Troubled Skies Troubled Waters

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Troubled SkiesTroubled Waters

• What are the effects of acid rain in the
  metropolitan New York areaNew York City,
  Brooklyn, and Ridgefield, Connecticut? How does
  the rain in each area have an impact on the
  health of a lake (marine ecosystem)?

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BackgroundA power plant in Northeastern
Pennsylvania
Burns fossil fuels and emits sulfur dioxide and
nitrogen oxide into the air. The stacks are 164
feet high.
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Eco Thought
Pollution from a chimney 33 feet high travels
about 75 miles a day. Pollution from a chimney
164 feet high travels about 105 miles a day.
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Winds Carry Gases 105 Miles from the power plant.
A westerly wind carries the gases SO2 (sulfur
dioxide) and NOx (nitrogen oxides) until it meets
with moisture in the atmosphere over New York
City and southwestern Connecticut.
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Sulfur and nitrogen oxide enter the atmosphere
and team up with H2O to produce sulfuric and
nitric acid
And so the rain that falls is called acid,
because it has a pH below 5.0
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Acid Rain falls on these lakes
Lake in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York
Lake in Central Park, New York City
Lake Mamanasco, Ridgefield, Connecticut
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A LOOK AT THE ACID RAIN CYCLE
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Is Acid Rain Only Wet?
RainSnowHailSleetFog
Dry Particulates Smog
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The IMPACT OF ..
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Hypothesis

Background
The algae population of a lake in each area (New
York City, Brooklyn, and Ridgefield, Connecticut)
will reflect its health and pH level .
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Procedure
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Procedure.(cont.)

• With access to 3 lakes New York City, Brooklyn,
  and Ridgefield, Connecticut
• Collect 3 (1 liter) samples from each lakeusing
  a closable container to scoop the water from the
  surface
• Repeat the procedure in each lakekeeping the
  collection process consistent
• Cap each collection sample and label
• Return with samples to home lab

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Procedure(cont.)

• Set up the plankton collection net
• Pour water out of each 1 liter container using
  the 3 samples collected for each lake
• Establish the pH of each lake
• Completing the collection process, after the
  water from Lake 1 is processed, (collection tube
  is filled with plankton) distribute the contents
  into 3 (100ml) beakerstop off with distilled
  water if needed to reach top of beaker
• Repeat process on water from Lake 2 3

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Procedure (cont.)

• There are now 9 samples of plankton filled water
  ( 3 from each lake)
• Using a pipette to put a .1 ml drop of each
  sample on a slide after gently stirring the
  watercover with cover slipand put
• Under a compound microscope
• Using a plankton identification guide
• Count and score each algae identified using the
  Palmer Pollution Index

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Procedure
Repeat the procedure 2X (from the counting and
identification point) using the next 100ml beakers
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Needed for Plankton Identification
Use pictures and drawings for id.
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Palmer Pollution Index
In 1969 Mervin Palmer , a scientist, developed a
composite rating of algae and their toleration of
organic pollution. The index lists 20 algal
genera and their corresponding pollution values.
If there are 50 or more specimens per
milliliter of water .a pollution index score can
be obtained.
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THE PALMER POLLUTION INDEX
Scientists in 1969 developed a method to
determine the level of organic pollution in a
sample of fresh water (lake, pond, or river) by
studying the algae (plankton ) in a sample of
water. A pollution index of 1-5 was assigned to
each of 20 types of algae that are most tolerant
to organic pollution. Types of algae most
tolerant of organic pollution were assigned a
factor of 5. Less tolerant types were assigned a
lower number. The index is called the Palmer
Pollution Index. Organisms that drift
around in bodies of both fresh and salt water and
do not have the swimming strength to win the
battle against currents are called plankton. The
plantlike single celled organisms, such as
algae, that produce their own food from sunlight,
water, and carbon dioxide through photosynthesis,
are known as phytoplankton. Phytoplankton,
due to their abundance and presence at the base
of the food chain, are very important organisms
in aquatic ecosystems.
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Palmer ScoresPalmer, C. Mervin. 1969. A
composite rating of algae tolerating organic
pollution. Journal of Phycology. 5 (1) 78-82
Evidence of high organic pollution
Moderate pollution
Low organic pollution
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GRAPHS
A LOOK AT COLLECTED DATA
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Precipitation Samples pH Levels
pH
Averages Manhattan 5.40 Brooklyn 4.02
Connecticut 4.80
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3 Lakes.3 pH Levels
pH
New York City Brooklyn
Ridgefield, Ct.
pH 6.80 pH
5.60 pH 6.0
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WATER SAMPLES AND CORRELATING PALMER INDEX SCORES
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Data Collected from Different Lakes in Three
Locations
The Palmer Results Below are Tangible Proof
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Average of 3 calculated Palmer Pollution Index
Scores for the 3 Lakes
Palmer Index Scores
( 12 )
( 19.33 ) (
8.66 )
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Lake in Central Park
Lake in Prospect Pk.
Lake Mamanasco, Ct.
Palmer Index Counts
Palmer Index Counts
Palmer Index Counts

