Planet Guardians

Monday, May 24, 2010

Monady May 24, 2010 - Initial Meeting - Planet Guardians

New Tech Squad


Computer Learning Centers The company has a strong interest in supporting the education of Puerto Rico in the use of technology. That's why during the summer of 2010, New Tech Squad team will be designing a pilot project which was named PLANET GUARDIANS by our boss and company president Alexis Torres.




Maritza Crespo Squad Manager New Technologies



PLANETS GUARDIANS Project will enable students to study watersheds near their homes or schools. That they understand what happens to the flow of water over them, the way in which human activities depend on the watershed and its hydrological impact and how the change in land use can affect communities of plants and animals that live along it.

Rafa, Range and Edris New Tech Squad Members



Liza Vilimarie and collaborating with the NTS


Designed projects with teachers in mind

The New Tech Squad team continuously innovating and looking for the latest in technology to support education in Puerto Rico. With great force and passion continue to design projects that encourage the student to continue their studies and learn early on what areas are of interest for your future. We are currently in the process of project design. For sampling use the company's products Vernier: LabQuest and Logger Pro This sensor technology that helps us collect and analyze data is very quick, precise and effective.


LabQuest and Vernier LabPro


Project Description

GUARDIANS PLANET The multidisciplinary project, will enable students to explore their own watershed and understand what happens to the flow of water over them, the way in which human activities depend on the watershed and its hydrological impact and the way in which the change of land use can affect plant and animal communities that live along it. This project aims at developing technology skills in applications such as Logger Pro and Vernier LabQuest sowtware, GIS, Google Earth or Arc Explorer, Adobe Premier and Thinkquest.org or Blogger. This technology will enable students to investigate, analyze, manipulate and interpret data. It involves students from intermediate level and above. During the development of the students will engage in tasks and sub-tasks to complete highlights the following products:


In Science, Mathematics and Technology - Scientific Article (Journal) - Vernier Logger Pro-LabQuest and MS Publisher 2007 - 4 weeks.
In English (Spanish), and Technology - Video Documentary - Adobe Premier - 3 weeks.
In Geography and Technology - GeoMapping - ArcView or ArcExplorer and Google Earth-2 weeks
In English (Spanish), and Technology - Blog - Google Apps or Thinkquest.org-2 weeks.


Vernier technology to be used in the project for taking action.


PLANET GUARDIANS project is a multi-application project where students have the opportunity to do research on water quality of various parts of Rio Piedras and Rio Guynabo. To perform these investigations will be using technologies such as:

GPS location to collect samples.

Vernier technology to take water quality measurements:
-Transparency
-Conductivity
-Alkalinity
-PH
-Temperature
-Dissolved Oxygen
-ion Concentration Nitrate


GIS to create digital maps for geospatial analysis. Other applications that are evaluating that serve this purpose are: ArcView, ArcExplorer, Google Earth or Globe.gov.
Vernier technology sensors


Related Videos
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3b7cyiA39s
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdJE6oTUdvs




Friday, May 21, 2010

Friday May 21, 2010

Characteristics and causes of water pollution
 


What is water pollution?

Contamination of water mean the addition of substances to a body of water quality deteriorates, so that no longer fit for use was appointed. The foreign material may be inert contaminant compounds such as lead or mercury or live like microorganisms. In its broadest sense, can be defined as pollution of water: to make water unfit for a particular purpose. While for a housewife, water contamination can mean bad taste, odor or water cause intestinal diseases, they do not display an industrial or farm. For industrial

Water pollution can mean the pipe is affected boiler industry and for a farmer that water contains extraordinary amounts of salt that does not allow its use for irrigation or animal consumption. The concept of pollution of water is on and is closely related to the proposed use of water.


















Natural causes of water pollution


Natural water bodies like rivers, lakes, seas and estuaries have the ability to clean themselves without help from man. This ability of water is limited because of self-purification levels are determined by the volume of water bodies, the amount of bacteria and organisms that live in water and the quantities of pollutants that reach them. A body of water can dilute large a contaminant to the extent that this pollutant should not cause harm to the organisms inhabiting the water body.



Also, a body of large water contains large amounts of oxygen which is necessary for bacteria to decompose the pollutants entering the water body. The organisms that inhabit the body of water are responsible for breaking down pollutants and convert them into compounds chemical forms that can be used by plants and animals. However, if the quantities of pollutants entering the water body are such that they can be attacked and decomposed by the number of microorganisms that inhabit the body of water, these contaminants remain in the body of water and prevent the growth of bacteria and natural fauna. This is causing pollution. Almost all natural waters maintain a flora composed of microorganisms, such as aerobic bacteria and protozoa.






