Air Quality Lab
Pre-Lab Questions:
1. Create a chart showing the six air pollutants, causes, and concerns from the information in the pre-lab.-Ozone: Caused by a chemical reaction between NOx and VOC in heat/sunlight. Concerns include effects on health and damage to plants and ecosystems in general.
-Particulate Matter: Caused by emissions of vehicles, burning wood, etc... Concerns include health problems, vision impairment, and atmospheric deposition.
-Sulfur Dioxide: Caused by the burning of fuel containing sulfur, the extraction of gas from oil, and extractions of metals from ore. Concerns include acid rain, respiratory effects, damage to plants and water, and aesthetic damage.
-Nitrogen Oxides: Caused by fuel being burned at high temperatures. Concerns include smog, acid rain, particles, bad water, and global warming.
-Lead: Cause by metal processing and some motor vehicle emissions. Concerns include damages to the body and negative effects to plants and animals.
-Carbon Monoxide: Caused when carbon fuel is not completely burned. Concerns include smog and negative effects to health.
2. Why is ground level ozone highest in the summer and almost nonexistent in the winter? How might this affect our results as we test the air during this part of the year?
There is more heat in the summer to react with NOx and VOC. There might be more ozone as it is sunnier and warmer than in the winter.
3. Many third world countries still use leaded gasoline (since they have older cars or since they have not forced changes). What concerns may the governments of these countries need to deal with?
-They are going to have watch for major health problems and effects caused to environment (especially those to plants and animals) by lead.
4. Use the internet to find what parts of North Carolina are not in compliance with the Standards of the Clean Air Act.
-Counties in the Western piedmont region are not in compliance with these standards. One specific county is Mecklenburg.
Hypothesis: The quality of the air outside of the school will be better as demonstrated by less particulate matter and less ozone. The independent variable is the location of the monitoring ozone strips and the particulate matter slides while the dependent variable is the amount of ozone and particulate matter observed. The controlled variables include the size of the strips/slides, the time allotted, and the type of substance applied to each type. The control group is the ozone monitoring strip and the particulate matter slide inside a petri dish. The experimental groups are the samples left in the stairwell and outside.
Problem: What is the air quality of Wake Forest as described by Ozone and PM measurements?
Materials:
-Potassium Iodide
-Corn Starch
-Beakers
-Spatulas
-Large Graduated Cylinder
-Test Tube Rack
-Filter Paper
-Microscope Slides
-Petroleum Jelly
-Q-tips
-Microscopes
Procedure:
1. Prepare the ozone monitoring test strips by placing 100ml of water in a 250 ml beaker, and adding five grams of cornstarch. Then heat and stir the mixture until it gels (when the mixture becomes thick and clear). Remove the solution from heat, add one gram of potassium iodide, stir well, and allow to cool. After the solution has cooled, lay a piece of filter paper on a petri and brush the paste onto the filter paper. Turn the filter paper and brush the paste on the other side. Hang up and allow the filter paper to dry. Cut the papers into one inch-wide strips. Store the strips in a plastic bag out of sunlight.
2. Prepare the particulate matter collectors by smearing a thin layer of petroleum jelly onto a microscope slides. Try to make the layer as even as possible. Use a q-tip to lightly smear the specimen side of each slide. Prepare two slides and place them in a slide container to avoid smearing the petroleum jelly on anyone.
3. Place one labeled slide on the exterior of the school (on a tree near the practice field).
4. Take the second slide and place it in a location inside the school (in a stairwell).
5. Place one ozone monitoring strip with the slide outside for eight hours. Before placing the strip outside, dip the strip in distilled water, then attach the strip out of sunlight. When placing the strip, find the relative humidity for that day.
6. Place the other ozone monitoring strip with the slide inside the school.
7. The next day, collect the slides and ozone monitoring strips.
8. Dunk each strip into distilled water. Use the Schoenbein Chart to determine the Schoenbein number of each strip. Use the relative humidity and the Schoenbein number to calculate the concentration of ground level ozone using the Relative Humidity Schoenbein Number Chart.
9. Look at the particulate matter slides under the microscope. First decide the amount of particulates (none, light, medium, heavy) and then attempt to estimate the source of the PM.
Observations and Data:
Weather: Sunny on Friday(9/7/12), Sunday, and Monday, Rain on Saturday
Temperature on 9/10/12: 22°C
Relative Humidity on 9/10/12: 65%
Inside ozone monitoring strip (location: 600 stairwell): 140 ppb.
Outside ozone monitoring strip (location: on ground by practice fields): 0 ppb.
