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FALL 1996 |
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Ex-teacher still has classSummer training fulfills a variety of needsStudents contract with local agencies for water testingMeasuring pH in soilsResources for educators |
Aquaculturist has many fish to fryWhen it comes to fish farming, Scott Phillipi has his hands full. As part of his duties as the Tech Prep Program coordinator for Grays Harbor College (GHC) in Aberdeen, Washington, Phillipi divides his time among classrooms in sixteen high schools and the community college. In some high schools, he shows students how to raise tilapia; at GHC, he assists in an aquaculture class and administers the Tech Prep program. It's an exciting job, and Phillipi's enthusiasm for the program comes through when he describes the challenges. "The Tech Prep high school aquaculture program gets students excited about science and technology," explains Phillipi. "We introduce students to water quality testing and water management on any scale -- from aquariums to tanks to ponds. It's an opportunity to explore a career path and get some hands-on experience. Some students take the two-year natural resources technology courses at GHC while others attend four-year institutions. This program gives them a good grounding in basic water quality testing concepts." Tilapia, a hardy, fast-growing, tasty white fish imported from Africa, is raised in science labs with recirculating systems. "To sustain tilapia, we must closely monitor pH, dissolved oxygen, chloride, nitrite, nitrate and ammonia. It's easy for the students to keep track of those levels with the FF-1A Aquaculture Test Kit1. They're easy to use, reliable and accurate," he says. The high school students also raise salmon for environmental enhancement. After these students trap adult salmon, spawn them and assist in the fertilization process, fingerlings are transported to the high schools. Students nurture the fish in net pens for about six months, and then smolts are released into waterways. In this way, students are helping to replenish Northwest salmon populations. Students enrolled in the GHC Aquaculture program use the Model FF-2 Aquaculture Test Kit2 in the college hatchery, a modern learning center. Upon graduation, they are prepared for employment with the state and private firms around the region, including fish farms specializing in shellfish, salmon and trout. What does it take to be a successful aquaculturist? Phillipi responds. "You can't be afraid of hard work. You need good math skills to calculate some test measurements, figure feed rates and treatment rates. You have to be a strong communicator and present yourself well in the community. Last but not least, you have to be able to tolerate being outside in inclement weather. It gets pretty cold and rainy here." Maybe so, but being outside in Grays Harbor doesn't sound too bad. Located in the southwest corner of Washington in a beautiful setting of rivers, neighbor to the Olympic National Forest and bordering the Pacific Ocean, Grays Harbor College offers myriad programs in natural resources technology: fisheries technology, watershed restoration, aquaculture technology and more. According to college administrators, the demand for trained workers in these fields is growing rapidly. "Nationally, regionally and locally, there's a concern about water quality, about environmental degradation and resource protection. Our program is an effective response to those needs and concerns." To receive "Healthy Fish Mean Healthy Profits," a complete guide to Hach aquaculture testing products, check the appropriate box on the reply card. 1 Ideal for onsite or laboratory analyses, this
economical test kit uses the drop-count titration method and Hach colorimeters to test for
alkalinity, ammonia, carbon dioxide, chloride, dissolved oxygen, hardness, nitrite, pH and
temperature.
