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Water Pollution Science Fair Project

Boatyard Runoff and Heavy Metal Pollution

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Boatyard Runoff and Heavy Metal Pollution | Science Fair Projects | STEM Projects
How much copper, lead, and zinc leak into the water near a boatyard? Antifouling paint on boat hulls contains heavy metals that slowly dissolve into surrounding water. You collect water samples from four locations: a boatyard, a marina, a beach, and a tap. You send 10 bottles from each site to a lab for heavy metal testing. The boatyard water contains far more copper, lead, and zinc than any other location.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that the water sample obtained from the boatyard will have the highest level of copper content.

Method & Materials

You will label small glass bottles with the locations from which the water samples are obtained, fill each bottle with water from the appropriate location, and send the bottles to a lab to test for heavy metals.
You will need 40 small glass bottles, writing materials, and a black marker.

Results

The results showed that the water sample obtained near the boatyard contained the highest amount of copper, lead, and zinc, followed by the water sample from the marina area. This proves the hypothesis to be true.

Why do this project?

This science project is interesting and unique because it explores how antifouling paint affects the environment and marine life.

Also Consider

Experiment variations include collecting water samples from other locations, such as ship ports or beaches along busy shipping routes, and testing for other pollutants such as oil or organic chemicals.

Full project details

Additional information and source material for this project are available below.

Related videos

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