• 9
• 8
• 9
• Average 8.66

• 20
• 19
• 19
• Average 19.33

• 13
• 12
• 11
• Average 12

With a Palmer Count of 19.33, the Lake in
Prospect Park shows an algae population that
exhibits a pollution index which is quite high.
Many of its genera of algae are found in
polluted waters.
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Interpretation of Data (cont.)
Both
The Lake in Central Park
Lake Mamanasco, Ct.
Scored below 14 (12 8.66) on the Palmer
Pollution Indexwhich indicates low or absence
of organic pollution
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CONCLUSION
The pH levels of rain collected in Brooklyn,
which was acidic (pH 4.02), and the pH level of
the Lake in Prospect Park,also acidic.at (pH
5.60)..and a Pollution Index score
Was Proven
of nearly 20 (19) showed evidence of organic
pollution and generally a more vulnerable
ecosystem with more evident signs of poor marine
health. The other two lakes showed similar
relationships however the acid levels and
pollution levels were not as great.
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If I were to do this experiment again

• Do the test during different seasons (e.g.)
  summer, spring, and fall, when weather and light
  will be different
• When establishing a local rain pH ( try not to
  use snow) (e.g.) only summer or spring
• More attention could be given to the bedrock
  formation of each lake.e.g. limestone or granite

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Acid Rain Damage to Forests
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Acid Rain Damage to Buildings Monuments
Building Facades
Statues and Monuments
Cleopatras Needle Central Park, New York City
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Damage to Human Health
If SO2 (sulfur dioxide) is breathed in, the
moisture in the lungs can turn it into sufuric
acid, and do harm.
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The Death of A Lake..in Australia
Crystal clear blue watersbut, no life..a dead
lake from acid rain damage
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In the words of Al Gore
This apostle of all things digital is the first
to admit that technology alone will not reverse
the damage done. He says its going to take a
shift in consciousness.
Time Magazine, January, 2008
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shift in Consciousnessstate of awareness,
especially of something within
ourselves.
Apply new technologies..CLEAN Coal taking
out the sulphur..hydrogen fuel cell cars
busses..use of wind and solar power, Clean air
laws for the entire world
Global spiritual revival and a cleaner Earth
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August Dennis
and
Daniel Gomes
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Works Cited

• Books
• Boyle, Robert H. Acid Rain, New York Random
  House, April, 1993
• Dashefsky, H. Environmental Science. New York
  McGraw-Hill,1994
• Edmonds, Alex. A Closer Look At Acid Rain,
  Brookfield, Ct. Copper
• Beech Books, l997
• Luoma, Jon. Troubled Skies, Troubled Waters The
  Story of Acid Rain.
• New York Viking Press (Adult), January, 1984
• Morgan, S. Acid Rain, Boston Grolier Publishing,
  1999
• Parks, Peggy, J. Acid Rain, Farmington, Michigan
  Kid Haven Press,
• May, 2006
• Tyson, Peter, Acid Rain-Earth At Risk, New York
  Chelsea House
• Publications, February, l992
• Encyclopedia
• Banister, Keith. Campbell, Andrew, Drifters and
  WanderersThe
• Ecology of Plankton. The Encyclopedia of
  Aquatic Life, 1985.

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Works Cited (cont.)

• Journals
• Cairns, J., Algae as Indicators of Environmental
  Change, Journal of
• Applied Phycology, vol. 6, Numbers 5-6,
  December, l994.
• Jafari, N. G. Assessment of a freshwater
  pollution index using Palmer
• And Niggards indices with special reference to
  phytoplankton,
• International Journal on Algae, vol. 8, Issue 2,
  2006.
• Palmer, Mervin. A composite rating of algae
  tolerating organic
• Pollution, Journal of Phycology and
  International Journal of
• Algal Research, vol. 5, Issue 1, March, 1969.

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Works Cited (cont.)

• Magazine Articles
• Bono, Al Gore, The Former Vice President, now a
  Nobel laureate,
• has become Americas environmental conscience,
  Time Jan.
• 2008, 96-98.
• Scherer, Glenn, The Ecology of Trail Lands, Part
  3 A Dirty, Deadly, Rain is a FallinAir
  Pollution Over American Trails, American Hiker
  October 10, 2000
• Studies
• Boylen, Sutherland, Bloomfield, Phytoplankton
  Species vs pH, The
• Adirondack Effects Assessment Program,
  Polytechnic Institute
• Bureau of Watershed Assessment, May, l992.
• Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station,
  Acid Rainsources and
• Effects in Connecticut, New Haven January,
  1983.
• Howard, H. H. Phytoplankton Studies of Adirondack
  Mountain Lakes,
• Skidmore College, Saratoga, Springs, N.Y
  October, 1968.
• Sexton, M. Comparative Lake Study of 5 Lakes in
  the Adirondack
• Region, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute,
  August, 1995.

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Works Cited (cont.)

• Website or Webpage
• Algaebase (culture collection of algae and
  protozoa), January, 2008
• www.algaebase.org
• Environment Canada, Acid Rain FAQ,
• http//www.atl.ec.gc.ca/msc/as/acidfaq.html
• Environment Canada, Acid Rain and the Facts,
  www.ec.gc.ca
• Environmental Education Outdoor Monitoring
  Products, What are
• you testing? http//www.lamotte.com/pages/edu/pro
  ject.html
• Plankton NetProject Make Your Own Plankton Net
• httpwww.biosci.ohiou.edu/faculty/currie/ocean/ma
  keanet.htm