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Return to topAquaculturist has many fish to fry
Summer training fulfills a variety of needsStudents contract with local agencies for water testingMeasuring pH in soilsResources for educators |
Ex-teacher still has classDarwin Hinrichs may have left the classroom four years ago, but he has never stopped teaching. Today his personal interests lie in educating young people about environmental protection and water conservation while fulfilling his duties as a water quality specialist for the North Dakota State Extension Service. Before he started visiting rural elementary schools in the Bowman County area, children and their parents didn't always have answers to questions about wells, contamination and livestock runoff. Now sixth graders bring water samples to school and get an instant water quality assessment as well as advice about preventing problems. "Every April, I visit about 13 elementary schools and give presentations about water quality factors and demonstrate a groundwater flow model," says Hinrichs. "Using Hach nitrate and hardness test kits, the Pocket Pal pH meter and chemical strips, the students actually test water samples they've collected at home. They find out if their water is hard or soft, salty or acidic, and if their well is being infiltrated by livestock runoff or septic tank leakage. With Hach products, water analysis is very easy and quick to teach." The residents of Bowman County have some unique problems associated with their drinking water. Many private wells are very shallow and because of the high concentrations of calcium and magnesium in the bedrock, the water is hard. Other wells produce soft water due to the high levels of sodium-type salts in the ground. When a student's water sample from home tests soft, Hinrichs uses the opportunity to discuss the health risks associated with high sodium intake and heart-related diseases. "Dark water" occurs when groundwater flows along an underground coal vein. After picking up tannins and lignins, the water can look unpalatable and may stain laundry. "Many people drive to town to wash their clothes in order to avoid stains and discoloration," he says. "The towns get their water from deep wells which are much less likely to be colored by coal but are very high in sodium with concentrations at 415 mg/L. One hundred mg/L is the recommended level." Test strips are a good teaching tool, according to Hinrichs, because they are quick to use, safe for youngsters to handle, compact enough to fit in a pocket, and give good estimations of concentration levels. Hinrich says the nitrate strips have helped students to identify contamination from leaking septic systems, or from livestock living too close to wells, or from fertilizer runoff. Some youngsters have been so interested in water quality testing that they've pursued independent study and conducted water analysis for science projects. "I've found that sixth graders are more interested in water science than some older kids. It's easier to hold their attention in small groups, especially when you can let them run the test." In conjunction with his April programs in the elementary schools, Hinrichs circulates materials to teachers about National Drinking Water Week prepared by the American Water Works Association. Some teachers expand upon his presentation by taking their classes to the local wastewater plant, or performing experiments on living plants using "salty" and "dark" water. Being a water quality specialist keeps Hinrichs so busy that he doesn't have time to miss the classroom. As for missing teaching, well, what's there to miss....he never really stopped. For more information about Hach water quality testing products designed for educators, check "Teacher's Guide to Ordering Hach Test Kits" on the reply card.
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Return to topAquaculturist has many fish to fryEx-teacher still has class
Students contract with local agencies for water testingMeasuring pH in soilsResources for educators |
Summer training fulfills a variety of needsPlease Note: The Science Educator Workshop at the Hach Technical Training Center (HTTC) has something for everyone. Listen to what attendees at a July 1996 session have to say. "When my students present the water quality analysis data they've collected to regional and national audiences, they want to be confident it's reliable, " says high school science teacher Bernie Hermanson (Sumner, Iowa). At HTTC, his goal was to get hands-on testing to sharpen his technique and collect background information about testing protocols. "With the training I'm getting here, our lab and field analysis will go more smoothly and we can be absolutely sure the results are good." "On a national and regional level, water problems are receiving a great deal of attention. We can use that to our advantage as educators," says Tammy Laninga (Boulder, Colorado). As an educator employed by the water utility, Laninga is charged with expanding an existing environmental education program to include 16 elementary schools and several junior and senior high schools. Her goal at HTTC was to investigate Hach products that would be suitable for the activities and curriculum she is developing, and to learn what others are doing to increase environmental awareness in their schools. Nick Stoynoff (Lombard, Illinois) is a high school chemistry teacher who doesn't see the need to reinvent the wheel. "Traditional funding sources for schools are shrinking or drying up. I came to HTTC to find out how other teachers are partnering with local business and industry, how to multiply the resources that are available to me. And because I want to purchase a DREL/2000 in the near future, I came here to try out a DR/2000 Spectrophotometer and see if the electronics live up to what I've read," he says. Last summer, more than 50 science educators attended three-day training sessions in Loveland, Colorado. Workshops alternated between classroom discussion, laboratory analysis and field testing--quite an enjoyable experience, according to one participant. "The training is really low key, but thorough," explains Hermanson. "The instructors display the products, demonstrate their use, and then let us try them. We got lots of theory about chemistry plus background about the instruments and tests, but no pressure."
