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The Effect of Various Types of Antifreeze on the
Survival Rate of Daphnia pulex
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Researched by Jake Z.
2000-01 |
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PURPOSE
The purpose of this experiment was to determine which pollutant (toxic
antifreeze or environmentally safe antifreeze) would decrease the survival
rate of daphnia the most.
I became interested in this idea when I heard that many people spill
antifreeze, and it kills many animals. Since this can’t be stopped
then there must be a safer antifreeze, so I decided to see exactly how
deadly each of these antifreezes could be.
The information gained from this experiment would help the society by
explaining to them which antifreeze (regular antifreeze and low toxic antifreeze)
is really the most dangerous to life forms.
HYPOTHESIS
My hypothesis was that regular antifreeze would shorten the life span
of the daphnia the most.
I base my hypothesis on the information gained from the labels on the
low toxic bottle which say, that the low toxic antifreeze is less dangerous
to animals.
EXPERIMENT DESIGN
The constants in this study were:
The amount of water in each petri dish
The size and type of petri dish
The number of daphnia
The type of daphnia
The manipulated variable was the type of antifreeze (toxic antifreeze
and low toxic antifreeze).
The responding variable was how many daphnia survived the pollutant.
To measure the responding variable I will use a jeweler’s loupe to examine
the daphnia for a heartbeat and or movement in the petri dishes after 10
minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 13 hours and 24 hours.
MATERIALS
| QUANTITY |
ITEM DESCRIPTION |
| 140 |
Daphnia |
| 7 |
Petri dishes |
| 140 ml |
Water |
| 1 |
Jeweler’s loupe |
| 5 ml |
Antifreeze |
| 5 ml |
Low toxic antifreeze |
| 2 pairs |
Rubber gloves |
| 1 |
Mask |
| 1 |
Eye dropper |
PROCEDURES
1. Take a cup, and fill it with 95 ml of 70 degree distilled water.
2. Add 5 ml of pollutant. This is the 5 % dilution.
3. Stir thoroughly.
4. Take another cup and fill with 80 ml of water.
5. Take 20 ml of first mixture and add to 80 ml of water. This
is the 1% dilution.
6. Stir thoroughly.
7. Repeat step 6.
8. Take 20 ml of second mixture and add to 80 ml of water. This
is the .2%dilution.
9. Stir thoroughly.
10. Repeat steps 1-9 for next pollutant.
11. Let mixed pollutants set for 10 minutes.
12. Fill one petri dish with 1 drop of 70 degree water with 1 daphnia
in each drop.
13. Do this many times around the outer edge of the dish. In
the end you should have 20 daphnia in the dish. This is the control
group.
14. Repeat steps 12 and 13.
15. Take a tissue and soak up most of the water around all of the daphnia
with out touching the daphnia.
16. Extract 5 ml of the 5% pollutant.
17. Apply 5 ml of pollutant to dish.
18. After 10 minutes examine the number of daphnia that are still living.
19. Record data.
20. Repeat steps 18 and 19 two more times.
21. Repeat steps 12-20 for 1%, .2%, pollutant levels.
22. Repeat steps 12-21 for next pollutant.
RESULTS
The original purpose of this experiment was to test which antifreeze
(environmentally safe antifreeze and antifreeze) would kill the most daphnia.
The results of the experiment were that the regular antifreeze killed
the most daphnia with a 5% dilution after 10 minutes, 20 minutes and 30
minutes. The 5% in both antifreeze and low toxic antifreeze killed
the most daphnia after 13 hours and 24 hours. Low toxic antifreeze
killed the least amount of daphnia with a .2% dilution after 24 hours,
even less than the control group.
See the table and graphs.
CONCLUSION
My hypothesis was that the regular antifreeze will shorten the life
span of the daphnia the most.
The results indicate that this hypothesis should be accepted,
because the regular antifreeze killed the most daphnia overall.
Because of the results of this experiment, I wonder if I would have
used different brands of antifreeze, if that would have changed the number
of daphnia that would have survived. I also wonder if I would have
increased the number of daphnia in the petri dishes, if that would have
effected the number of surviving daphnia. I also wonder if I used
oil, gasoline and brake fluid.
If I were to conduct this project again I would use more than just antifreeze,
I would use gasoline and motor oil, or some other product that is dumped
quite oftenly. I would also use more daphnia per trial. I would
also have more trials and different types and brands of antifreeze.
RESEARCH REPORT
INTRODUCTION
Daphnia are a very small water animal. They are important
because they help feed different animals and help clean algae off aquarium
tanks.
Antifreeze is also very important to society. Antifreeze
is what keeps your car, truck, tractor or boat engine from over heating
and/also from freezing.
Water Pollution
Water pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems.
It occurs when water is contaminated by substances from human and other
animal wastes, toxic chemicals, metals and oils. Pollution can affect
rain, rivers, lakes, oceans and the water beneath the surface of the earth,
called ground water. Polluted water may look clean or dirty, but
they all contain bacteria, viruses, chemicals, or other material that may
cause illness or death. Impurities must be removed before water can
safely be used for drinking, cooking, washing, and laundering. Some
companies have to clean their water before using it in manufacturing processes.
Water pollution is a serious problem in most countries. Government
passed laws limiting the amount and kinds of wastes that can be dumped
into the water. Companies, cities, states, and provinces have spent
billions of dollars of research to reduce water pollution in their water
treatment plants.
Arthropods
Arthropods have adapted successfully to every available habitat.
There are more species in this phylum than in any other. Adult arthropods
have jointed bodies and legs and an external skeleton that supports the
muscles and inner organs. The exoskeleton is thick and limy, as in
crayfish, or thin and transparent, as in daphnia. The exoskeleton
is molted and replaced as the animal grows. Arthropods are divided
into many groups such as crustaceans, centipedes, millipedes, insects and
spiders.
