The effect of sunscreen on different types of freshwater plants

Objectives

My objective was to see how sunscreen would affect freshwater plants in their normal habitat. I tested this by adding sunscreen to a tank full of freshwater plants.

Materials and Methods

In my experiment I used 4 different types of freshwater plants; Anubia, Amazon Sword, Kleiner Bar, Narrow Leaf plants. I used 2 tanks,300 mL of Coppertone kids sunscreen and pebbles. First, I put the pebbles in the tank, then filled the tank with water. Next, I put the plants in and added the sunscreen to the experimental group once. The experiment lasted 12 days and I specifically measured one leaf in centimeters from each plant to identify the sunscreen effect and I kept track of the correct leaf by loosely tying a string to it.

Results

The results were based on the height of each of the four plant leafs (cm) over the span of 12 days. Overall, all the experimental groups' leaves lengths shrunk : Anubia: 46-40 cm/Narrow leaf 45-39 cm/Kleiner bar 37-32 cm/Amazon Sword: 31-23 cm. The control group stayed healthy and the length was: Anubia: 29-29/Narrow leaf 36-36/Kleiner bar 35-35/ Amazon sword:58-58.

Conclusion

In conclusion, sunscreen can be harmful to freshwater plants. My hypothesis was testing what would happen: If you pour 150 ml of sunscreen into a tank with freshwater plants, then the plants would be dried out. My hypothesis was supported and now I know that we need another way to protect our skin from the sun.

Deadly algae: How fertilizers create algae blooms and decrease dissolved oxygen levels

Objectives

Our objective was to find which fertilizer causes the most algae growth and how that algae growth affects dissolved oxygen levels. With the goal of showing how fertilizer runoff makes its way into aquatic environments and affects them.

Materials and Methods

Our experiment used 3 different fertilizers (monoammonium phosphate, liquid nitrogen, miracle-gro plant food) in two different concentrations (1mL and 2mL). In each flask there was 100 mL of conditioned water, 100 mL of algae gro, and 3 mL of chlorella algae. With three of each flasks for 1mL of each fertilizer and three flasks for 2mL of each fertilizer. We let the algae grow for 2 weeks and took measurements every three days with a dissolved oxygen probe (to measure dissolved oxygen in the water) and a spectrometer (to measure the amount of algae through transmittance).

Results

The results were based on an average transmittance and dissolved oxygen after the 14th day. We found that our flasks containing 1 mL of liquid nitrogen grew the least (83.05 %)and had the highest Dissolved oxygen level (4.76 DO). Which makes sense because there is a direct correlation between algae growth and dissolved oxygen based on research. This is also seen with 1 mL of miracle gro having the most growth (64.6%) and the least dissolved oxygen (4.5 DO).

Conclusion

In conclusion, our data proves that algae growth from fertilizer runoff does affect dissolved oxygen levels which in the long term affects aquatic life negatively.

Chemical vs. Natural: Which key ingredient works best at preventing ants?

Objectives

My objective was to see if a chemical or natural repellent works better at preventing bugs. To do this, I dipped two pieces of apple in Lemon Eucalyptus Oil and DEET repellent with both a 30% concentration on two different days and released the ants at the opposite end of the cage.

Materials and Methods

My experiment used two types of repellents and different key ingredients with the same concentration of 30%: DEET and Lemon Eucalyptus Oil. To test the effectiveness of these repellents I placed the ants on one end and the apple which they were fed regularly, but this time covered in repellent on the opposite end with blue tape marking the ½ , ¼ and ¾ marks of the cage. I waited 30 minutes to see the distance between the apple slice with pesticide and ants.

Results

The results were based on how close the ants got to the bait. I did two trials per group; in the first experimental group (DEET) I got a combined average distance traveled of 36.21 cm. In the second experimental group (Lemon Eucalyptus Oil), I got the combined average distance traveled of 38.6 cm.

