Kim Cole and Christi Sue

Quality of water is an important issue that is focused on by Oceanographers as well as Environmentalists. Water quality can be determined by testing various aspects of the water. Nine types of water quality tests are: dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform, pH, biochemical oxygen demand, temperature, total phosphate, nitrates, turbidity, and total solids. On the Zodiac trip we will be testing for some of these factors. We will be dividing into seven different groups; collector/recorder, temperature and pH, dissolved oxygen (two groups), salinity, turbidity. These groups will be made of three people and each will conduct’s different water quality test. After that we will discuss our findings and fill in the graphs provided, showing depth of the water and the coinciding temperature and the salinity readings. Like Oceanographers, we will then discuss what was expected verses what the experimental data tells us.

Chemical Oceanographers study standard chemical analysis that are made of sampled seawater. At river mouths or estuaries, probably the most important chemical measurement is of salinity, which we will be testing. Many dissolved substances, such as heavy-metal pollutants, may be found in concentrations of only a few parts per billion, requiring sophisticated chemical analysis in shoreline laboratories. Unfortunately, due to our lack of sophisticated instruments, we will not be able to test some of these aspects of water quality.

A salinometer is any of several instruments operating on a variety of principles to measure the salt content of water. Hydrometers measure the specific gravity of water samples, and the approximate salinity can then be read from a table. Electronic instruments measure the conductivity of the water and then translate this property into salt content. Optical sighting instruments measure the index of refraction of the water, a quantity related to salt content. Chemical methods usually involve precipitating the chlorides.

Objective: To perform various water tests with the instruments available and determine the WQI (Water Quality Index) for the water. Then to discuss all the implications of our findings and probable causes of unexpected results.

Assignment: After having an over-view of Oceanography, small groups of three people need to get together. Work together to perform the assigned test and if you need help, Christi or Kim will assist you. If you finish early, start discussing within your group the implications of your findings, fill in the graphs, and help others.