The correlation between reported nutrient levels and quantifications of microcystins in Lake Murray, Lake Wateree, Lake Keowee, and Saluda Lake

Shashwat S. Ravi

School Name

Spring Valley High School

Grade Level

10th Grade

Presentation Topic

Environmental Science

Presentation Type

Non-Mentored

Abstract

The purpose of this research project was to test the correlation between nutrient levels and microcystin concentrations. It was hypothesized that the lakes near areas with higher reported nutrient levels would contain higher quantifications of microcystins than those near areas with lower reported nutrient levels. Four different lakes in South Carolina along with five milliliters of refrigerated drinking water were used in this experiment. The water samples were taken from five different sites around each lake. The microcystin concentrations in each sample of each lake were measured using a Microcystin Test Kit. The average quantifications of microcystins in each lake were then compared to reported nutrient levels in each of the lakes. The reported nutrient levels were taken from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). The results showed that Lake Keowee and Saluda Lake contained much lower quantifications of microcystins than Lake Murray and Lake Keowee. This matches up with the higher reported nutrient levels in Lexington, Fairfield, and Lancaster counties, where Lake Murray and Lake Wateree are, than the reported nutrient levels in Oconee County and Greenville County, where Lake Keowee and Saluda Lake are. A linear regression t test was conducted to see whether or not the relationship between microcystins quantifications and reported nutrient levels was significant (r(18) = 7.75, p<0.001). As the p-value was less than alpha at 0.05, the null hypothesis was rejected and the alternate hypothesis that there was a relationship was supported. Since r = 0.87, this test showed a significant, positive relationship for over three fourths (75.7%) of the data (R2 = 0.757, p=0.000).

Start Date

4-11-2015 1:30 PM

End Date

4-11-2015 1:45 PM

COinS
 
Apr 11th, 1:30 PM Apr 11th, 1:45 PM

The correlation between reported nutrient levels and quantifications of microcystins in Lake Murray, Lake Wateree, Lake Keowee, and Saluda Lake

The purpose of this research project was to test the correlation between nutrient levels and microcystin concentrations. It was hypothesized that the lakes near areas with higher reported nutrient levels would contain higher quantifications of microcystins than those near areas with lower reported nutrient levels. Four different lakes in South Carolina along with five milliliters of refrigerated drinking water were used in this experiment. The water samples were taken from five different sites around each lake. The microcystin concentrations in each sample of each lake were measured using a Microcystin Test Kit. The average quantifications of microcystins in each lake were then compared to reported nutrient levels in each of the lakes. The reported nutrient levels were taken from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). The results showed that Lake Keowee and Saluda Lake contained much lower quantifications of microcystins than Lake Murray and Lake Keowee. This matches up with the higher reported nutrient levels in Lexington, Fairfield, and Lancaster counties, where Lake Murray and Lake Wateree are, than the reported nutrient levels in Oconee County and Greenville County, where Lake Keowee and Saluda Lake are. A linear regression t test was conducted to see whether or not the relationship between microcystins quantifications and reported nutrient levels was significant (r(18) = 7.75, p<0.001). As the p-value was less than alpha at 0.05, the null hypothesis was rejected and the alternate hypothesis that there was a relationship was supported. Since r = 0.87, this test showed a significant, positive relationship for over three fourths (75.7%) of the data (R2 = 0.757, p=0.000).