EESC120 Laboratory
Water Quality Analysis Laboratory Exercise
Background
The impacts of nutrient pollution are found in all types of aquatic environments. These pollutants
enter the upstream waters, like small streams and creeks, and then flow into larger bodies of
water like lakes, rivers, and bays. Nutrient pollution stimulates the growth of algal blooms which
negatively affect the aquatic ecosystem by decreasing dissolved oxygen levels in the water as
bacteria aerobically break down all the dead algae. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus can travel
thousands of miles to coastal areas where the effects of their pollution are found in the form of
Dead Zones such as those found in the Gulf of Mexico and our Chesapeake Bay. Nitrogen can
also percolate into the soil, down to the groundwater that is used by millions as their source for
drinking water.
Phosphate-Phosphorus
Since phosphorus is the nutrient in short supply in most freshwater aquatic systems, even a slight
increase in phosphorus can initiate a chain of undesirable events such as accelerated algal
growth. There are many sources of phosphorus both natural and anthropogenic. These include
soil and rocks, wastewater treatment plants, runoff from fertilizers from agricultural fields and
lawns, failing septic systems, and runoff from animal feedlots among other sources.
Pure “elemental “phosphorus (P) is rare. In nature phosphorus usually is found as part of a
phosphate molecule (PO4). Phosphorus in aquatic systems occurs as organic phosphate
(associated with carbon-based plant and animal material) and inorganic phosphate that is not
associated with plant or animal material. Both organic and inorganic phosphorus can be
dissolved in the water or suspended by being attached to particles in the water column. Refer
back to the Phosphorus Cycle in your textbook. We will consider P levels > 0.1 ppm to be
impaired and levels above 3 ppm call for remedial action.
Nitrate-Nitrogen
Nitrogen is found in different forms in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. These forms include
ammonia (NH3), nitrates (NO3) and nitrites (NO2). Nitrates are essential plant nutrients but in
excess amounts can cause water quality problems as discussed above. The natural level of
ammonia and nitrate in surface water is usually less than 1mg/L but has been found in effluents
from wastewater treatment plants as high as 30 ppm. Here, we will consider N levels > 1ppm to
be impaired and require remediation.
Note that WQA = water quality analysis
Procedures
Part 1
While studying at UMW, you become a research intern at the Frankel, Szulczewski, and Kisila
Water Quality Analysis Laboratory. As part of ongoing environmental conservation efforts
across the United States, this water quality lab has been collecting samples from surface waters
and analyzing them for phosphate (PO4), ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. As an intern, you have
been tasked with describing the geographic landscape of a subset of these sites and identifying
any potential sources of contamination using google maps.
Instructions
1. Download, save, and open the WQA Report Worksheet and the WQA Data for Analysis
document from Canvas. On this sheet you can view the date each sample was collected, the
location in GPS coordinates, and the concentrations of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and PO4. For
this exercise, you are tasked with examining Sites 3, 7, 9, 16, and 19.
2. Open google maps (https://www.google.com/maps ) in a web browser, input the GPS
coordinates provided on the Excel sheet for Site 3, and hit search
a. Hint: coordinates must be entered exactly as provided to work correctly!
b. Once you have found the location, switch your view to “satellite mode” and begin to
examine the site and the surrounding area by zooming in and out.
c. Look for nearby water bodies, industrial sites, public utilities, and other
environmental impacts.
d. Use a search engine to find out more information about labeled sites nearby
3. On your worksheet, provide the following information:
a. The county and state in which the site is located
b. The name of the body of water the sample was collected from (if available, some sites
are unmarked)
c. A general description of the type and relative size of the body of water (lake, river,
stream, etc.)
d. A detailed description of the surrounding area (rural or urban, forested or unforested,
etc.) of at least 3 sentences
e. State whether levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, or both require remediation at the site.
f. If water quality is poor, identify specific potential sources of contamination located
near the site and provide a description of each.
g. If water quality is good, provide an explanation as to why there is little to no
contamination at that site.
4. Repeat this process for Sites 7, 9, 16, and 19.
Part 2
During contaminant analysis, one of the technicians bumped into the cart while making a TikTok
video causing three of the sample vials (#21, 22, and 23) to fall to the floor before they could be
properly labelled with their locations. Perplexed, the technician analyzed each sample but is still
not sure which site each came from.
1. Using the GPS locations and water quality data at the bottom of the data sheet, provide
your best guess as to which sample belongs to which site and provide a detailed
explanation for your guess.
a. Hint: Different sources of pollutants typically can have higher levels of N or P.
Do some background research on any suspicious buildings or geographic
features.
2. Write a 3-sentence conclusion about what you learned from this lab about nutrient
pollution in our environment.
When you have completed this assignment, submit your saved worksheet on
Canvas- that document is the only thing you need to submit.