Kelly-Ann, UR - Going Against The Flow

Sample Locations

     After researching several ways to test for nitrate in water, I have decided that using a nitrate selective probe will give me a level of accuracy acceptable for this project.  I will be testing water at three different locations on the St. Johns River: Ed Stone Park, Lake George, and Lake Monroe.  These sites are noted with red dots on the Sample Location map.  I had considered switching to the Tomoka River due to its manageable size for this project, however, I was unable to find the extensive historical data for the Tomoka River that is publicly available
for the St. Johns River.
     The materials I will need for this project include:

• nitrate selective probe
• calibration liquids
• 3 opaque sample containers
• small cooler with ice packs
• gloves
• 550F field notebook

    My method may change depending on the specific instructions for the probe that is available to me.  My experimental procedure tentatively is as follows:

1. Begin at Lake George
2. Record conditions
3. Wearing gloves, dip the sample container and fill halfway
4. Close sample container and shake
5. Dump the water in the container away and downstream of the sample site
6. Fill sample bottle most of the way
7. Label the bottle and keep chilled
8. Record any possible errors and other notes
9. Repeat steps 2-8 at Ed Stone Park and Lake Monroe, in that order
10. Refrigerate samples until ready to process
11. Calibrate the probe with high and low standard solutions
12. Clean probe with distilled water and blot dry
13. Place the tip of the probe into the water sample and stir gently
14. Hold the probe still and wait until meter reading remains stable
15. Record data/any possible errors and repeat steps 12-15 with the remaining two samples

Weather permitting, I would like to do this procedure twice, once after the area has received rain, and once after it has been dry for at least a week.

Bibliography
Lagnado, J. (2000). Testing water quality.  Retrieved February 22, 2017, from http://www.scienceteacherprogram.org/envsci/Lagnado02/html