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Fall 1994 |
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Science in American lifeStudent data guides land-use planningMicro testing made easyWhy monitor coliforms?A deluge of success storiesEconomical, durable, accurate and safe |
Hach kits take a tour of duty in spectacular YosemiteExciting environmental coalitions are springing up all over the country, and now one based in the magnificent outdoor classroom of Yosemite National Park reports encouraging results from a project involving area high school students. Meet the key players: A non-profit outdoor education school--Each year, over 7,000 students attend Yosemite Institute (YI), a non-profit institution dedicated to the following principles: develop in students a strong sense of place; show interconnections between living and nonliving components of the ecosytem; and demonstrate global environmental stewardship through adventures in the outdoors. An alliance of high school and middle school teachers, an outdoor education school and the National Park Service has created an opportunity for students in California's Central Valley to conduct real research and demonstrate environmental stewardship at one of our nation's most treasured parks.A group of dedicated high school science teachers--Every summer high school and middle school teachers from California's Central Valley watersheds attend a workshop at YI to investigate ways to blend chemistry, physics, earth science and biology into integrated science units. The National Park Service--The government agency charged with the enormous task of preserving and maintaining our nation's parks operates with increasingly limited funds and personnel. To maintain adequate levels of research, the Park Service welcomes opportunities to work with other groups to gather and share meaningful data. Environmental stewardship is a concept that many teachers believe is best explained right in nature's classroom. And for students who participated in a research project conceived by the National Park Service, YI and a steering committee of California teachers, the concept sprang to life last summer--and spawned ideas for similar projects--on the banks of the Merced River. At the request of Pete Divine, Educational Coordinator for YI, a group of National Park Service scientists submitted two research projects that would be able to utilize the services of enthusiastic student data collectors. One project involved tracking the elusive fisher--a rarely-seen weasel-like animal--with tracking plates and cameras equipped with trip lines. The other project involved monitoring water quality at six high-use sites along the Merced River. Students got a taste of real research during the five days they worked on these projects at Yosemite Institute. Through the course of the fisher-tracking project, they were able to make valuable suggestions for improvements in experimental procedures. In the water quality workshop, they gained practical experience in water analysis by using Hach test kits to measure dissolved oxygen, nitrate, phosphate, pH and turbidity. They also investigated data-collection and data-sharing methods. The National Park Service will use the student data as a baseline for evaluating the effects of various Merced River restoration projects and for monitoring the effects of visitor use on the river. Eventually, students will be able to keep track of ongoing data related to the project through telecommunications. The students, who come to these workshops from a variety of ethnic and economic backgrounds, are both excited and proud to be a part of these much-needed studies. But they are especially taken with the idea that their own data might be used to make sound management decisions for one of our greatest national treasures. Both research projects have already been replicated along the San Joaquin River by another high school teacher in the Central Valley coalition. The hope is that this is just the beginning of many long-term relationships that will enable systematic stewardship of Central Valley watersheds. (Many thanks to Bill von Felten, teacher at Edison High School in Fresno, California, who took part in a pilot water quality workshop at Yosemite and contributed information for this story.) |
Return to topHach kits take a tour of duty in spectacular Yosemite
Student data guides land-use planningMicro testing made easyWhy monitor coliforms?A deluge of success storiesEconomical, durable, accurate and safe |
