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Effect of Time of Day on Heavy Metal Concentration in Drinking Fountain Water at a Fresno County School

CSEF · 2023 Chemistry (Junior Division)

Liam James Obaldo

Overview

Heavy metals are naturally present in our environment - in our land, atmosphere, soil, and water. Some of the commonly occurring heavy metals found in water are lead, nickel, arsenic, iron, copper, and mercury. The increased presence of heavy metals in water can cause the water supply to have a metallic taste. It is thought that the concentration of heavy metals increases as the water stays in the plumbing system for a longer period of time without circulating the supply. In this experiment, the levels of heavy metals present in the water from three drinking fountains at a Fresno County school will be measured at two different times of the day. Water samples will be collected and tested for the levels of four different heavy metals specifically, lead, arsenic, copper, and mercury. Some heavy metals found in water such as iron are necessary for human function. However, high concentrations of hazardous heavy metals such as lead and arsenic can cause health complications and organ diseases. The purpose of this experiment is to identify if there is a change in the concentration or levels of heavy metals from water samples collected in the morning compared to the samples taken in the afternoon. This information can be used to determine the time when the water supply from the drinking fountains will cause the least exposure to increased levels of heavy metals. This study can also serve as a model for other schools or facilities in testing the concentration of heavy metals at varying times of the day.

Source coverage

This record comes from a published award list, not a complete project archive. Its abstract comes from CSEF's public project showcase as archived by the Internet Archive before judging (https://web.archive.org/web/20230401224130/https://ca-csef.zfairs.com/showcase/ShowcaseInfo?f=838e60b7-ea75-46e8-865c-fde4864244b3); the version presented may differ.

Awards (1)

  • Sponsored Award: Science Achievement Award

Competition history

  • CSEF 2023 Chemistry (Junior Division) · Entry J0606

Resources

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