Conclusion

In conclusion the DEET prevented the ants from the bait the best. My results support my hypothesis because I hypothesized that the DEET would travel the least out of all the groups. Now I know what repellent to use when going outside and that this repellent will be best for keeping the bugs away. 

Is it Safe to Swim?

Objectives

High ocean bacteria levels are produced through storm runoff. I tested to see if an enclosed beach or open beach was impacted more by storm runoff. In addition, how many days after a storm you should wait until the water is safe to swim in again (0 days, 1 day, 3 days, and 5 days after a storm).

Methods

I tested Mothers Beach (enclosed) and Annenberg Beach (open) on days 0, 1, 3, and 5 after a storm. I collected the water using sterile screw cap tubes. The water was swabbed onto petri dishes using sterile swabs and then put into an incubator for 2 days. I counted the colonies in each petri dish.

Results

Mothers and Annenberg beach had 0 colonies on day 0. On day 1, Mothers had an average of 10 while Annenberg had an average of 0. On day 3, the average of Mothers was 1.5 colonies, and Annenberg had 3.25 colonies. On day 5, Mothers average had 4.75 and Annenberg had 0.

Conclusion

The enclosed beach on day 1, 3, and 5 all had higher averages than the open beach. This is due to poor circulation. The 3 day rule did not work for the enclosed beach as it had bacteria on day five. In the future, after a storm at an enclosed beach I suggest waiting longer than 5 days to go swimming. At an open beach the 3 day rule works as a measured time marker for safe swimming.

Arsenic in Drinking Water: Comparing Arsenic Levels in Different Socioeconomic Neighborhoods of Los Angeles

Objectives

My objective was to see if the social economic class of a neighborhood affects the quality of its water. To do this, I gathered water samples from Brentwood, Del Rey, and Pico-Union, along with distilled water, and tested the arsenic levels.

Materials and Methods

I used tap water from Brentwood, Del Rey, Pico-Union, and distilled water. I used distilled water as the control group and tap water from Brentwood, Del Rey, and Pico-Union as the experimental groups. I collected water samples from distinct regions of Los Angeles and tested the arsenic levels in the water using Rapid Arsenic Water Quality Test Kit. I followed the provided directions for my procedure. I poured the testing water into a provided bottle, shook it in different reactants, and then put the test strip above the water, through the cap for 10 minutes. After that, I collected and communicated my data.

Results

The results were based on the average of 2 samples from each location. The high-income neighborhood (Brentwood) had the lowest amount of arsenic (averaging at 4 ppb), both Del Rey and distilled water had averages of 5 ppb, and Pico-Union had the highest amount of arsenic, averaging at 8.5 ppb.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the water from high-class neighborhoods (Brentwood) had the lowest amount of traceable arsenic. This supports my hypothesis because I hypothesized that the higher-class neighborhood would have the lowest amount of arsenic. Now I know that social economic class does affect the quality of tap water in LA. 

You cannot B. Cereus: Bacteria growth at school

Objectives

My objective was to see how much bacteria will grow from surfaces at my school. I did this to determine if students and faculty are at risk of infection, by culturing samples from 5 different locations.

Materials and Methods

My experiment tested five different locations: the bathroom, the costume closet, the frozen yogurt handle, a desk, and a doorknob, with the control group being a cleaned desk. I swabbed each location four times, and cultured each separately on a Petri dish for 48 hours. They were cultured on campus in an incubator, then I calculated the average.

Results

The costume closet grew the most bacteria averaging 20.3. Although, the costume closet Petri dishes grew something that was not bacteria and was not included in the average. The group that grew the second most bacteria is the froyo handle, which averaged 5.5 colonies. Third place was the desk, which averaged 2.75 colonies. The fourth was the doorknob, which averaged 0.5 colonies. Last, was the bathroom, averaging 0.25 colonies.

Conclusion

In conclusion, students and faculty are partly at risk, because while the costume closet grew a lot of bacteria, it is rarely used. I hypothesized that the costume closet would grow the most because it is rarely cleaned and has time to collect bacteria. The groups that grew the least were the spaces used most often. Now I know that spaces used not often are just as likely if not more to grow bacteria.

