An EPA Water Quality Test for Middle Schools: Filterable Residue

Authors

Charles Englund, Bethany College

Document Type

Article

Abstract

One part of the Clean Water Act requires monitoring the quantity of suspended particles in water. Water is tested before and after being used by industries. The quantity of suspended particles is measured by weighing the residue filtered from the water. This experiment, appropriate for use with upper elementary and junior high students, provides an opportunity to participate in a water quality test used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Minimal equipment is needed; no hazardous material is involved and the experiment gives interesting results on local water. The results are recorded in milligrams per liter, which is parts per million (ppm). Water samples can be taken from rivers, lakes or local tap water. (In the author's hometown in central Kansas, the results were surprisingly high.) This experiment can be extended over three laboratory periods with each section completed easily in a 40-minute period.

Publication Date

Winter 1991-92

Journal Title

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

Volume

28

Issue

3

First Page

10

Last Page

11

Copyright

© Copyright 1991 by the Iowa Academy of Science

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Englund, Charles (1991) "An EPA Water Quality Test for Middle Schools: Filterable Residue," Iowa Science Teachers Journal: Vol. 28: No. 3, Article 3.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/istj/vol28/iss3/3