technical paper. class no. 9 & 29. sapphire

8/14/2019 Technical Paper. Class no. 9 & 29. Sapphire

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Class numbers 9 & 291 Sapphire

Philippine Science High School Western Visayas

Investigatory Project

Title: Pollutant Absorbency on Different Soil Types

I. Background of the Study

Soil is created slowly and destroyed easily. Soil is mainly made up of rock

debris and organic materials, such as decomposed plants and animals.Microbes live in the soil, causing dead organisms to decay to help return

nutrients to the soil. Soil is made up of organic and mineral particles.

Pollution Problems

Pollution is a daily problem and hazard to the human race as well as all other

things on earth, living or not. Water, air and soil pollution is constant anddeadly to all organisms that come to inhabit on, in or near a toxic area ofpollutants. Even as we try to reduce the amount of litter, smoke, pollution

and excess carbon dioxide, we will never be able to save all that we ashumans have damaged in the many years past. Yet, knowing the causes

could lead to solutions.

Soil VS Pollution

Day by day, we are connected to soil directly or indirectly with almosteverything we use. When we walk into a building, the ground is holding it up.

Vegetables and fruits we eat gain nutrients from soil that are fed to the plant

through its roots. Animals that eat the healthy plants for nutrients also giveus nutrients. Sadly, because soil is created slowly and easily destroyed, it is

commonly polluted in areas near heavy traffic, large cities and dumping sites.Since more pollutants are accidentally spilled, prevention is more important.

Common Cause of Pollution

Every average human usually has one or more vehicles of transportation,namely, a car. As each car is destroyed or ruined in an accident, the fuels and

gasses and pollutants that once were the main "juices" of the car are now just deadly toxins leaking into a nearby stream, field or water tank,

eventually contaminating any thing that comes intact with it.

II. Problem Of The Study

Does soil porosity and pollutant viscosity affect the absorbency of the soil topollutant?


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III. Hypothesis

1) If the soil is with less porosity then it is the most absorbent.2) If the pollutant is more viscous then it is more absorbent.

IV. Objectives of the Study

The purpose of this experiment was to determine which polypedon (type ofsoil) was most absorbent of liquid pollutants.

The information gained from this experiment will benefit farmers, gardenersand botanists who have soil pollution problems to better understand

absorbency in different types of soil.

V. Experimental Design

A. Variables

The constants in this study were:

The filter used

Amount of pollutants (250 ml)

Amount of soil filtered (250 mg)

Number of trials on 1 soil type with 1 kind of pollutant

Temperature of pollutants (21C )

The manipulated variable was the type of soil filtered and the kind of pollutant being

filtered. Each kind of soil (sand and clay) filtered each kind of pollutant (oil, gas)

three times.

The responding variable was the amount of pollutants that filtered through the 250

mg of soil.

B. Materials

QUANTITY ITEM DESCRIPTION

1 Plastic Filter750mL Sand, Clay

750mL Oil, Gasoline

30 (16oz) plastic cups

500mL Graduated Cylinder

1 Scratch Paper

1 Organized Table


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1Stop Watch or watch with a

second hand

C. Procedure

1.) Create a clean and organized area near a working sink or tub of water.2.) Place 1 plastic cup on the table.3.) Set filter in the cup so it is sturdy.

4.) Carefully put 250mg of soil 1 in filter.5.) Accurately measure 250mL of oil in a graduated cylinder.

6.) Pour oil onto soil 1 slowly and steadily.7.) Once oil is completely out of the cylinder begin timing filtering for 60 seconds

with the stopwatch.8.) After the 60 seconds are completed, immediately remove filter from the cup and

set it in the sink. Immediately clean up any spills if you have any.9.) Once the filter is in the sink pour the remaining oil in the cup, into the graduated

cylinder. Record the amount on the piece of scratch paper, but this is not your finalmeasurement.

10.) On the same paper as the recorded measurement, write the following equation:250 - pollutants remaining = pollutants absorbed, and solve it by filling in the

numbers where the variables are.

11.) Record the difference to the equation in step 10 on the organized table.12.) Repeat steps 1-11 two times with the same pollutant and the same soil.

13.) Repeat steps 1-11 three times with the same pollutant and soil 2.14.) Repeat steps 1-11 three times with gasoline and soils 1 and 2.

VI. Photographs


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The results of the experiment were that the oil and clay combination was the mostabsorbent as we suspected, but some oil just sat on the top because it was so thick.

The clay absorbed an average of 220.33mL of oil, 112and 132.33mL of gasoline. Thesand absorbed an average of 126mL of oil, and 138mL of gasoline. We noticed that

the gasoline ran right through both soils quickly because they were both thin, likewater.

VIII. Conclusion

Our first hypothesis was that the soil with less porosity would be most absorbent.

Our second hypothesis was that the more viscous pollutant would be most

absorbent.

The results indicate that my first hypothesis should be accepted.

The results also indicate that the second hypothesis should be accepted.

technical paper. class no. 9 & 29. sapphire

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