Fueled by algae: Determining which type of algae produces the most oil that can be used for biodiesel to power modes of transportation

Objectives

My goal was to determine which type of algae (Ulothrix, Tribonema and Chlorella vulgaris) produces the most biofuel. Biofuel is a more environmentally friendly way to power automobiles; therefore, it is essential to find the best algae for its production.

Materials and Methods

I grew three algae species (Tribonema, Ulothrix, and Chlorella vulgaris) within three flasks each holding 100 mL of water, 100 mL of algae grow, and 3mL of the designated algal culture. Over two weeks, I used a spectrometer to test the transmittance of each algae every three days. After two weeks, I extracted the algae using a coffee filter and let it dry. However, the algae dried, becoming stuck to the coffee filters and no longer usable. My experiment had to finish here. My intention was to collect the algae, combine it with acetone and isopropanol, then distill it to make algal oil.

Results

Ulothrix produced the most algae (11.90% and 0.2g), whereas Chlorella Vulgaris produced the least (59.28% and 0.1g). Tribonema came in

the center (51.56% and 0.2g). In the future, I'll need to grow the algae for a longer length of time in order to collect a sufficient quantity and use a different extraction procedure.

Conclusion

Due to complications, I was unable to determine which type of algae produced the most oil, but I was able to discover which type of algae produces the most mass for biofuel production. Ulothrix is the most ideal algae for biofuel production.

Effects of glyphosate-based roundup on gonad mass and cellular structure in freshwater mussels

Objectives

My objective was to see if the addition of a glyphosate-based herbicide, an endocrine disruptor, could decrease the gonad mass, this would show that the mussel has been feminized. Thus showing the effects of herbicide runoff on aquatic life.

Materials and Methods

My experiment used 3 different concentrations of Roundup (glyphosate-based herbicide) in mussel tanks: 0 mg/l, 5 mg/l, and 10 mg/l. I constructed three 6L tanks, containing 3 pieces of elodea, 3 cm of coarse sand, 6 pellets of daphnia food, and 4-5 mussels per tank. I left mussels in their environment for 14 days. I dissected the gonad and used their mass and length to calculate their BMI. After this, I made impressions of the gonad to look at the cellular structure.

Results

My results were based on the average gonad BMI (Kg/m^3). There was a linear decrease in mussel mass as the concentration of herbicide increased. The control group had a BMI of 0.72 Kg/m^3. The tank with 5 mg/l of Roundup had a BMI of 0.49 Kg/m^3. The tank with 10 mg/l concentration of Roundup had a BMI of 0.39Kg/m^3. I didn't find a correlation between the addition of glyphosate and the cellular structure in the impressions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the higher concentrations of glyphosate lowered BMI. I hypothesized the groups with the higher concentrations of Round-up would have a lower gonad mass. My data supports this.

The Bystander Effect on Humans

Objectives

My objective was to test the bystander effect in my school. To do this, I tested how the number of people in a room, 1, 3, 5, and 10 people affects the time it takes for someone to offer help.

Materials and Methods

Before I ran my trials, I had possible participants fill out a pre-participation form and those who chose to participate filled out a consent form. Using that information I formed groups of 1, 3, 5, and 10 people, and gave each participant a number they would be referred to during the experiment. At the beginning of the trials, I had participants in each group to take a questionnaire form, then 5 minutes in, I dropped a bucket full of supplies. Then, my supervisor measured the amount of time it took for someone to offer help starting from when I dropped the bucket.

Results

My data had no definitive trend between the different trials. The group of 10 helped the fastest in 5.78 seconds, then the group of 3 in 11.21 seconds. When someone was alone, they took 18 seconds to help out, and the slowest was the group of 5 with 62 seconds.

Conclusion

My results disproved my hypothesis because I hypothesized that a person alone in a room would help the fastest following the bystander effect. My data should have trended upwards, but the largest group helped in the least amount of time. This demonstrates that the bystander effect isn’t always in effect.