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Return to topAquaculturist has many fish to fryEx-teacher still has classSummer training fulfills a variety of needs
Measuring pH in soilsResources for educators
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Students contract with local agencies for water testingWhat were you doing in 1971? Oregon was enacting the first state litter legislation that year. George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Ravi Shankar and Billy Preston were giving a concert in Madison Square Garden that netted $11 million for the starving families of Bangladesh. Margaret Mead and Marlene Dietrich were both 70 years old, and a song by the Carpenters, "Close to You," was topping the charts. It was also the year that science teacher Joe Reymann acquired his first Hach DREL Portable Laboratory and started his water quality monitoring studies. Like Clapton, Starr and Dylan, Reymann and his 25-year old DREL are still going strong. The DREL, showing just a few signs of wear and tear, is a valuable tool for 10th grade biology students conducting ecology studies on a nearby lake. It was the ease of use, safety and convenience, product support and ample documentation that led Reymann to purchase another Hach DREL five years ago. This newer portable laboratory boasts a DR/2000 Spectrophotometer, which enables Reymann's environmental studies class students to conduct in-depth studies on rivers and ponds for local agencies. It's the perfect tool for a service-based program that he describes as "non-traditional, task-oriented, independent and self-directing." Reymann teaches at St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, Minn. A private Catholic, military, college prep school with a 110-year history, St. Thomas enrolls about 800 males every year into grades 7-12. The year-long environmental studies class grew out of 12th grade students' requests for a hands-on science class that was practical yet fun, and Reymann's program has fit the bill. "The class has reached its limit of 24 students," he says. "It's very popular as an alternative to advance-placement biology or physics." Reymann's students are using the DR/20001 for contract testing in a nature center, a wildlife refuge and a pond near the Mall of America. "The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge charged us with monitoring a pond near the shopping center parking lot that collects runoff. We're still gathering baseline data, but after three years, there seems to be an increase in phosphates and CO2, and a reduction in dissolved oxygen. We're also noticing shifts in the invertebrate and vertebrate populations. Every spring, my classes give a verbal presentation of the data to the City Council and we cite trends associated with population pressures." Through their work for the Dodge Nature Center and the wildlife refuge, Reymann's class has access to naturalists and environmental professionals. Partnering with local agencies enables Reymann to acquire supplies and expertise he might not otherwise be able to afford. "We received funds from the county to participate in the Urban Lawncare Program that studies the effects of fertilizer runoff on local water bodies. Because we already had the DREL, we used the money to purchase hip waders and life jackets so we could collect samples farther from shore." Chlorine, nitrate, nitrite, phosphorus, turibidity, temperature, TDS, alkalinity, and pH are also measured with the portable laboratory. According to Reymann, "We take the DREL to the sample sites in the spring and fall and run many tests onsite. Other samples we preserve for analysis back in the lab. The boys like the DR/2000 and the premeasured reagents. Although they don't need to know a lot of chemistry to run the tests, they end up asking for the theory behind the tests as a consequence of using the portable lab." For more information about DREL Portable Laboratories built around spectrophotometers, check the last item on the reply card. 1 In August 1996 Hach introduced the DR/2010 Datalogging Spectrophotometer to replace the popular DR/2000. The new DR/2010 retains all the features that made its predecessor easy to use: preprogrammed calibrations, on-screen prompting, premeasured reagents and illustrated manuals, PLUS it incorporates enhanced software for capturing, storing and recalling data for downloading purposes.
