The science of water quality: Testing for bacteria when using commercial water treatment methods
Location
SU-215
Department
Psychology
Abstract
Water is an essential natural resource in the environment and for humans. Its quality is crucial to preserve ecosystem integrity and human health, both when water is used for recreation or as drinking water. To reduce human disease, illness, or even death, eliminating harmful bacteria by the use of efficient water purification methods is critical to have access to clean drinking water. In many urban systems, water purification plants provide treatment of raw water to provide access to clean drinking water. However, access to potable water is compromised in many communities, nationally and across the world, mainly due to the costly nature of the infrastructure required for water treatment plants. In this experiment, we used two commercially available and portable water purification methods (LifeStraw® and Potable Aqua® water purification tablets) to test their ability to reduce bacterial colonies in water obtained from a natural waterway in the Chicago region (North Shore Channel) as well as water from NEIU’s greenhouse pond; we used sterilized deionized water as a negative control. In the lab, North Shore Channel and greenhouse pond water samples were purified with tablets, filtered through LifeStraws®, or left untreated (positive control) with 3 replicates per treatment for a total of 24 experimental samples. Under biosafety cabinets, we inoculated Petri dishes with each water treatment, and we photographed them on the day of inoculation (day 0) and after a week (day 7). Using Image J, we counted bacterial colonies on the day 7 photographs. We found the sterilized deionized water negative control and the LifeStraw® treatment showed no bacterial growth. The water purification tablets showed a few colonies, whereas the untreated water from both North Shore Channel and greenhouse pond (positive controls) yielded the largest number of bacterial colonies. Our results indicate that the LifeStraw® was the most reliable method to remove bacterial colonies, whereas water purification tablets were somewhat less effective. LifeStraw® likely yielded better purification ability because of its dual (chemical and physical) water purification properties.
Faculty Sponsor
Pam Geddes
Faculty Sponsor
Ken Voglesonger
Faculty Sponsor
Shannon Saszik
The science of water quality: Testing for bacteria when using commercial water treatment methods
SU-215
Water is an essential natural resource in the environment and for humans. Its quality is crucial to preserve ecosystem integrity and human health, both when water is used for recreation or as drinking water. To reduce human disease, illness, or even death, eliminating harmful bacteria by the use of efficient water purification methods is critical to have access to clean drinking water. In many urban systems, water purification plants provide treatment of raw water to provide access to clean drinking water. However, access to potable water is compromised in many communities, nationally and across the world, mainly due to the costly nature of the infrastructure required for water treatment plants. In this experiment, we used two commercially available and portable water purification methods (LifeStraw® and Potable Aqua® water purification tablets) to test their ability to reduce bacterial colonies in water obtained from a natural waterway in the Chicago region (North Shore Channel) as well as water from NEIU’s greenhouse pond; we used sterilized deionized water as a negative control. In the lab, North Shore Channel and greenhouse pond water samples were purified with tablets, filtered through LifeStraws®, or left untreated (positive control) with 3 replicates per treatment for a total of 24 experimental samples. Under biosafety cabinets, we inoculated Petri dishes with each water treatment, and we photographed them on the day of inoculation (day 0) and after a week (day 7). Using Image J, we counted bacterial colonies on the day 7 photographs. We found the sterilized deionized water negative control and the LifeStraw® treatment showed no bacterial growth. The water purification tablets showed a few colonies, whereas the untreated water from both North Shore Channel and greenhouse pond (positive controls) yielded the largest number of bacterial colonies. Our results indicate that the LifeStraw® was the most reliable method to remove bacterial colonies, whereas water purification tablets were somewhat less effective. LifeStraw® likely yielded better purification ability because of its dual (chemical and physical) water purification properties.