Effect of common antibiotics (Penicillin, ampicillin, and neomycin) on gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis) and gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria

Objectives

My objective was to see if gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria would respond differently to various types of antibiotics. This will provide information on which common antibiotic to take when dealing with an illness caused by gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria.

Materials and Methods

To do this, I swabbed 10 petri dishes with E. coli (gram-negative), 10 petri dishes with Bacillus subtilis (gram-positive), and 10 petri dishes were left sterile. I then placed one of each antibiotic disc (penicillin, ampicillin, and neomycin) on each petri dish and incubated them. After two days, I measured the Zone of Inhibition (ZOI) in millimeters.

Results

My results from my group of Bacillus subtilis found that ampicillin was the most effective antibiotic against it, with the average ZOI being 6.72 mm and neomycin being the least effective, with the average ZOI being 5.76 mm. The average ZOI of the group with penicillin was 5.91 mm. My data from my control group found that there was no growth in any of the petri dishes. However, the data from my group of petri dishes containing E. coli was inconclusive because of experimental error.

Conclusion

My results were inconclusive and therefore disproved my hypothesis, which was that the petri dishes containing Bacillus subtilis will have a larger zone of inhibition. My petri dishes containing E. coli should have had significant ZOIs, but they did not because of an error I made, making my results inconclusive.

Saffron VS Cancer: How Saffron affects the Regeneration of Neoblasts in Planaria

Objectives

My objective was to determine if saffron had an impact on the neoblasts' ability to regrow in planaria. I compared the regrowth of a control group of planaria to a group of planaria fed saffron to achieve this. I divided the planaria into two different experimental groups to test if the timing of saffron being added to the diet of planaria affects the regrowth.

Materials and Methods

My experiment used 30 planaria and 5 grams of saffron. There were three groups of ten planaria each. The first batch of 10 planaria, known as the control group, received nothing but their regular diet of egg yolks. The experimental A group was the second, and they only received saffron and egg yolk after being cut. Saffron was given to Experimental B both before and after being cut, along with egg yolk.

Results

The findings are not entirely clear, and the planned level of precision in the measurement differences was not entirely achieved. However, there was a result that supported my hypothesis—the control group grew longer than the experimental groups. The control group regrew to a size of 0.5 cm whereas Experimental Group 2 regrew slowest with an average size of 0.3 cm.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the data supports my hypothesis that the control group would grow longer than both control groups. The results could have been more precise but the results did provide a decent change between groups. Now I am aware that saffron will slightly slow planaria growth.

Building an Aerodynamic, Sustainable Steam Engine

Objectives 

Our objective was to create an efficient steam engine model. We investigated different handmade turbine designs and measured how much energy was produced from each. Steam energy is one of the most efficient sustainable energy sources, which is why we want to determine the best design. 

Materials and Methods 

Our experimental groups consisted of four different types of turbines attached to a steam engine model: One 6-winged, curved 3D printed turbine, one 6-wing rounded 3D printed turbine, one handmade vertical curved axis rotation turbine made from aluminum, and one handmade vertical rounded turbine made out of PVC pipe. To execute this, we will attach a wire stand to a slab of wood, and rest a can full of water on top. The can will have a small tube that the steam can escape from. We will attach a piece of pvc pipe to the wood and attach a motor to that. This will be our base that we use throughout our experiment. We will attach each of our previously described turbines to this base separately during testing. The differences in our experimental groups are the different turbines we have attached to our steam engine model. This was so we could see what type of turbine would produce the most volts measured with a voltmeter. 

Conclusion

We are still in the process of experimenting. Our results will be presented at the LACSEF.

Battling with Broccoli: The effects of sulforaphane on oxidative stress in C.elegans

Objectives

My objective was to see if sulforaphane (found in cruciferous vegetables) can decrease the effects of hydrogen peroxide induced oxidative stress in c.elegans. Oxidative stress has many harmful effects on our health, such as increased risk of cancer and heart disease. I wanted to see if sulforaphane can decrease that.