Protozoa feed on bacteria and some of them feed on organic matter dissolved or suspended in water. The organic matter consumed by the bacteria can come from the water body itself and / or wastewater discharges from industries or homes. Both bacteria and protozoa consume oxygen during respiration and reproduction. When the discharge of wastewater containing high proportions of organic matter (contaminants), the bacteria have enough food to reproduce in large numbers and consume all available oxygen.



Once the oxygen is consumed, both aerobic bacteria and protozoa die. The protozoa die and aerobic bacteria develop in the body of water other bacteria known as anaerobic bacteria that do not need oxygen for their feeding and reproduction.


In the feeding process anaerobic bacteria use nitrate and sulphate instead of oxygen. The use of sulphates is hydrogen sulfide, which is a foul gas. Hydrogen sulphide is responsible for the stench of some contaminated water. Phenomena that contribute to water degradation are the same as in the long run purify. Both the aerobic and anaerobic bacteria subsequently destroy the organic matter to use it and convert it into carbon dioxide, which then dispersed into the atmosphere with ammonia and hydrogen sulfide.


Once destroyed most of the organic matter reduces the oxygen consumption rate, allowing the development of the fauna in water bodies. Another component of the aquatic flora are algae. Contrary to the protozoa and bacteria, algae convert carbon dioxide and bicarbonates in organic matter and oxygen with the help of sunlight (photosynthesis).


Unnatural causes of pollution

1. Domestic discharges - In Puerto Rico, a part of medical waste generated by the population not served by sanitary sewer, discharged into water bodies polluting.

Moreover, even the waste generated by the population with sewerage services do not always receive appropriate treatment and are deposited in water bodies contaminating them. This mainly affects rural areas, where a portion of the population lacks safe drinking water and consume water contaminated rivers and streams.

2. Industrial discharges - On the island there is a lot of industries that discharge their liquid waste to surface water bodies and coastal. Most of these industries are located on the coast of the island where the well is located.

Most of the population. Depending on the nature of the industry and use that has the receiving water body, determine what kind of pollution will be removed from wastewater before they reach the recipient's body.

3. Agricultural wastes - wastes from pig farms, poultry and dairy are the main sources of agricultural pollution in water bodies. In studies in the past has confirmed that waste from animals in Puerto Rico are equivalent to the waste of 6 million people.

Another source of water pollution from agriculture include fertilizers. The high content of phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers are the two main nutrient of algae. Also for pesticides and herbicides used in agriculture reach water bodies polluting. The organic compounds present in these pollutants are toxic and often cause death to aquatic life.
4. Sedimentation and erosion - Sediment carried by erosion contribute significantly to the deterioration of surface water. The sediments are mainly from the cultivated land, the land is not protected forests to road building and urban areas where vegetation has been removed. In addition, sedimentation causes a decrease in storage capacity of our reservoirs.


5. Oil and other hazardous substances - oil spills in ports and bays of the island, discarded motor oil from gas stations, oil terminals, the gas pipelines and storage facilities for heavy-duty, all are potential sources pollution of our waterways.


Major water pollutants

There are three main parameters or basic ways to determine the degree of contamination of a water body. These parameters are: the existing number of coliform bacteria, dissolved oxygen in water and PH.

A. Existing number of coliform bacteria

The existing number of coliform bacteria in the intestines of animals warm-blooded and soils indicates the likelihood that water bodies contain pathogenic microorganisms. The main sources of coliform bacteria are sanitary discharges, both homes and businesses, as well as municipal waste systems waste water.
B. Amount of oxygen dissolved in water

The main causes contributing to the reduction of oxygen in water are organic matter pollution and industrial discharges near the banks of water bodies. Physical factors also contribute to stagnation and oxygen depletion.

C. Fertilizers and pesticides

Fertilizers, both natural and artificial, used in agriculture is a potential source of water pollution. Farming practices generate large amounts of fecal matter, which are carried by rainwater to water bodies. Also laundering channels with manure effluents are discharged into bodies of water. These fertilizers containing nitrates and phosphates serve as nutrients for algae and other aquatic plants. High nitrate concentrations in water bodies cause infant methemoglobinemia, congenital disease commonly known as "blue baby."

On the other hand, the pesticides used in agriculture are often dragged into the water bodies in the same way as fertilizer. Once in water bodies, pesticides are decomposed and / or adhere to sediment containing the body of water.

D. Pollution by suspended solids

The erosion of the land, either through development of construction, a plow land or urban development are the main source of water contamination by suspended solids. Suspended solids from erosion are deposited by runoff in the river beds and at the bottom of dams and lakes polluted. Suspended solids impart turbidity to the water making it unfit for some uses such as recreation, as well as make them aesthetically unacceptable.

E. Metals
Certain forms of chemical pollution of water discharge from metal compounds from different industries. More toxic discharges are those contienencromo, cadmium, zinc, lead and mercury.