Effects of Fertilizer Runoff on

Water Quality Index (WQI)

Biology 117
Section 06
Group 02
Danielle Capece
Neeka Tabatabaei
Christina Le
Mir Ali
http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~crebb/CookCollegePictures.htm
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Background
Purpose of WQI
Purpose of this experiment

How will an increase in fertilizer affect WQI in Passion

Puddle?

Previous experiment done in India

Results show a decrease in WQI due to the addition of

fertilizer in Kandla Creek (Shirodkar, et al., 2010).

Introduction
Why test the effects of fertilizer on WQI?

Upcoming Spring season

Increase in runoff containing fertilizer

Fertilizer used:

20-20-20

2 groups:

Control: no fertilizer added

Experimental: fertilizer added

Hypothesis
The increase in the amount of fertilizer in Passion
Puddle from nearby sources and runoff will cause a
decrease in the WQI.

The significance of a lower WQI would have an adverse

effect on the aquatic ecosystem, impacting the aquatic
life significantly.

Predictions
pH: increase
Temperature: increase
Turbidity: increase
Total Solids: increase
Dissolved Oxygen (DO): decrease
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD): increase

Predictions Continued
Total Phosphates: increase
Nitrates: increase
Fecal Coliform: increase

An increase in all tests except DO would verify all of

our predictions and support our hypothesis.

Experiment: Week 1
Collected samples from Passion Puddle
Added 1.4 L of sample water to each of 6 aquariums
Added 0.001 g of 20-20-20 fertilizer to 3 aquariums

0.001 g is 10 times the amount needed to see results

Aquariums placed near window

Stimulate outdoor conditions

Experiment: Week 2
Began WQI tests
Temperature recorded from all 6 aquariums
pH
DO
Prepared BOD
Presumptive Fecal Coliform began

Experiment: Week 3
Completed BOD
Nitrates
Turbidity
Total Solids started
Confirmed Fecal Coliform started

Experiment: Week 4
Recorded data

Total Solids

Confirmed Fecal Coliform Test

Total Phosphates

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Experiment: Week 5
Reviewed data
Calculated Q values
Calculated WQI for both groups

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Results
Correct predictions:

Turbidity increased

DO decreased

BOD increased

Total phosphates increased

Nitrates increased

Incorrect predictions:

pH decreased

Total solids decreased

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Results: Temperature
Temperature was predicted to increase
Change in temperature could not be calculated indoors
For WQI calculation purposes, change in temperature
=0

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Results: Fecal Coliform

Predicted an increase in presence of E. coli
Presumptive test was used in WQI calculation
Confirmed test showed:

No presence of bacteria in the control group

Presence of only E. aerogenes in the experimental group

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Confirmed Fecal Coliform Test:

Control group

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Confirmed Fecal Coliform Test:

Experimental (Fertilizer) Group

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Results: Individual WQIs

Water
Quality
Index:
Fertilizer #1

62.29

Control #1

64.74

Fertilizer #2

64.97

Control #2

64.47

Fertilizer #3

62.21

Control #3

60.17

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Results: Average WQI

Average WQI of Control groups: 63.13
Average WQI of Fertilizer groups: 63.16
T-test value: 0.98
There was no significant difference between the two
groups

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Figure 1
Average Water Quality Indexes (WQI) for Passion Puddle Water With and Without Fertilizer
70
60
50
40
Average WQI

30
20
10
0

Passion63.13
Puddle Water

Passion Puddle63.16
Water with Fertilizer
Water Type

Figure 1 depicts the average WQI of the control group and the
experimental group respectively. Based on the averages of the WQI
tests and the t-test value of 0.98, it is clear that the addition of
fertilizer did not have a significant impact on the overall WQI.
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Conclusion
Even though the overall WQIs were similar in value,
the individual tests confirmed the majority of our
predictions
Sources of error:

Not enough fertilizer added

Fertilizer components

Varying amounts of biomass in each aquarium

Scale sensitivity

Measurement of temperature N/A

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In the future
Add more fertilizer
Modify predictions regarding composition of fertilizer
Be cautious of scale sensitivity

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