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pH and the Buffering Capacity of Stream Water

            Determining pH and Buffering Capacity of Water in a Stream.
            
            
            
            
             The purpose of this lab was to determine the pH and buffering capacity along the length of a stream and then figure out whether or not they remained constant and if they had a relationship. Water from the stream was sampled from downstream, midstream and upstream. We used a pH meter to find the pH of each sample. After that we used the pH number to calculate the buffering capacity. After we were done, we found that the water tested was more basic the further down stream it was from. As the pH increased so did the buffering capacity.
             Introduction:.
             The pH of water extracted from samples of 10 hardwoods trees and 9 softwoods trees ranged from 4.00 to 5.86 for hardwood and 4.02 to 5.82 for softwood. It was determined that the pH was affected by wood flour in each species. The data showed a strong correlation between gel time of wood flour and both pH and acid buffering capacity of water extracted from the trees. The purpose of this study was to see how the wood in trees affects the pH of water. (Johns, 1980) The source of pH decline in four streams from northern Sweden during the autumn of 1996 was measured. The pH dropped by between 1·0 and 2·4 units due to a summer drought. Organic carbon was found to be the most important driving mechanism of the pH decline. Sulphate, however, was found to be relatively more important during these autumn months than during spring months. The purpose of this study was to see how floods and droughts affect the pH of streams. (Laudon, 2002) The effects of road-deicing salt on soil and water were studied in five small forests in southeast Sweden. The use of deicing salt on roads applied during the winter season 1998/99 had a profound effect on the soil and stream water pH. The purpose of this study was to find out if road-deicing salt affects the pH of soil and water. (Löfgren, 2001).
            
            
            
            
            
            
            


Essays Related to pH and the Buffering Capacity of Stream Water

1. acid rain

Pure water has a pH of 7. ... Most lakes and streams have a pH between 6 and 8, although some lakes are naturally acidic even without the effects of acid rain. Acid rain primarily affects sensitive bodies of water, which are located in watersheds whose soils have a limited buffering capacity (ability to neutralize acidic compounds). Lakes and streams become acidic when the water itself and its surrounding soil cannot buffer the acid rain enough to neutralize it. In areas where buffering capacity is low, acid rain also releases aluminum from soils into lakes and streams, which is highly toxic t...

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2. Acid Rain

The effects of wet deposition depends on factors such as how acidic the water is, the buffering capacity of the soil involved, and the types of plants and animals that rely on the water for survival. ... A body of water with a pH of less than 7 is considered acidic. ... Most lakes and streams have a pH level between 6 and 8. Lakes and streams become acidic when this level goes down and the soil around it cannot buffer the acid rain enough to neutralize it. ... A pH level of 4.0 will cause all life forms in that area of the lake or stream to die off. ...

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3. "The Depletion of the Environment; Are We to Blame?"

Acidity is measured on what is known as the pH scale. ... This ability to neutralize is called buffering capacity. Nonetheless, mountainous areas such as the Adirondack Mountains are less able to buffer acid. ... Water run-off in turn enters nearby streams, rivers, or lakes. ... This involves adding large quantities of hydrated lime to the water, which helps to neutralize the water (Heij). ...

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4. Air Pollution

Acidic deposition or acid rain as it is commonly known occurs when "emissions of sulphur dioxide (so2) and oxides of nitrogen (no) react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen and oxidants to form various acidic compounds, sunlight further accelerates this process with the introduction of heat-(Miller). ... There are many negative effects of acid rain for the environment, one of these affects is the acid in lakes and streams and trees at high elevations. Acid rain primarily affects sensitive bodies of water those which rest atop soil with a limited ability to neutralize acidic compounds (called ...

  • Word Count: 1036
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5. Air Pollution

Acidic deposition or acid rain as it is commonly known occurs when emissions of sulphur dioxide (so2) and oxides of nitrogen (no) react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen and oxidants to form various acidic compounds, sunlight further accelerates this process with the introduction of heat. ... There are many effects of acid rain all of which are very negative for the environment, one of these affects is the acidification of lakes and streams and trees at high elevations (for example, red spruce trees above 2,000 ft). acid rain primarily affects sensitive bodies of water those which rest atop...

  • Word Count: 1108
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: Graduate

6. Soil erosion

Soil supports plant growth and represents the living reservoir that buffers the flows of water, nutrients, and energy through an ecosystem. ... The soil or runoff that has been eroded ends up in groundwater, lakes, streams, and rivers. ... Soil quality refers to the capacity of a soil to perform these beneficial functions. Its texture, structure, water-holding capacity, porosity, organic matter content, and depth, among other properties determine a soil's quality. ... Changes in soil pH, percentage organic C, and percentage total N following erosion were significantly correlated with cumu...

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