Science in American lifeWhat do the Hope Diamond, The Spirit of St. Louis, Judy Garland's ruby red slippers and the Hach Digital Titrator have in common? They're all part of major exhibitions now on display at Smithsonian Institution museums. The Digital Titrator and a number of other Hach products are featured in a new exhibit called "Science in American Life." Funded by a grant from the American Chemical Society, the exhibit opened last spring at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. A new Smithsonian exhibit offers hands-on learning experience with Hach products. The exhibit brings to life many scientific issues that have changed American life."Science in American Life" is based on the theme that society and science are inseparable. Featuring more than 900 artifacts and 600 historical photos and graphics, the exhibit is divided chronologically into six sections. Each section is designed to showcase how science has shaped American culture and how Americans have shaped science. The first 9,000 square feet of the show represent six key "intersections" of science and society since the 1870s. Through artifacts, photographs and multi-media displays, the exhibit brings to life many of the scientific issues that have shaped modern American culture. Visitors learn how Americans in the early 1900s looked to science as a key to a better future; how World War II mobilized scientists to perfect radar and boost the production of penicillin; and how biotechnology experiments today may be crucial to cleaning up the environment and treating diseases. Besides linking key scientific developments to changes in American society, the exhibit also includes a Hands-On Science Center, where visitors conduct water quality tests in a laboratory environment. Working alone, or with staff from the center, visitors perform experiments using Hach products. "The Smithsonian has never before offered an exhibit with a science center like this," said Dina Rosenthal, a project developer. "What's new is the idea that the center is focused on activities and not objects. We give people the chance to actually perform some of the experiments they have learned about in the exhibit." In one experiment, visitors test water for purity by measuring chloride concentration. The test mirrors experiments performed by Ellen Swallow Richards, an MIT-trained scientist who conducted chemical analyses for the Massachusetts State Board of Health in the late 1800s. She collected samples throughout the state and analyzed each sample for chloride content using a silver nitrate titration. Her work served as the basis for one the country's earliest water quality studies. "Everything we do in the Hands-On Center is related to something we do in the exhibition," said Rosenthal. "We recreate Richards' original experiment using a buret and then perform the same experiments with the Hach instruments as if you're a scientist in a modern water plant. We're interested in demonstrating the way instrumentation has made chemical analysis easier in modern times by comparing them to historical case studies." Guided by a staff member from the science center, visitors are encouraged to perform the original test using the same techniques as Richards'. They then perform the same test with a Digital Titrator and also with a chlorine ISE and a Hach One pH/ISE Meter. "Visitors found the Hach products very easy to use," said Rosenthal. "They were fascinated with the precision and ease of use of the meter. A lot of people were amazed that they could detect chloride in the range of 5 to 100 ppm. Some of the chemistry students were even jealous of the equipment we have. They couldn't believe we have better equipment than they do." In addition to water quality tests, the Hands-On Science Center also allows visitors to participate in more than 25 activities tied to specific "Science in American Life" exhibits. The center occupies approximately 1500 square feet and will accommodate as many as 30 visitors simultaneously. For more information, contact the Smithsonian Institution at 202-357-1481.
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Return to topHach kits take a tour of duty in spectacular YosemiteScience in American life
Micro testing made easyWhy monitor coliforms?A deluge of success storiesEconomical, durable, accurate and safe |
Student data guides land-use planningImagine that you're a science teacher who's weary of recreating historical experiments year after year. You want to enlist students as active researchers, structure classroom and field work around the skills of scientific inquiry, and find meaningful science projects that add to our knowledge of the natural world. But like most school budgets these days, yours is tight and there's no contingency fund for purchasing new curriculum or laboratory instruments. What do you do? High school students sample local river to collect data for long-term watershed study.Now imagine that you're a environmental researcher who wants to set up a nonpoint source pollution monitoring network in critical watersheds throughout your state. And you want to analyze water samples twice a month, enter all your test results onto a data base and crunch the numbers to evaluate water quality degradation and land use patterns. But suppose you're strapped for funds and couldn't begin to hire, train and supervise the technicians this huge project would require. What do you do? If you live in Kansas, your problems are