Methods

To test this I gave c.elegans sulforaphane dosages of 0, 200 ?M, and 400 ?M of sulforaphane, which was applied to an LB broth inoculated with their OP50 E.coli food source. I treated the C. elegans with this broth for 2 days before inducing oxidative stress by applying 1mM of H2O2 directly to their habitat. I measured the survival rate of the c.elegans after 30 min, 4h, 8h, and 24h of having oxidative stress induced.

Results

I found that the higher doses of sulforaphane decreased the death rate of the c.elegans. In my group with 400 ?M (1.06g) of sulforaphane, on average 2.4 C.elegans died, while 23.6 C.elegans died on average in my group with only H2O2. In my group with 200?M (0.53g) of sulforaphane, 7.5 C.elegans died on average. From this data you can see that the death rate gets lower, as the sulforaphane dose gets higher.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the highest dose of sulforaphane decreased the effects of oxidative stress the most. This proves my hypothesis correct because I hypothesized that the higher doses of sulforaphane would lead to an increased survival rate.

Textiles Reaching Out Miles: How Washing your Clothes Pollutes the Environment with Microfibers 

Objectives

My objective is to discover what fabric is the most environmentally damaging and whether a Cora Ball, a microfiber filter, prevents microplastic pollution during the washing process, as 35% of microplastic pollution comes from textile usage.

Materials and Methods

I cut 4 fabric types (polyester, rayon, nylon, and cotton) to 8 4in. by 4in. squares. For each fabric, I washed 4 squares separately with the Cora Ball and 4 squares without. For each group, I filled a 5 gallon bucket with the released water. I used a vacuum filtration system to extract microfibers in the water. Prior to filtration, I measured the masses of the filter paper. After filtration, I measured the filter paper final mass and used a microscope at 20x to collect photos of the microfibers on the filter paper.

Results

Polyester had the highest average mass of emitted microfibers at 0.0207 g (cotton: 0.0190 g, rayon: 0.0130 g, nylon 0.0070 g, control group: 0.0048 g). The Cora Ball had an average 64% reduction in mass (polyester: 95%, cotton: 86%, rayon: 56%, nylon: 21%, control group: 64%). Rayon had the highest average visible microfibers at 60 (cotton: 57, polyester: 46, nylon 28, control group: 16). The visible microfibers decreased an average 56% with the Cora Ball (cotton; 73%, polyester: 84%, nylon 60%, control group: 62%).

Conclusion

The Cora Ball effectively decreased microfiber amounts during washing. Polyester and rayon had the most microfibers measurements, suggesting that microfiber pollution primarily comes from synthetics.

Global Worm-ing: Climate Change and Lumbriculus Variegatus

Objectives:

My objective was to explore the effects of climate change. I did this by keeping 10 California blackworms in 8 different temperatures (16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, and 30 degrees celsius) in a water bath for 20 minutes before finding their pulses to see if the worms’ pulses would increase with the temperature. These temperatures were used to simulate the temperatures of water now and in the future where blackworms live, based on the effect of climate change.

Methods:

To achieve the temperatures (16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, and 30 degrees Celsius), blackworms were put in capillary tubes in petri dishes placed in a water bath. After 20 minutes, they were taken out of the bath and viewed with a digital microscope to see their pulse rates.

Results:

The worms in temperatures 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, and 30 degrees Celsius had average pulses (bpm) of 6.1, 7.7, 6.4, 6.6, 7.2, 9.4, 11, and 10.5, respectively. The worms in 16 and 18 degrees moved significantly less than those in temperatures 28 and 30. Although the worms’ pulses did not increase with heat linearly, they did generally increase.

Conclusion:

This information is relevant as it provides more information about the effect of heat increase on aquatic organisms, as well as how pulse rate correlates to movement; more experiments highlighting the effects of global warming may encourage others to create more change to help the environment. 

