Does Air Pollution Affect Ocean Life?

Overview

Objectives To measure impacts of air pollution on marine life. Methods Using water samples collected from the Pacific Ocean, measured the impact on water pH levels using an "artificial" method (injecting CO2 directly into a sample by exhaling into a straw submersed in the water for two minutes) and a "natural" method by lighting a candle that floats atop a separate sample, and then covering the sample so the CO2 is absorbed by the water. PH levels of these two samples as well as a control sample were collected for two weeks using a store bought pH meter, at 24 hour intervals. In addition, to measure the impact of the pH changes to ocean life, mussel shells sourced from dead specimens found in nature where placed in each sample and before-and-after weight measurements and visual inspections were recorded. Results The results showed the largest change in pH was in the "straw" sample (the lowest pH level at the end of the experiment), and the impact to the mussel shell in that sample was the greatest as well, as measured by a .02 gram reduction in weight as well as a visual inspection (change in shell coloration and opaqueness). Conclusions The experiment demonstrates that long term, direct exposure of CO2 on ocean water has an adverse impact on pH levels (by lowering it), which in turn has an adverse impact on certain shellfish as measured by the impact of the lowered pH levels on the weight and coloration of the shell sample.

Competition history

• CSEF 2019 Earth & Environmental Sciences · Entry J0924

Resources

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