The Effect of White Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Sodium Tetraborate on Microcystis Aeruginosa Populations’ Cyanotoxin Amounts
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
11th Grade
Presentation Topic
Environmental Science
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Abstract
Cyanobacterial blooms are a major ecological problem that have disastrous effects worldwide. Recently, industry and global climate are becoming factors of decimated ecosystems and heavy economic losses. Vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium tetraborate are all compounds that have been shown to have some relative effect on either algae or cyanobacteria. This project focused on determining the effect of various, possible solutions on cyanobacterial cyanotoxin expulsion. It was hypothesized that the hydrogen peroxide would be the most effective at reducing the cyanotoxin amounts. A set of 40 dishes were split so that there were 10 dishes per treatment, with an extra 10 for the control group. Each dish was filled with distilled water and cyanobacteria, as well as its respective solution. The cyanobacterial residue was vacuumed, filtered, and weighed in order to find the dry weight of the cyanotoxins. The process was repeated once a day for an entire week. The hypothesis claiming that hydrogen peroxide would be the most effective was rejected, F(3,16)=0.39, p=0.76. There was no statistical difference found between trials. The solutions of hydrogen peroxide, sodium tetraborate, and white vinegar should be studied more before in order to find a more feasible method to reducing cyanotoxin expulsion.
Recommended Citation
Urs, Sachet, "The Effect of White Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Sodium Tetraborate on Microcystis Aeruginosa Populations’ Cyanotoxin Amounts" (2019). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 253.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2019/all/253
Location
Founders Hall 213 C
Start Date
3-30-2019 10:45 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
Group Project
No
The Effect of White Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Sodium Tetraborate on Microcystis Aeruginosa Populations’ Cyanotoxin Amounts
Founders Hall 213 C
Cyanobacterial blooms are a major ecological problem that have disastrous effects worldwide. Recently, industry and global climate are becoming factors of decimated ecosystems and heavy economic losses. Vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium tetraborate are all compounds that have been shown to have some relative effect on either algae or cyanobacteria. This project focused on determining the effect of various, possible solutions on cyanobacterial cyanotoxin expulsion. It was hypothesized that the hydrogen peroxide would be the most effective at reducing the cyanotoxin amounts. A set of 40 dishes were split so that there were 10 dishes per treatment, with an extra 10 for the control group. Each dish was filled with distilled water and cyanobacteria, as well as its respective solution. The cyanobacterial residue was vacuumed, filtered, and weighed in order to find the dry weight of the cyanotoxins. The process was repeated once a day for an entire week. The hypothesis claiming that hydrogen peroxide would be the most effective was rejected, F(3,16)=0.39, p=0.76. There was no statistical difference found between trials. The solutions of hydrogen peroxide, sodium tetraborate, and white vinegar should be studied more before in order to find a more feasible method to reducing cyanotoxin expulsion.