Making Life Sweeter: A study on how Sugar and Coenzyme Q10 reduce Huntington’s Disease Symptoms

Objectives

My objective was to see if coenzyme Q10 (coQ10) and increased/decreased sugar can reduce Huntington’s Disease (HD) symptoms.

Materials and Methods

To do this, I used genetically engineered fruit flies with HD and placed them inside an activity monitor with varying treatments. I measured the amount of counts (amount of times the fly went back and forth in the activity monitor tubes). There were 5 groups: Added Sugar- 1.5g, Reduced Sugar- 0.5g, coQ10- 50mg, coQ10- 50mg/Added Sugar- 1.5g, and a Control group. The treatment was poured in tubes (in food form) which was then put in the Activity Monitor.

Results

The results were based on the total amount of counts after 48 hours. The coQ10 group had the most average counts (758), while the coQ10 and Added Sugar group came in second with 645 counts (which was predicted to have the most). Next, came the Reduced Sugar group with 602 counts and second to last came the control group with 588 counts. The added sugar group had the least amount of counts of 333.3.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my hypothesis is rejected, meaning that the coQ10 group had more counts than the coQ10 and added sugar group. I now know that giving HD patients coenzyme is the best way to reduce symptoms of HD and make their lives happier.

Using Homemade Magnetite Ferrofluid to Extract Microplastics From Water

Objectives

Microplastics are an increasing problem, polluting our oceans and drinking water. It is estimated that the average human consumes 114,000 microplastics each year, and that amount is growing. Magnetite ferrofluid has been proven to be efficient at extracting microplastics from water, but is costly and not widely available. This experiment investigated the efficiency of a more cost effective version of magnetite ferrofluid, composed of synthesized magnetite and vegetable oil.

Methods

The most common types of microplastics were tested (PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP). A 5 g/L microplastic suspension was created with each plastic and tested in twenty milliliter batches with homemade ferrofluid created with a ratio of 0.5 grams of magnetite and 2.5 milliliters of vegetable oil. The suspension was observed under a microscope before and after extraction. The microplastics were counted using photoshop.

Results

The investigation found the homemade ferrofluid was an average of 93.73% effective. The range of the efficiency rate over the different types of plastic was 8.64%, meaning the efficiency rate varies slightly based on the plastic. The method was 97.05% effective on LDPE plastic, 96.00% on HDPE, 95.62% on PVC, 91.59% on PET, and 88.41% on PP plastic.

Conclusion

This more cost effective version of magnetite ferrofluid shows great potential in the removal of microplastics from water from domestic to industrial levels. This method being more widely available than regular ferrofluid will ultimately lead to a greater removal of microplastics worldwide.

Keen on Green Tea: Can Epigallocatechin Gallate prevent Cadmium Chloride induced Cancerous Tumorigenesis within Planarians?

Objective

My objective was to see if epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) could prevent cadmium chloride (CdCl2) induced tumorigenesis, and if so, what concentration works the best. If EGCG can prevent tumors in planaria, then it could possibly be used to prevent tumors in humans.

Methods

I had 5 groups of 10 planaria that I observed for 2 weeks. Control group: PAM, Group 1: 32.7 micromolar CdCl2 , Group 2: 32.7 micromolar CdCl2 + 1 micromolar EGCG, Group 3: 32.7 micromolar CdCl2 + 5 micromolar EGCG, and Group 4: 32.7 micromolar CdCl2 + 10 micromolar EGCG. Each planaria had a separate petri dish that was filled with 10 ml of PAM. I added the EGCG to their respective petri dishes, waited 24 hours, and then added the CdCl2. After 2 weeks, I viewed each planaria individually underneath a microscope at 40x and counted the amount of tumors.

Results

I found that the planaria with 10 micromolar of EGCG had the least amount of tumors, with an average of 1 tumor. Planaria with 5 micromolar of EGCG had on average 2 tumors and planaria with 1 micromolar of EGCG had on average 3 tumors. The control group had no tumors and the group with the addition of only CdCl2 had an average of 6 tumors.