Crustaceans
Crustaceans are invertebrates with many jointed legs and a hard
external shell. Crustaceans also have no bones. The exoskeleton
covers and protects the body. Crustaceans breath with gills. Most crustaceans
live in water, usually the sea, but some live in fresh water. A few
species may even live on land. Typically, the young are developed
from fertilized eggs. Crustaceans are divided into two main groups,
daphnia, brine shrimp and fairy shrimp; and the large ones such as sowbugs,
crayfish, lobsters and crabs. There are 42000 species of crustaceans.
The largest specie is the Giant Spider Crab, which lives in Japan.
It is 12 feet between it’s outstretched claws. The smallest crustaceans
are copepods and water fleas which may be smaller then 1/24 of an inch.
Crustaceans play a big role in aquatic life. Many small crustaceans
feed on phytoplankton. Those crustaceans are eaten by larger crustaceans,
fish, and even Baleen whales. Thus, crustaceans have a link between
small food-producing organisms and larger animals in the aquatic food chain.
Daphnia Pulex
Daphnia are a small aquatic crustacean which varies in length.
From .2 mm to 6 mm, but the typical size is .25 cm. Cladocerans are
also known as daphnia. Another name for daphnia (a more commonly
used name) are water fleas. That name comes from their jerky swimming
method of rapid, darting leaps. Daphnia are most commonly found in
ponds, lakes, rivers, and ditches throughout the United States and Europe.
There are only a couple of species that live in the ocean. Along with rotifers
and copepods, daphnia account for most of the freshwater zooplankton.
Most daphnia consume food by snatching phytoplanton with their four to
six pairs of legs. Very few daphnia are carnivores, which prey on
other cladocerans. Their bodies are enclosed with a transparent bivalved
carapace from which the head extends. The body is laterally compressed,
globular in shape and reddish in color. The carapace does not cover
the head. Enlarged antennae serves as the locomotory organ.
The first antenna is vestigial, and is smaller on females than on males.
Most of the year daphnia almost entirely consist of females. They reproduce
asexually. In the winter, sometimes spring the males return.
If the eggs are laid in the winter, they are covered in a purselike eggsack.
The eggs rest in the sediment of a pond or lake until they hatch in the
spring. Water fleas are asexual in the summer and reproduce sexually
in the fall. Water fleas reproduce rapidly, their internal organs
are visible therefor they are useful in experiments. Daphnia are
also basic food for many fish, marine and freshwater and are therefor of
considerable economic significance. One daphnia produces a brood
of eggs every 2 to 3 days. They are reported to have over 13 billion
descendants with in 60 days. Great amount of daphnia collect as brown
plankton on sea and inland waters. They eat all types of small nonfilamentous
algae and some bacteria and protozoa. Freshwater daphnia thrive especially
on Bacillus Coti, Euglena, Chilmonas and on smaller green algae.
Some aquariums introduce daphnia to their tanks to eat away the algae,
after the algae is gone the fish or whatever is inhibiting the tank can
eat the daphnia.
Antifreeze
Antifreeze is a substance which lowers a solution’s freezing point.
It removes ice or prevents ice from forming. It also prevents freezing
in planes and automobiles. Antifreeze is also used in refrigerants and
as heat-transfer fluids. Ideal antifreeze should be chemically stable.
It has low viscosity and electrical conductivity and a high boiling point.
Automobiles operate at an extreme temperature, therefor it is cooled by
liquid that circulates through the cooling system. Antifreeze is
noncorrosive and has good heat transfer properties. Most antifreeze
is used in cars today. It is composed of methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol,
and ethylene glycol. Also most antifreeze have phosphate nitrate,
or another anticorrosive agent. Some time ago kerosene, honey, salt
water, and methyl alcohol were used as antifreeze. Automobile antifreeze
is a well-known poison. The sweet taste appeals to most animals,
like cats and dogs. Consuming even a small amount may result in death
for small pets.
Summary
Daphnia are very important in the fresh water food chain.
Antifreeze can damage that cycle and disturb the ecosystem.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bodner, Elizabeth M. "Antifreeze," Encarta Encyclopedia. 2001
Dolbear, Geoffrey E. "Gasoline," The World Book Encyclopedia. 1998
Doscher, Todd M. "Petroleum," Encarta Encyclopedia. 2001
Fox, Richard. "Daphnia Magna." [online] Available
http://www.Science.lander.edu/rsfox/daphnia.html
"Gasoline," Compton’s Encyclopedia. 1998
Green, Jonathan. "Crustaceans," The World Book Encyclopedia. 1998. Vol.
4. Pp. 1162
Haverdink, William H. "Gasoline, How Gasoline is Produced," The World
Book Encyclopedia. 1999 vol. 8. pp. 61
Hyne, Norman J. "Petroleum," Compton’s Encyclopedia. 1998
Likens, Gene E. "Water Pollution," The World Book Encyclopedia. 1999.
Vol. 21. Pp. 136
McLauglin, P.A. "Water Flea," The World Book Encyclopedia 1999
vol. 21. pp. 134
Orlans, F. Barbara Animal Care From Protozoa to Small Mammals. Philippines:
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1977. Pp. 94-96
Taylor, Kathleen C. "Antifreeze," The World Book Encyclopedia. 1999
vol. 1 pp. 554
"Water Flea," Encarta Encyclopedia. 2001
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank the following people for helping me make this
science project possible. First of all, I would like to thank my
mom, Kari, for helping me arrange my materials for my project, and always
delivering my needed materials on time. I would secondly like to
thank Mr. Newkirk for helping me inprove my journal and overall science
project. I would lastly like to thank Mrs. Paskavale for having all
of my needed paper work ready for the science fair.
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