecedennt weather conditions (suuch as rainfaall), time of day and year, y will afffect values.
Obje ectives: 1. Sttudents will follow f writteen innstructions too determine thhe vaalue of a variiety of water quuality indicattors of the C Chicago Riverr. 2. Sttudents will be b able to exxplain what the t water quuality values mean for thee heealth of the river. r 3. Sttudents will be b able to inffer w might bee causing anyy what . w water quality impairments i Mate erials: Water W quality testing kits, ennough for stuudents to sharre Water W quality data sheets, onne per group Standards: 11.A..3a, 11.A.4a, 11.A.5a, 11.A..3c, 11.A.4c, 11.A.3d, 11.A..4d, 11.A.5d,, 11.A.3e, 11.A..4e, 11.A.5e, 11.A.3f, 11.A..4f, 11.A.3g, 12.B.3a, 12.B.4a NGSS: MS-E ETS1-1, MS--ETS1-2, MS-E ETS1-3, MS--LS2-3, HS-E ETS1-1, HS-E ETS1-2, HS-E ETS1-3, 6.SP.4, 6.SP.5c, 7.SP.7, HS-S-ID1-4, HS-S-IC-6, RST.111-12.9, SL.8.5
Water Qu uality Monito oring CHICAGO RIV VER SCHOOLS NETWORK
p. 1
Tempe erature Importance: too high h a value willl preclude coold water animals from living l in the river, less
oxxygen can dissolve d in water w the highher its tempeerature, highher temperatuures promotee higher growth h rates. Sources (of high temperatures): hot h water disscharges (pparticularly power p plantss), lack of shhade. Values:
S for cold-water c sppecies such as trout, mayyflies, caddisflies, and sttoneflies. 25˚C: Lethal L to trou ut, salmon, many m aquaticc insects, andd most cold water speciees.
pH Importance: indicatess the numberr of free hyd drogen ions in i the
water [pH = -log10 w (H+)]], too high (aalkaline) or too t loow (acidic) a value will preclude p maany forms off life frrom living in n the water. Sources: acid rain, mining m (note:: in the Chicago region the t pH of rivers, lakees and pondss is buffered by limestonne bedrock and is i quite oftenn above 7.5). Values:
0-4.0: Aqquatic life is severely strressed. 4.0-4.5: Few F fish and d invertebrattes can survive. 4.5-6.5: Acid-toleran A nt invertebrattes and fish can survive. 5.0-9.0: Suitable S for human conssumption. 6.5-8.5: Suitable S for most aquaticc animals. 6.5-13.0:: Suitable forr most aquattic plants.
Water Qu uality Monito oring CHICAGO RIV VER SCHOOLS NETWORK
p. 2
Dissolv ved Oxyg gen Importance: breathed d by aquatic animals. nthesis, mixeed in from aiir when wateer is turbulennt (in riffles)). Sources: by-product of photosyn Values:
0-3.0 ppm m: Few orgaanisms can suurvive. 3.0-4.0 ppm: p Only a few fish andd invertebrattes can survivve. 4.0-7.0 ppm: p Most no on-trout, waarm-water fissh species caan survive. 5.0 ppm: EPA’s sugg gested lowerr limit to maiintain healthhy aquatic biiota. >7.0 ppm m: Necessary y for trout, saalmon and many m invertebrates.
Biolog gical Oxyg gen Demand (BOD D) Importance: Breathed d by aquatic animals, it’ss what’s rem mains after 5 days of bactterial
decompositio on [DO(day 1) – DO(dayy 5)]. Sources: By-productt of photosyn nthesis, mixeed in from aiir when wateer is turbulennt (in riffles)),
affter bacteria use up whatt they need. Values:
5.0 ppm m: Indicates poor p water quality. q The proccedure for BO OD is the same as DO. On day 1, peerform a DO O test. Your BOD samplle is gathered at the same time and neeeds to be stoored for five days in totaal darkness (w wrapped in aluminum m foil) and kept k at room temperaturee. Then the DO test is done again. BOD B = [DO(day 1) – DO((day 5)].
Water Qu uality Monito oring CHICAGO RIV VER SCHOOLS NETWORK
p. 3
Phosphates Importance: promote es growth, exxcessive leveels can lead to t eutrophication and fissh kills and
reeduction in biodiversity. b Sources: fertilizers, detergents. d Values:
0.005-0.005 ppm: Typ pical of undisturbed foreest streams. 0.1 ppm m: Likely to cause algal blooms. b 1.0 ppm: Approximaate ideal upper limit for wastewater w t treatment plaant effluent.
Water Qu uality Monito oring CHICAGO RIV VER SCHOOLS NETWORK
p. 4
Nitrate es Importance: promote es growth, exxcessive leveels can lead to t eutrophication and fissh kills and
reeduction in biodiversity. b Sources: fertilizers. Values:
0.1 ppm: Typical of undisturbed u forest stream ms. 0.1-1.0 ppm: p May inccrease aquattic plant grow wth. >1.0 ppm m: Likely to cause algal blooms. b