Conclusion

In conclusion, 10 micromolar of EGCG is the best concentration of EGCG for preventing CdCl2 induced tumors in planaria. This supports my hypothesis as I hypothesized that this concentration would have the least amount of tumors.

Plastic Eating PETase (Year 2 with Procedure Modifications)

Objectives

My objective was to see if the enzyme PETase (found naturally in the bacteria Ideonella Sakaiensis) could break down PET plastic over 4 or 8 weeks. The purpose of my project is to find a method to reduce plastic pollution.

Methods

I used an E. Coli bacteria transformed with the gene that produces the enzyme PETase (created by Beckham and Johnson at Addgene). The transformed E. Coli was exposed to a 2cm x 1cm rectangle of PET plastic. In my experiment, I had 3 groups. Experimental groups 1+2 contain PET plastic exposed to the transformed E. Coli in LB broth: group 1 with lysed cells and protease cocktail applied, group 2 with neither procedures. The control contains PET plastic and LB broth. After the 3 groups were set up, half of each group were incubated for 4 weeks, half for 8 weeks.

Results

The results are the average change in mass of each rectangle and if bubbles/holes formed in the plastics’ surface. Results: after 4 weeks, both experimental groups decreased -0.0003g, and control decreased -0.0005g. After 8 weeks, experimental 1 (lysed) decreased -0.0006g, experimental 2 (not lysed) decreased -0.0001g, and the control decreased -0.0002g. Bubbles/holes were formed on both experimental groups after 8 weeks, minimal bubbles were formed on the control.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my results support my hypothesis of experimental 1 (lysed) after 8 weeks reducing the most, however all groups reduced in mass, so I reject my hypothesis.

The Health Implications of Recent Bacterial Waves Along the Coast of Southern California

Objectives

The objective of this experiment was to see the amount of bacteria from populated beaches that have sources of contamination. To do this, I tested the amount of bacterial colonies (in water from four different beaches) visible on Petri dishes after being incubated for 48 hours altogether.

Materials and Methods

In my experiment, I first used an LB agar solution that I made from water and agar powder and poured it into 15 Petri dishes. I collected 360 ml of water from Santa Monica Pier, Mother’s Beach, Topanga State Beach, and Crystal Cove. During my experimental process, I used goggles, approximately 18 pairs of gloves, and sterile swabs to transfer the water to the Petri dishes. I also used the same incubator for all 3 trials, as well as 6 portions of 10% bleach solutions for cleaning surfaces and sterilizing disposed of materials.

Results

In the end, Topanga State Beach had the highest average of bacterial colonies, and Crystal Cove (control group) had the lowest average. Topanga’s waters are very populated and the water had a lot of motion in contrast to Mothers Day Beach in Marina Del Rey, but the samples taken were visibly cloudy, unlike other beaches.

Conclusion

These results disprove my hypothesis because I predicted Santa Monica Pier’s waters to have the most bacterial colonies, but all the experimental beaches had the capacity and contamination history to contest these results, while Crystal Cove had the best environment and lowest bacterial colonies.

Breathe with Ease: Assessing the Efficiency of HEPA Air Filters

Objectives

This experiment aims to test the efficiency of a HEPA filter overtime. To do so, my experiment tested the ability of a HEPA filter to filter incense smoke three times.

Materials and Methods

My experiment simulated air pollution using the smoke from a lit incense stick. The incense sticks were then placed in containers with a HEPA filter covering the top, ensuring that the smoke would pass through the filter. There were three identical containers of varying heights for the incense (5in, 10in, 15in), which further allowed the experiment to analyze HEPA filtering efficiency from varied distances. After filtering, a photometer was used on the filter to assess the structural integrity after each use. This process was repeated three times, which allowed for the filter’s efficiency to be analyzed after multiple uses.

