HomeMy WebLinkAbout01. County Science and Engineering Fair - Excellence in Water Research Awards Student Winnder Page 1 of 6
Item 1.
CENTRALSAN
Jdf A- hom
CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA SANITARY DISTRICT
May 26, 2022
TO: HONORABLE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FROM: EMILYBARNETT, COMMUNICATIONS AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: PHILIP LEIBER, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
ROGER S. BAILEY, GENERAL MANAGER
SUBJECT: PRESENTATION BYMAHIKAARYA, SENIORAT DOUGHERTYVALLEY
HIGH SCHOOL IN SAN RAMON, WINNER OF THE CONTRA COSTA
COUNTYSCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR - EXCELLENCE IN WATER,
WASTEWATER AND RECYCLED WATER RESEARCH AWARD:
FIRST TIER WINNER: "TESTING THE IMPACT OF PHARMACEUTICAL
POLLUTANTS ON PLANT GROWTH"
The 2022 Contra Costa County Science and Engineering Fair took place March 11, 2022 virtually. This
was the ninth year that eleven Contra Costa County water and wastewater agencies combined efforts to
create the Regional Excellence in Water, Wastewater and Recycled Water Research Awards. Central San
staff members helped coordinate the event and judge the technical exhibit submissions. Within Central
San's service area, the following award winner was named:
First Tier:
Mahika Arya
Dougherty Valley High School, San Ramon.
Project Title: "Testing the impact of pharmaceutical pollutants on plant growth"
Prize: $300
Ms. Arya, who is in 12th grade at Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon, will give a presentation on
her project at the meeting.
The Dougherty Valley Biology Department will also receive a prize of $100 as a sponsor.
Strategic Plan re-In
GOAL ONE: Customer and Community
Strategy 1—Deliver high-quality customer service, Strategy 2—Maintain a positive reputation
May 26, 2022 Special Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 7 of 532
Page 2 of 6
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Student Presentation
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Testingthe ImpactofPharmaceutical
Pollution on •
Research Question: How are plants impacted by pouring household
medicines down the drain?
Hypothesis: Plant growth will significantly reduce/plants will die after
exposure to medicines that are disposed thanks to specific
materials/ingredients that disrupt cell life.
Background Research
• Plant growth and toxic water has been studied significantly
over the past few years
• Impact of medicine as a toxic material has not been as
extensively researched,
• Known that medicine-infused water can come back into
drinking or tap water
• Plants are essential to sustaining nature (ecosystems, carbon
sequestration, food)
o If plants are severely impacted by medicine --+ many
natural systems will collapse
• Anywhere from 10-80% of medicine in water may remain
unfiltered, depending on water filtration service used
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Materials
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Serological pipet Medicines:Acetaminophen (A) Mortar and pestle
and Ibuprofen(left to right)
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Plants and seeds: Lettuce, Snapdragon,Tomato, Sunflower
Create 4 serial dilutions of medicines -
(50 mL water, one dose of medicine)
Label six plants (used lettuce and Label seeds (used tomato, wheatgrass,
snapdragon): 4 with acetaminophen dilutions, sunflower): two of each dilution of
two controls acetaminophen and ibuprofen, eight controls of
each seed
Pour 9 mL of water in Placed seeds in 2 mL
respective plant every 2 days of respective
Observe growth of
plants/seeds
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LETTUCE SNAPDRAGON
Dilution: 10 (A) Dilution: Control 2 Dilution: 10 (A) Dilution: Control 1
Plants: all non-control plants grew an average of
1.927 cm between days 1 and 2 of watering, and
wilted an average of 0.9 cm. The control plants
showed no wilting.
Dilution: 0.00008(A)
Conclusion
• Medicine-infused waters deteriorated plant growth
• Halted or slowed down germination of seeds
• Appear to have damaged inter-organism features
(chloroplasts with browning, cell walls with gaps between
cells, etc.)
• Supports hypothesis: normal cell life was disrupted after
introduction of medicine-infused water
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Future Research/Applications
• What parts of plant cells are specifically targeted by
medicine-infused water?
• How can this impact be remidiated?
• Do certain medicines pose more of a danger to plant health?
• At what concentration does medicine-infused water become
a major worry?
• Create improved filters to preserve bplant life better
• Create new procedures to dispose of medicine
• Preserve small and large-scale plant life better with this
information
May 26, 2022 Special Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 12 of 532