solved. Through a partnership between the Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and 11 school districts, a three-year stream project has been established to educate students, teachers and the public about the interrelationships between human activities and water quality. According to teachers and KDHE officials, the program is a smashing success. Phil Brink, environmental planning consultant, coordinates the project from his office in the Bureau of Water. By pooling state water plan funds and USEPA* grant money, KDHE was able to equip 11 high schools with DREL/2000 Portable Laboratories, personal computers and software, plus funds for travel, lab supplies and award teacher stipends. John Wachholz, biology teacher at Salina Central High School, works with more than 50 sophomores, juniors and seniors to study the ecosystem of the Smoky Hill River. Twice a month, students take a trip out to four sampling sites where they collect samples and test for temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and stream velocity. Then they return to Wachholz's classroom where they test the samples for alkalinity, manganese, BOD, conductivity, iron, nitrate, phosphorus, sulfate, hardness and TSS. They enter the results onto a spread sheet that is networked electronically to KDHE and the ten other high schools participating in the project. This baseline data is added to existing KDHE data and will be used to help develop management plans for the watersheds. "Everyone gets to use the DR/2000 Spectrophotometer," says Wachholz. "It's real neat. A Hach sales manager trained us on running the programmed procedures and calibrating it. We really like the AccuVacs®, too. We seem to get more consistent results with them and that's important when technique differs from student to student." Wachholz and some dedicated students continue their testing activities through the summer, working in the small laboratory set up in his basement. He says he enjoys the project, which has grown to include economic, social and political issues. "The students teach each other. We watch the Hach videos and talk about testing and our results. We've also prepared a slide presentation for community presentation." According to Wachholz, "Notifying residents and officials about our results can lead to increased public awareness and action directed toward improved water management. If we're not alert to the subtle but often dramatic changes in river water quality, we'll lose many of the amenities that our rivers provide."
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Return to topHach kits take a tour of duty in spectacular YosemiteScience in American lifeStudent data guides land-use planning
Why monitor coliforms?A deluge of success storiesEconomical, durable, accurate and safe |
Micro testing made easyWhatever your skill level, you'll find Hach microbiology testing products are easy to use. They come with presterilized, premeasured media; durable sampling containers; and on-going technical support. Look at these popular methods. And check out special savings offered on these products elsewhere in this newsletter. Membrane Filtration (MF) and m-ColiBlue24™ Broth The MF method is an easy, fast way to estimate bacterial populations in treated or natural waters. Simply filter a sample through a membrane filter. Then place the filter on nutritive media and incubate. During incubation, organisms grow and form colonies, which are counted to determine the number of organisms present in the sample. New m-ColiBlue24 Broth is a nutritive medium that simultaneously detects total coliforms and E. coli in just 24 hours. Colonies can be diffentiated easily--red indicates total coliforms and blue indicates E. coli. With m-ColiBlue24, you won't need an ultraviolet lamp or other special viewing equipment. m-ColiBlue 24 comes packaged in ready-to-use PourRite Ampules. Simply break off the top of the ampule and pour the medium onto an absorbant pad in a petri dish. Wait 24 hoursand read results. Presence/Absence (P/A) Testing P/A testing is a quick and easy test for determining the presence of total coliforms in a water sample. Suitable for testing treated and natural waters, the procedure requires a minimal amount of analytical experience. Simply combine 100 mL of sample and P/A broth, incubate for 24 to 48 hours, and check for a color change. Unlike the MF test, the P/A test is a qualitative test that gives no indication of the numbers of organisms present. P/A broth media comes in single dose ampules or disposable bottles; both eliminate mixing and measuring and the possibility of contamination. Choose the P/A Broth to detect total coliforms or select P/A Broth with MUG to simultaneously detect total coliforms and E. coli. After consuming MUG reagent, E. coli colonies fluoresce. So when your students view the colonies under an ultraviolet light, they're treated to a marvelous light show! To request literature about microbiology testing products, see the reply card.