Results & Conclusion

The results are still being collected, and a conclusion cannot yet be determined for this reason.e just as likely if not more to grow bacteria.

Farmers Say Thank You: Finding an Alternative Farming Method Using Electromagnetic Fields

Objectives

My objective was to see if the addition of magnets would aid in the growth of radish seeds. To do this I planted radish seeds in three different pots with varying amounts of magnets in each.

Materials and Methods

Pot #1 had no magnets, pot #2 had 9 total magnets and pot #3 had 15 total magnets. First, I placed ¾ of the soil in the pot and then the magnets. When placing them, I set them apart to create a uniform magnetic field. Once setting up the amount of soil and magnetic fields, I then placed a group of three seeds in six different divots that are 1 inch deep. I lightly tapped soil over the radish seeds to secure them. I watered the plants every other day with about 2 ounces of water at 3 pm. This experiment ran over the course of 30 days.

Results

Results were based on the plant’s height over the course of 30 days. Pot #1 grew the most in the beginning, but towards the end when the plants started decreasing in height, all groups were about the same heights. In the end, many plants died but the only one left standing was in fact living in pot #3 being 6.5 cm.

Conclusion

My experiment found that the addition of magnets stunts the growth of radish seeds. Therefore my hypothesis was not supported by the results of my experiment. I learned that magnets may not be an alternative to farming methods during drought season.

Sweltering Soil: Counteracting Heat and Water Stress in Agriculture Using Hygroscopic Materials

Objectives

My objective was to find how to improve soil moisture retention and how this could impact agriculture for areas with high heat damage. To achieve this I tested the hygroscopic materials; glycerine, dimethyl sulfoxide, and table salt, on broccoli and lettuce to find which would improve the soil water retention.

Materials and Methods

My project used 3 different types of hygroscopic materials; dimethyl sulfoxide, and table salt. For all of the groups, I used regular potting soil. The seeds for both the broccoli and lettuce were pre-germinated for 2 weeks in a petri-dish prior to being placed in the dirt. The dosage of the hygroscopic material was decided; 15 g Table Salt, 15 ml Glycerine, and 15 ml dimethyl sulfoxide. Once placed into the potting soil, the plants were given their first dose of the hygroscopic material and watered with 50 ml of water. Every 2 days the liquid hygroscopic materials, glycerine and dimethyl sulfoxide were re-added and the measurement using a soil meter monitor with a 1-10 point range was taken.

Results

My experiment found that the addition of glycerine, dimethyl sulfoxide, and table salt killed both the broccoli and lettuce plants but retained the water in the soil better than the control groups.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my control group was the only group that didn’t kill the plant, disproving my hypothesis. Now I know that due to the lack of natural crop growth substitutes we must focus on solving the root problem.

Less Stress for the Homeless

Homelessness in Los Angeles is a continually pervasive problem that affects a multitude of communities and families. Mental health is one of the three main reasons for eventual homelessness. This study aims to test whether HomeScreens, a local nonprofit that provides base-line mental health screening tests, can effectively screen and encourage subsequent therapy treatment to those who take the test. Ten tests were administered at three different locations of a pre-existing drop-in center, Hope of the Valley; Tyrone Avenue in Van Nuys, Sherman Way in Sherman Oaks, and Trebek in Northridge. Five volunteers were in charge of test-distribution and thirty-two people took the test. Tests were screened for anxiety disorders, and takers were given two therapy resources. A HomeScreens volunteer scheduled an appointment for the test-taker a week later. On average, more than half of test-takers were eligible for resources concerning an anxiety disorder, but less than half of them followed through with their appointments. Those who took tests at the Sherman Way center were more likely to find resources than the other two locations where less than 20% of eligible test-takers sought resources. The data concluded did not support my hypothesis since I thought there would be higher turnout from the Tyrone Center. I’ve realized how I need to improve HomeScreens’ tests and subsequent methods so that there are more accessible and local resources for test-takers. Being able to administer resources at shelters or centers that are accessible is integral to provide sustainable therapy.