Inside particulate matter slide (location: 600 stairwell): light.
Outside particulate matter slide (location: practice fields): light.
Control (location: petri dish):
-Ozone monitoring strip: 0 ppb.
-Particulate matter slide: none.
1. Create a chart showing the six air pollutants, causes, and concerns from the information in the pre-lab.-Ozone: Caused by a chemical reaction between NOx and VOC in heat/sunlight. Concerns include effects on health and damage to plants and ecosystems in general.
-Particulate Matter: Caused by emissions of vehicles, burning wood, etc... Concerns include health problems, vision impairment, and atmospheric deposition.
-Sulfur Dioxide: Caused by the burning of fuel containing sulfur, the extraction of gas from oil, and extractions of metals from ore. Concerns include acid rain, respiratory effects, damage to plants and water, and aesthetic damage.
-Nitrogen Oxides: Caused by fuel being burned at high temperatures. Concerns include smog, acid rain, particles, bad water, and global warming.
-Lead: Cause by metal processing and some motor vehicle emissions. Concerns include damages to the body and negative effects to plants and animals.
-Carbon Monoxide: Caused when carbon fuel is not completely burned. Concerns include smog and negative effects to health.
2. Why is ground level ozone highest in the summer and almost nonexistent in the winter? How might this affect our results as we test the air during this part of the year?
There is more heat in the summer to react with NOx and VOC. There might be more ozone as it is sunnier and warmer than in the winter.
3. Many third world countries still use leaded gasoline (since they have older cars or since they have not forced changes). What concerns may the governments of these countries need to deal with?
-They are going to have watch for major health problems and effects caused to environment (especially those to plants and animals) by lead.
4. Use the internet to find what parts of North Carolina are not in compliance with the Standards of the Clean Air Act.
-Counties in the Western piedmont region are not in compliance with these standards. One specific county is Mecklenburg.
Hypothesis: The quality of the air outside of the school will be better as demonstrated by less particulate matter and less ozone. The independent variable is the location of the monitoring ozone strips and the particulate matter slides while the dependent variable is the amount of ozone and particulate matter observed. The controlled variables include the size of the strips/slides, the time allotted, and the type of substance applied to each type. The control group is the ozone monitoring strip and the particulate matter slide inside a petri dish. The experimental groups are the samples left in the stairwell and outside.
Problem: What is the air quality of Wake Forest as described by Ozone and PM measurements?
Materials:
-Potassium Iodide
-Corn Starch
-Beakers
-Spatulas
-Large Graduated Cylinder
-Test Tube Rack
-Filter Paper
-Microscope Slides
-Petroleum Jelly
-Q-tips
-Microscopes
Procedure:
1. Prepare the ozone monitoring test strips by placing 100ml of water in a 250 ml beaker, and adding five grams of cornstarch. Then heat and stir the mixture until it gels (when the mixture becomes thick and clear). Remove the solution from heat, add one gram of potassium iodide, stir well, and allow to cool. After the solution has cooled, lay a piece of filter paper on a petri and brush the paste onto the filter paper. Turn the filter paper and brush the paste on the other side. Hang up and allow the filter paper to dry. Cut the papers into one inch-wide strips. Store the strips in a plastic bag out of sunlight.
2. Prepare the particulate matter collectors by smearing a thin layer of petroleum jelly onto a microscope slides. Try to make the layer as even as possible. Use a q-tip to lightly smear the specimen side of each slide. Prepare two slides and place them in a slide container to avoid smearing the petroleum jelly on anyone.
3. Place one labeled slide on the exterior of the school (on a tree near the practice field).
4. Take the second slide and place it in a location inside the school (in a stairwell).
5. Place one ozone monitoring strip with the slide outside for eight hours. Before placing the strip outside, dip the strip in distilled water, then attach the strip out of sunlight. When placing the strip, find the relative humidity for that day.
6. Place the other ozone monitoring strip with the slide inside the school.
7. The next day, collect the slides and ozone monitoring strips.
8. Dunk each strip into distilled water. Use the Schoenbein Chart to determine the Schoenbein number of each strip. Use the relative humidity and the Schoenbein number to calculate the concentration of ground level ozone using the Relative Humidity Schoenbein Number Chart.
9. Look at the particulate matter slides under the microscope. First decide the amount of particulates (none, light, medium, heavy) and then attempt to estimate the source of the PM.
Observations and Data:
Weather: Sunny on Friday(9/7/12), Sunday, and Monday, Rain on Saturday
Temperature on 9/10/12: 22°C
Relative Humidity on 9/10/12: 65%
Inside ozone monitoring strip (location: 600 stairwell): 140 ppb.