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o topHach kits take a tour of duty in spectacular YosemiteScience in American lifeStudent data guides land-use planningMicro testing made easy
A deluge of success storiesEconomical, durable, accurate and safe |
Why monitor coliforms?By Jim Schuth Coliform bacteria are indicator organisms that are used to check the sanitary quality of water. No coliforms should be present in any drinking water sample. In addition to water potability, different types of coliform tests are used to help identify sources of water pollution. Testing water for microorganisms has never been easier. Sophisticated reagent packaging eliminates many chores associated with mixing and preparing media, and curtails the possibilities for contamination. And clean-up is often a matter of just soaking equipment, containers and media in a 10% bleach solution for 15 minutes, and then pouring spent media down the drain. Two areas of testing may have relevance for your water quality program: total coliforms and E. coli. Total coliforms in water can signal the presence of disease-causing pathogens while E. coli bacteria in water confirms the presence of fecal contamination. Whichever group you decide to monitor, Hach has prepared media to make testing fast and easy. If you're sampling a stream, collect your samples from beneath the water surface and in the current (if there is one). Surface film often contains a greater number of bacteria than is representative of the whole stream, so avoid sampling at the surface. Collect several samples from each site to minimize variability. Try to have all your samples tested within one hour of collection. If that's not possible, store sample bottles on ice in a cooler and analyze them within 24 hours. Some procedures call for an incubation period, but if an incubator is not available, the sample may be incubated in a warm (40 °C) place at a constant temperature, such as on a water heater. If your purpose is to confirm suspected sources of contamination, like a storm drain outflow, then samples should be taken downstream and upstream from the outflow. Compare the coliform counts to determine the impact of the drain water on the receiving stream. Feel free to contact me at 800-227-4224 for further information about microbiological testing or refer to the Teacher's Guide and Experiments in Water, Water Everywhere. And plan now to attend a free workshop in Colorado next summer. Good luck! Editor's Note: Jim Schuth, instructor at the Hach Technical Training Center, demonstrates environmental testing during the free, three-day Science Educator's Workshops held during the summer.
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Return to topHach kits take a tour of duty in spectacular YosemiteScience in American lifeStudent data guides land-use planningMicro testing made easyWhy monitor coliforms?
Economical, durable, accurate and safe |
A deluge of success storiesWe've got some good news, and some bad news. First, here's the good news: Cayman Eby, eighth grader in Washington, D.C., earned honors for a project entitled, "How Aluminum Sulfate is Used in the Purification of Water." Eby was inspired by a district-wide order to boil water to understand the role of alum in drinking water treatment. Sophomores at Mt. Abraham Union High School are monitoring Vermont's New Haven River for pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity and macroinvertebrates. They soon will be testing this stream to ascertain the effects of agricultural run-off, wastewater effluent discharge, and road salt applications. Charles Bohannon, teacher at Leland High School in Norfolk, MA, uses Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater in his environmental studies courses. The students analyze local stream outlets for pH, phosphate, nitrates and microorganisms. The Volunteer Monitor devoted an entire 24-page issue to school-based monitoring. And a follow-up issue promised to identify funding sources for school-based monitoring programs. Call 415-255-8049 and ask for the spring 1993 and fall 1993 issues. Fifth grader Gavin Dougherty received special honors from the Marian County Health Department for his project that used MUG reagent to detect E. coli in natural waters. And that's just part of the good news. From Florida to Maine, from California to Washington, thousands of students and teachers laden with test kits are out testing the quality of local waters. Whether it's called "issues-based science," or plain old Chemistry 101, water quality monitoring is taking science classrooms by storm. Monitoring projects lend themselves to hands-on and real world science, and at the same time develop a citizenry that works for positive change in their immediate environment. And now for the bad news. These events are just a smattering of the success stories we've heard about. Unfortunately, there's just not enough room in this newsletter to do justice to the wealth of activities taking place streamside or in classrooms. We'll still be glad to hear about your program, and listen and respond to your suggestions. But sadly, we will only be able to publish a handful of stories every year about your inspirational achievements. Keep up the good work!
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Return to topHach kits take a tour of duty in spectacular YosemiteScience in American lifeStudent data guides land-use planningMicro testing made easyWhy monitor coliforms?A deluge of success stories |
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This page was last updated 08/16/06 |