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Return to topAquaculturist has many fish to fryEx-teacher still has classSummer training fulfills a variety of needsStudents contract with local agencies for water testing
Resources for educators
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Measuring pH in soilsBy Jim Schuth, instructor The pH of soil is effected by wide-ranging natural factors. In general, most soils east of the Mississippi River tend to be neutral or acidic because of the relatively high rainfall levels. In these soils, CaCO3 has been dissolved from the surface horizon and lost through leaching, leaving a low buffer capacity. Eastern soils tend to become acidic via plant growth and the application of acid-forming fertilizers. West of the Mississippi River, the climate is generally arid or semi-arid, and the soils often contain excess CaCO3 and soluble salts. They tend to be alkaline in nature, highly buffered and resist acidification. Local factors can also influence pH levels. Soil directly under an old conifer tree can be acidified because of pine needle decomposition. A soil sample taken from directly beneath the tree would probably be more acidic than a sample taken farther away. Soil pH varies tremendously. In humid areas, it generally falls in the range of pH 5 to 7 while in arid regions it typically occurs at 7 to 9 levels. In coastal regions, pH can be found as low as 3 and as high as 10 in semi-arid and arid areas. Perhaps the major effect of soil pH is on the bioavailability of inorganic ions, which can lead to either nutrient deficiency or toxicity problems. For example, as soil pH levels rise from 5 to 8, nutrients like iron, manganese and zinc become unavailable whereas the availability of other ions increases. Phosphorus, an essential nutrient for plant growth, is most available around pH 6.5. Below pH 5, certain metal ions such as aluminum, iron, zinc and manganese are often soluble in sufficient quantities as to be toxic. Above pH 8, bicarbonate ions can be a physical hindrance to certain plants because there is a negative effect on the solubility of phosphate. Soil pH also determines the particular anionic species present from certain elements. For example, under very acidic conditions the H2PO4¯ ion is present in the greatest amount. As the pH rises, the HPO42¯ and finally PO43¯ predominate. Two major conditions are responsible for changes in soil pH: Acid-forming conditions. During chemical and microbial decay of organics and fertilizers, acids are formed. Inorganic acids such as H2SO4 and HNO3 are probably the greatest source of hydrogen ions in soil. Acid rain has been identified as a source of soil acidity. The acidity in the atmosphere is produced from nitrogen and sulfur oxides which come from the burning of fossil fuels. Water vapor combines with the oxides to form H2SO4 and NHO3. The resulting rainwater can have a pH value of 4 to 5, but it can be much lower. The total hydrogen added to soil from acid rain accumulates over time to play an acidifying role. Leaching also plays a role in acidification. It removes metallic cations from soil that might complete with hydrogen and aluminum on the exchange complex. Base-forming conditions. Any process that increases the cation levels of exchangeable bases (calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium) contributes to a reduction in acidity and an increase in alkalinity. The weathering process, which releases exchangeable cations from their associated minerals, is an important factor in reducing soil acidity. Irrigation can increase soil alkalinity by releasing mineral salts that are absorbed by the soil. Soils in semi-arid and arid regions are relatively alkaline because the water necessary to remove most of the metallic cations from the soil is not available. Plant growth usually continues in these regions, unless the pH is too high or unless sodium is the principle cation. You can find a comprehensive discussion of pH factors in the Surface and Irrigation Water Analysis Interpretation Manual along with iconed instructions that show how to measure common soil constituents.
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Return to topAquaculturist has many fish to fryEx-teacher still has classSummer training fulfills a variety of needsStudents contract with local agencies for water testingMeasuring pH in soils
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Resources for educatorsTeachers, extension agents, volunteer coordinators and others are creating or adapting curriculum and materials to meet the needs of their communities. Here is a partial list of what's available to you at little or no charge. The Volunteer Monitor newsletter facilitates the exchange of ideas, monitoring methods, and practical advice among volunteer environmental monitoring groups across the nation. Telephone 415-255-8049 to receive a free subscription. "Stream Monitoring, A Handbook for West Virginia Citizens," by Craig Mains, is an excellent resource for citizen monitoring groups, junior high and high school teachers and community college groups who want to incorporate stream monitoring activities into their programs. Written for the layperson, the spiral-bound book covers mapping a watershed, streamwalking, benthic monitoring, chemical and physical tests, bacterial monitoring, sampling, data management and more. While the book discusses issues particular to West Virginia (acid mine drainage, oil and gas well wastes), there is a wealth of information applicable to any watershed in any state, region or country. Get your own copy for $17 ppd by contacting the Downstream Alliance, PO Box 1492, Morgantown, WV 26507. Check out Access Excellence at http://www.gene.com/ae/AE on the Internet. This site contains favorite high school biology classroom activities developed by Access Excellence Fellows from across the U.S. Point and click your way to two ecology/environmental education activities, "Water Walk" and "Who Dirtied the Water/Clean Water: Is It Drinkable?" If you know of no-cost/low cost curriculum or materials that would be of interest to other educators, contact the Teaching Water Science h20u@hach.com.
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This page was last updated 08/16/06 |
