For the 12th straight year, a group of Anne Arundel Sierra Club members gathered at the Anne Arundel County Regional Science and Engineering Fair to review Environmental Projects for our student awards.
The selection for the Mike Rixham Memorial Award (a plaque and $100 check) was the project Don’t Be Selfish, Save the Shellfish by Sally Albright and Ally Raines, 10th graders from South River High School. Two projects received Honorable Mention. These projects were: Blind Sided by Sodium Lauryl Sulfate by three 10th graders from South River High School –- Loren Suite, Jake Mondoro, and Julia Daniel -- and Do ‘Feel Good’ Drugs Alter Instincts of Aquatic Life? by James Sappington, a 7th grader from Central Middle School. Each of these students received a Certificate of Merit and a $25 check.
In Don’t Be Selfish, Save the Shellfish, Sally and Ally investigated the effects the presence of Ethylene Glycol has on the Eastern Oyster. Ethylene Glycol is a major component of the de-icer used at most airports. Several public and private airports are located near Chesapeake Bay tributaries. Their data showed that water with Ethylene Glycol had a slower decline in turbidity and dissolved oxygen on average, suggesting the chemical slows the speed of the filter-feeding process and reduces the oyster’s ability to take up oxygen. They intend to continue their study of this problem next year. This project was selected as the Runner-Up for the Grand Prize for the 2014 Science Fair.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), the title chemical in Blind Sided by Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, is a chemical contained in many soaps, toothpastes, shampoos and household care and cleaning products. It is known to build up in the human body and can cause skin and eye irritations. SLS is often emptied into the Bay in sewage or wastes. Loren, Jake, and Julia studied the effects of SLS in small concentrations on Daphnia, a water flea. They found that SLS negatively affected the Daphnia’s behavior and ability to function. They hope to continue to study the efects of SLS on humans and wildlife.
Consumer chemicals such as medicines, vitamins and caffeine are showing up in our nation’s waterways in increasing amounts, and there is concern about their potential harm to wildlife. James Sappington’s project, Do ‘Feel Good’ Drugs Alter Instincts of Aquatic Life?, studied the effects of caffeine (a stimulant) and paroxetine (an antidepressant that produces a calming effect) on Daphnia magna, the water flea. James found that both caffeine and paroxetine individually affect the phototaxis behavior of Daphnia in water, but when both are present the effect of caffeine is less obvious. He concluded that Daphnia phototaxis can be a useful measure of behavior but this behavior can be highly variable depending on experimental conditions.
As always, we were impressed with the quality of the student research projects. We were looking for students who had chosen a significant problem that is pertinent to the Chesapeake Bay region, who effectively used the scientific method to study their problem, and who could explain their work and justify their conclusion using the information gathered.