Brian Alegre

AP Environmental Science
Period 1
Toxicity in X Grams of NaCl/100.0ml of H2O and its Effects on
Lentils Lab Report
I. Introduction:
LD50 is a standard measurement of acute toxicity that is expressed in milligrams (mg) of
pesticide per kilogram (kg) of body mass. An LD50 exhibits the amount of a toxic agent
(as a poison, virus, or radiation) that is sufficient to kill 50 percent of a population of
animals usually within a certain time. Since the measurement is standard, you can
compare relative toxicities among pesticides. The internal and external environments of
all organisms have specific limits at which high concentrations of any substance can
become toxic then lethal. Toxic or toxicity is any chemical, which through its chemical
action on life processes can; cause death, temporary incapacitation, or permanent harm to
humans or animals. This includes all such chemicals, regardless of their origin or of their
method of production, and regardless of whether they are produced in facilities, in
munitions or elsewhere. LD50 has been theorized as a lethal dose because of its toxicity.

Define:
Toxic (Toxicity)-Acting as having the effect of a poison; poisonous
LD50-Letal dose, 50%; that kills 50% of the test population



II. Procedure:
The class with 6 different groups representing each level of salt concentration of grams of
NaCL per 100.0ml measured their respective amount of salt ranging from 0.5grams to
4.0grams on a triple beam balance, and mixed their respective salt amount into 100.0ml
of water. Then each group divided 90 lentils into groups of 10 and placed them in paper
towels and enclosed in them, which represented germination envelopes. Each group then
labeled 9 plastic bags each with each salt concentration including the control variable,
which was 0.0g NaCl/100.0ml. Subsequently, each germination envelope each containing
10 lentils, were individually dipped and soaked in each groups saltwater concentrations
corresponding to the mass of the salt for a few seconds, and placed them inside the
appropriately labeled bag. Finally, we put all bags into the group labeled bag for
germination and we allowed the concentration to react with the lentils for 5 days. After 5
days each group counted how many lentil seeds had been germinated in each
concentration, thus getting our data results.

The following materials were necessary to ensure the best chance of success in this lab:
-Beaker
-Lentil Seeds
-Plastic Sandwich Bags
-Paper towels (Germination Envelopes)
-Triple Beam Balance
-0.0 to 4.0 grams of NaCl
-100.0ml of Water

Question: At which point do conc4entrations of substances become lethal to lioving
organisms? How does NaCL (salt) affect the growth of plants?
Hypothesis: Concentrations of substances become lethal to living organisms after a
concentration of salt reaches certain high concentrations. NaCl affects the growth of
plants if it is also at a certain level of high concentration because it will kill the tissue of
the plant.

III. Results/Data Table:
Number of Germinated Seeds
Salt
Concentration
in Grams of
NaCl/100.0ml
Group 1 Group 2 Group3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6
0.0 10 0 10 7 10 1
0.5 10 8 1 3 0 4
1.0 1 3 3 1 0 0
1.5 0 8 10 0 0 0
2.0 0 1 0 0 0 0
2.5 2 6 0 3 3 7
3.0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3.5 4 4 0 5 1 0
4.0 10 1 0 0 0 4

Explanation of Data Table: The results above represents the class results of the amount
of germinated seeds they found in each germination envelope. The results were recorded
based on the solution that the lentil seeds were submerged in.

Calculations:
1.0gNaCl/100mlH20*(1000mL/1L)=
1000gNaCl/100L*(1000mg/1g)*10000mg/1L
=10,000 parts per million (ppm)

IV. Conclusion:
As evidenced by the results and data, we can conclude that the lentil seeds were
germinated when no salt in the concentration was present, and as the salt concentration
increases, less germinated seeds were found as evidenced from the results of four out of
the six groups to prove the hypothesis to be true. Some unavoidable errors that could
affect the validity of my hypothesis was the duration of how long the seeds were
submerged in the salt concentrations. Also, incorrect measurement of salt can be a factor,
and so can the proper amount of milliliters of water in the beaker.


V. Sources:
http://insects.about.com/od/l/g/LD50.htm
http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/ag101/pestlethal.html
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/ld50.html