Prerna Ravinder

Lawton Chiles Middle Academy

6th Grade

Nitrates Matter
A. Purpose : What is the effect of nitrates in greywater on soils with different amounts of
nitrogen content?
B. Hypothesis: If greywater is passed through soils with high levels of nitrogen content, high
amounts of nitrates will be released, as the soil gets saturated with nitrogen content rapidly.
C. Procedure:
1. Put on latex gloves and safety goggles.
2. Test six different types of soil for nitrogen, pH, phosphorus, and potassium content using
the soil testing kit. Follow the instructions on the soil test kit to measure the nitrogen,
pH, phosphorus and potassium content of the six different soils.
3. Use the results from Step 2 to choose three soils with high, low and medium amount of
nitrogen and with pH neutral or slightly acidic.
4. Label the three soils S , S and S .
5. Label three containers Sample 1, Sample 2 and Sample 3.
6. Label water collection cups CS T , CS T , CS T , CS T , CS T , CS T , CS T , CS T , CS T ,
GS T , GS T , GS T , GS T , GS T , GS T , GS T , GS T and GS T where C stands for
control, G for greywater, S , S , S for the type of soil, and T , T and T for the trial
number.
7. Fill Sample 1 container with Soil 1 S , Sample 2 container with S and Sample 3
container with S .
8. Stack each of the Sample containers on a collection container.
9. Pour 500ml of distilled water through Sample 1, Sample 2 and Sample 3.
10. After the water drains into the Collection Containers, pour 300ml of Sample 1 water from
the Collection Container into CS T , Sample 2 water into CS T and Sample 3 water into
CS T .
11. Discard remaining water from the Collection Containers and rinse with clean water.
12. Repeat Steps 9, 10 and 11 two more times and collect the water into CS T , CS T , CS T ,
CS T , CS T and CS T .
13. Prepare 1.5 liters of greywater by washing some dirty clothes using laundry detergent in
a bucket of water.
14. Pour 500ml of greywater through Sample 1, Sample 2 and Sample 3.
15. After the water drains into the Collection Containers, pour 300ml of Sample 1 water from
Collection Container into GS T , Sample 2 water into GS T and Sample 3 water into
GS T .
16. Repeat Steps 14 and 15 two more times and collect the water in GS T , GS T , GS T ,
GS T , GS T and GS T .
17. Discard remaining greywater into the bath tub.
18. Take the water collection cups CS T , CS T , CS T , CS T , CS T , CS T ,CS T , CS T ,
CS T , GS T , GS T , GS T , GS T , GS T , GS T , GS T , GS T , GS T to Glendale
Laboratory for testing Nitrates, Total Phosphorus, PH and Conductivity.
19. Gather the test results from the Laboratory and analyze them.
a. Perform supplementary test to determine the effect of greywater on soils by
measuring the growth of tomato plants.
b. Label empty pots CS P , CS P , CS P , GS P , GS P , GS P , CS P , CS P , CS P ,
GS P , GS P , GS P , CS P , CS P , CS P , GS P , GS P , and GS P .
c. Add Soil 1 to pots CS P , CS P , CS P , GS P , GS P , GS P , Soil 2 to pots CS P ,
CS P , CS P , GS P , GS P , GS P , and Soil 3 to pots CS P , CS P , CS P ,
GS P ,GS P , and GS P .
d. Place the tomato plants within each pot.
e. Measure and record the height of each plant.
1

Prerna Ravinder
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy
6th Grade
f. Prepare greywater by washing some dirty clothes using laundry detergent and
bleach
in a bucket of water.
g. Prepare some more greywater by washing some dirty dishes using dish washing
detergent in a bucket of water. Combine this with water from Step 5 and this is the
greywater that will be used.
h. Pour 250ml of tap water to the control plants (labels starting with C) and 250ml of
greywater to the other plants (labels starting with G).
i. Repeat steps 4 thru 7 for 9 days.
j. Analyze the results.
Data Analysis: The data from soil testing, nitrates test results from the laboratory and the plant
growth data will be recorded in a data chart. The average growth of the plants in different types
of soil will be calculated and recorded in a data chart. There will be one graph each with the
plant growth comparison by soil type and nitrates comparison by soil type for all the trials
performed. There will also be one graph each with the average plant growth comparison by soil