Project 2: Role of aquatic land system in reducing emission of CO2

Project 2: Role of aquatic land system in reducing emission of CO2

Introduction:
Our country has huge aquatic land resources which exhibit high status of organic matter in the bottom soils due to accumulation of dead tissues of various kinds of aquatic lives and transport of different kinds of organic materials from uplands. These organic materials may release good amount of CO2 to the environment. The living organisms in these ecosystems also add to the emission of CO2 through their respiration. However, these aquatic lands have significant capacity to consume this CO2 through photosynthesis of the phyto-organisms available in the system (algae, phytoplankton etc) and thus to reduce the magnitude of their release from the land system. The project will deal with the pattern of release of CO2 in two aquatic land systems and also it’s removal due to photosynthesis of various phyto-organisms.

Objectives:
1. To study the magnitude of release of CO2 in two aquatic land systems.
2. To assess the effect of photosynthesis of soil and water flora on such release.

Methodology:
The study will be carried out in two fish ponds of the locality, one poorly productive and the other well managed. Fortnightly studies will be carried out on water properties of these two ponds.

Observation:

Diurnal variation (05.00, 11.00, 17.00, 23.00 pm) on dissolved oxygen, carbon-di-oxide and gross or net primary productivity of water will be studied for three months.

Analysis:
CO2: Acid- alkali titration.
Gross and net primary productivity to be calculated from
Dissolved oxygen values of water using light and dark bottle method.

Dissolved oxygen: Iodometric titration method:
Reagents:
i) Manganous sulphate:Dissolve 120 g MnSO4,4H2O in 250 ml distilled water by heating, if necessary.
ii) Alkaline iodide: Dissolve 125 g sodium hydroxide and 37.5 g potassium iodide in 250 ml distilled water.
iii) 0.025 N Na2S2O3 : Prepare a stock solution of 1 N Na2S2O3 solution by dissolving 12.41 g Na2S2O3,5H2O in 1 lit. distilled water. Dilute part of this stock solution to prepare 0.025 N Na2S2O3 solution.
iv) Starch indicator: Dissolve 1 g starch in 50 ml distilled water, warm at 80-900C, add 0.1 g salicylic acid as preservative.

Collect water sample in a 100ml bottle. Add 1ml each of MnSo4 and KI .Close the bottle and invert it a few times to ensure thorough mixing of the water with the reagents. This will result in development of a flocculent precipitation which will gradually settle in the bottom. Add 1ml of conc. H2SO4 and invert the stoppard bottle a few times to dissolve the precipitate. Take 50 ml of the solution to a 250 ml conical flask and titrate with freshly prepared 0.025 N Na2S2O3 till the colour of the solution turns fade. Add 0.5 ml of starch indicator to from blue colour and continue the titration carefully. At the end point, the blue colour will suddenly change to colour-less.


Concentration of dissolved oxygen in water sample (mg/liter) = ml. of 0.025N Na2S2O3
used for titration x 4

Determination of gross and net primary productivity (rate of photosynthesis)
in water:

Take in water sample cautiously as well as uniformly in three bottles(initial, light and dark) from the desired depth of water. Add 1ml of manganous sulfate and alkaline iodide each in the initial bottle. Invert the stoppered bottle a few times. Take the other two bottles and dip them in the water under the depth from which water samples were collected. Incubate the water sample under water for some period which should not normally be less than 3hrs. After expiry of the time, take up both of the bottles and determine oxygen as stated before.

Calculation for gross and net primary productivity (GPP and NPP):

LB – DB 0.375h
GPP = ------------- × -------------- × 1000 mg/cm3 /hr
T 1.2

LB – IB 0.375
NPP = ------------- × -------------- × 1000 mg/cm3 /hr
T 1.2
Where,
LB = DO (ppm) in light bottle
DB = DO (ppm) in dark bottle
IB = DO (ppm) in initial bottle
T = Time (h) of incubation
0.375 = ratio of the weight of C and O
1.2 = Photosynthetic co-efficient.

Relevance:
Huge amount of CO2 is being released from different aquatic land systems of the country. The study will indicate how much of these CO2 may be retained in the pond environment through photosynthesis. This will also help them to understand how aquatic ecosystem reduce CO2 load from the environment.


Project 3: Land is a site for waste disposal

Introduction:
Landsite is the first choice to dump the entire nuisance starting from farm wastes to nuclear wastes thus polluting the soil. Fortunately, soil has its own regulatory system and thereby surmounts all sorts of tortures imposed by anthropogenic activities either by decomposition or by transformation and so on by its living regiment. Thus, soil environment is protected and the sustenance of the planet earth is being ensured.

Objective:
To make understand how does soil digest/dispose waste materials?

Materials:
1. Filter paper -What man No.41/42
2. Flat iron rod
3. Brush to remove soil adhering to filter paper strip
4. balance

Methodology:
1. Take filter paper strip of 2 cm width (What man No.41/42) and weigh it
2. Insert an flat iron rod of 3 cm width into three different soils (collected from three different sites) in slanting way to create a slanting dug
3. Incorporate the pre-weighted filter paper strip into the dug
4. Fill up the dug with soil
5. Maintain the moisture of soil by periodic application of water
6. Keep the strip for 30 days
7. Remove the strip after 30 days very carefully
8. Remove soil adhering to filter paper strip
9. Weigh the strip

Observations:
Weight of filter paper strip during insertion into dug Weight of filter paper strip after removing from the dug Loss of weight of filter paper strip Remarks


Relevance:

Results of such study will help the students to understand the capacity of soil to clear the entire nuisance done in soil. This also makes them understand how soil sustains time immemorial. This result will be valuable for the city planner to select dumping site for waste disposal.

Similar studies may be carried out with other materials like vegetable wastes by using nylon bag technique.



Project 4: Use of soil for brick preparation

Introduction:

Soil has multifaceted functions. In addition to its usual functions like promotion of plant growth, retention of water, transformation of nutrients, soil has industrial use where soil is a raw material for example, pottery. Manufacturing of brick is one of the potential soil-based industries where huge amount of good quality soil is utilized as raw material. Brick-field owner has their own perception about soil quality upon which they select soil for brick manufacturing. With this background a model project is suggested for the children to make them understand how we are using huge amount of good quality soil for brick preparation.

Objectives:

To study the relationship between some soil properties and brick quality

Methodology:

• Soil samples to be collected from different brick fields and analysed for texture, pH and Organic carbon.

• Secondary data on brick quality of different brick field will be collected from the brickfields

• Student will ask the brickfield owners the quality parameters of soil they generally prefer

• Correlation will be studied on the influence of soil properties with brick quality.

Observation

No. Of Brick-field Soil properties Brick quality Remarks
Organic-C Texture pH A-Grade B-Grade C-Grade

Relevance:
Performing this study a student can realize the possibility of using the soils in industry and how quality of raw materials influence end product quality. The magnitude of large scale destruction of good quality of soil through other purposes can also be assessed