Outside ozone monitoring strip (location: on ground by practice fields): 0 ppb.
Inside particulate matter slide (location: 600 stairwell): light.
Outside particulate matter slide (location: practice fields): light.
Control (location: petri dish):
-Ozone monitoring strip: 0 ppb.
-Particulate matter slide: none.
Picture: The inside ozone strip and particulate matter slide at the bottom of the 600 stairwell.
Analysis and Conclusions:
Lab Questions:
1. The highest rating the EPA will allow for a community for ground level ozone is 80 ppb. Any community with over 80 ppb for an average over three years is in noncompliance with the Clean Air Act. Did Wake Forest meet the standard on this day? Was the measurement made an accurate measurement of the air quality?
The outside air of Wake Forest did meet the requirements on this day by having a 0 ppb on this day. However, the measurement made was not accurate due to the rain during the experiment that washed away any possible traces of ground level ozone.
2. 13% of counties in the US are not meeting the Ozone requirements of the Clean Air Act. Explain the reason for the location of the counties in Non-attainment.
Many of these areas are urbanized areas which are shown to typically have higher levels of ground level ozone. Some of the areas might also just have more sunshine or be just a little bit warmer than other places.
3. Particulate matter has recently been added to the requirements of the Clean Air Act. Theorize reasons that it was not part of the act until the 1990’s.
It is possible that most people didn't even know of the effects of particulate matter before the 1990's. It also may not have been such a big problem before.
4. Compare and contrast the different PM samples – did they meet expectations? Why or why not?
The control group had no PM, which was to be expected. The outside and inside experimental samples both had "light" amounts which was not surprising. However, the outside was predicted to have even less due to dispersion.
5. Explain why air quality monitoring is important for the health of the economy.
Air quality monitoring is important to the economy because it needs to be considered when producers are designing new products and services. They must understand that new products need to be mindful of our air and keeping it clean. Consumers should keep in mind the effects of the products they buy and how they will affect our air.
General Analysis/Conclusions:
Technically, the results proved the hypothesis right in that there was more ground level ozone found inside the school. However, the same amount of particulate matter was found in both areas. One major factor that almost definitely skewed the results was the rain that occurred during the experiment. The rain ruined the results of the experimental group outside which provided inaccurate information. When this experiment is done in the future, the time should be shortened as to better avoid the possibility of rain. While the experiment wasn't perfect, it demonstrated how two aspects of air quality are measured and how how easily results can be skewed by uncontrollable circumstances.
Analysis and Conclusions:
Lab Questions:
1. The highest rating the EPA will allow for a community for ground level ozone is 80 ppb. Any community with over 80 ppb for an average over three years is in noncompliance with the Clean Air Act. Did Wake Forest meet the standard on this day? Was the measurement made an accurate measurement of the air quality?
The outside air of Wake Forest did meet the requirements on this day by having a 0 ppb on this day. However, the measurement made was not accurate due to the rain during the experiment that washed away any possible traces of ground level ozone.
2. 13% of counties in the US are not meeting the Ozone requirements of the Clean Air Act. Explain the reason for the location of the counties in Non-attainment.
Many of these areas are urbanized areas which are shown to typically have higher levels of ground level ozone. Some of the areas might also just have more sunshine or be just a little bit warmer than other places.
3. Particulate matter has recently been added to the requirements of the Clean Air Act. Theorize reasons that it was not part of the act until the 1990’s.
It is possible that most people didn't even know of the effects of particulate matter before the 1990's. It also may not have been such a big problem before.
4. Compare and contrast the different PM samples – did they meet expectations? Why or why not?
The control group had no PM, which was to be expected. The outside and inside experimental samples both had "light" amounts which was not surprising. However, the outside was predicted to have even less due to dispersion.
5. Explain why air quality monitoring is important for the health of the economy.
Air quality monitoring is important to the economy because it needs to be considered when producers are designing new products and services. They must understand that new products need to be mindful of our air and keeping it clean. Consumers should keep in mind the effects of the products they buy and how they will affect our air.
General Analysis/Conclusions:
Technically, the results proved the hypothesis right in that there was more ground level ozone found inside the school. However, the same amount of particulate matter was found in both areas. One major factor that almost definitely skewed the results was the rain that occurred during the experiment. The rain ruined the results of the experimental group outside which provided inaccurate information. When this experiment is done in the future, the time should be shortened as to better avoid the possibility of rain. While the experiment wasn't perfect, it demonstrated how two aspects of air quality are measured and how how easily results can be skewed by uncontrollable circumstances.