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... Spring 2016 Science 299 Abstracts About Science 299 Science 299 (Supervised Study) is a capstone independent research course required for the Associate of Science degree in Physical and Natural Sciences. During their final semester at PVCC, students partner with a faculty mentor in their preferred scientific discipline (chemistry, physics, geology, or biology). Students work with their faculty mentor to identify and investigate an authentic research question. At the end of the semester, students present their research at a scientific poster session open to the community. Special Thanks Jennifer Scott, Rosalyn Koontz, and Ed Funck provide technical, practical, and academic support to biology and chemistry 299 students. Without their presence, guidance, and hard work, this course would not be possible. Dean Kathy Hudson has shepherded this course to its current point of success. We are grateful for her belief in its power as a transformative educational experience of the highest impact. Amanda Sharp Extraction and Assessment of Papain from Fresh Papaya (Carica papaya) Papaya is well known in the natural world as a digestive aid due to the presence of the enzyme, papain. The goal of this experiment was to extract, isolate, and assess papain from fresh papaya latex. The papaya used was purchased locally, picked specifically for the least ripe fruit. The white pulp right beneath the skin was carefully removed with a clean knife, blended in a food processor, and then extracted by vacuum filtration. The solution was reacted with EDTA, an activator, under a nitrogen atmosphere. The solution was then centrifuged twice. The second centrifuge should have had a precipitate of the extracted papaya latex, but this precipitate did not form. Crystallization was attempted by cooling the solution in an ice box, but it did not occur. Bradford Assay was used to assess if there was any protein present. After comparing the absorbance to a standard of pure papain, pure papain being 1.427 and papaya solution being 0.198, it was determined that there were low levels of protein present in the solution. Pure papain was used to do an enzymatic assay and tested for units/mL of the enzyme as a standard. The pure papain solution was tested and calculated to be 29.1 units/mL. The papaya solution was not tested for enzymatic activity. After further research, the problems could be due to the age of the papaya used. If the reason why the papaya latex had such a low level of protein present was because of the ripeness of the fruit, this could potentially disprove the use of fresh papaya being used as a digestive aid. More research needs to be done for any further conclusions. Faculty Advisor: Barbara Heyl Robert Porter Using the Open Science Framework to Found a Scientific Image Database for a Phylogenetically Diverse Range of Freshwater Microorganisms, Including Species from the Rivanna Watershed A common classroom experiment is to view a sample of freshwater under a compound light microscope. Unfortunately, after viewing the organisms under the microscope, there is not a good way to identify them. Not many varieties of protists are pathogenic to humans, and so they are not studied extensively. As such, there does not seem to be many good databases containing images of protists with scale bars, nor an easy way to identify them. The goal of this project was simple; to take pictures of freshwater microorganisms with corresponding scale bars. I generated 48 images representing around 30 species, 15 of which were in monocultures. I have uploaded these images to the Open Science Framework (OSF) on a project page that has been made publically available and is thus accessible via a simple Google search. This fledgling scientific database has the potential to grow as future students add to it. It can also be used for the visual component of an online dichotomous key for the purpose of making freshwater organisms considerably easier to identify. Faculty Advisor: Anne Allison Greg Sarff Differing CO2 Levels and Stomata Density Stomata are openings on the surface of plants that allow for gas exchange. This experiment was designed to test if stomata density will vary with CO2 exposure. Brassica rapa was grown in separate containers. One group was exposed to increased levels of CO2, and another group was exposed to ambient air. The CO2 levels were monitored, the stomata density was calculated, and the two groups were compared. Groups introduced to high CO2 levels had a mean CO2 level of 12,274 ppm, and a mean stomata density of 87.8 per 2 . Groups exposed to ambient air had a mean CO2 level of 1,245 ppm, and a mean stomata density of 122.4 per 2 . A t-test showed the difference of the two groups stomata densities was significantly different: (t = -9.9, df = 14, p = 1.910-8) for trial 1, and (t = -11.6, df = 23, p= 5.2310-11) for trial 2. Plants showed lower stomata densities due to an abundance of CO2. Since stomata also regulate the release of water, the results of lower stomata densities show that as CO2 levels rise plants may be able to compensate for lower moisture levels caused by rising temperatures. Faculty Advisor: Joanna Vondrasek Morgan Van Ornum Separation of Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) Using a Synthesized Beta-cyclodextrin Silica Column EGCG has proven to be an immensely beneficial compound in various medical fields and sciences. The separation of EGCG has been done using different methods of chromatography, including column chromatography. A previous study showed that grafting GOPS particles to silica gel and synthesizing this with Beta-cyclodextrin (B-CD) to produce a B-CD silica most efficiently separated EGCG from the other three catechins and caffeine present in green tea. In this experiment, B-CD silica was synthesized from raw materials and green tea samples were concentrated to obtain green tea catcehins. The concentrated green tea catechins was run through the B-CD silica column; multi-colored products were observed, indicating a separation. Four products from the column were observed under high performance liquid chromatography. In a previous report, optimal HPLC conditions included a three step gradient solvent process for the running of the samples, however, because these conditions could not be reproduced on equipment available, the resulting graphs did not aid in the identification of the compounds. In conclusion, the B-CD silica did enact a separation of compounds from the tea catcehins as observed by the multi-colored compounds eluted, however, the degree of separation and the identity of the compounds could not be determined through HPLC. Faculty Advisor: Barbara Heyl Sarah Johnson A Comparative Analysis of -carotene in Spinach In recent years, there has been an increasing number of studies done to compare the nutritional value of organically grown fruits and vegetables compared to non-organically grown fruits and vegetables. My experiment was designed to quantify and compare the amount of -carotene in organic and non-organic spinach. I hypothesized that organic spinach would contain more -carotene than nonorganic spinach. I ran two soxhlet extractions using dry leaf samples and hexane, and then dried them. The dry extract was put into a solution of hexane, acetone, methanol, and toluene at a ratio of 10:7:6:7, respectively. This solution was run through a High-performance liquid chromatographer to quantify the -carotene in each sample. Two peaks were recorded for the organic spinach with retention times at 4.685 min and 5.114 min with a total peak area of 9,776,551. Two peaks were also recorded for the non-organic spinach with retention times at 4.751 min and 5.064 min with a total peak area of 3,035,950. The retention times were verified by comparing to HPLCs of 5 standard -carotene solutions ( = 1 1011 3 106 , r2=0.953). The total peak areas were used as the y value to find a concentration of 1.28 x 10-4mol/L for the organic spinach and 6.04 x 10-5mol/L for the non-organic spinach. In conclusion, the organic spinach had approximately double the amount of -carotene than the non-organic spinach. Faculty Advisor: Barbara Heyl Hannah Ridings Acute Toxicity of Progesterone and -Estradiol on Crustacean Daphnia Magna Daphnia magna are small crustaceans that live in freshwater environments such as ponds and lakes. Because of this organisms high sensitivity, Daphnia magna are used to test aquatic toxicity of potentially harmful substances. Endocrine disrupting chemicals are often found in aquatic environments due to human waste and agricultural runoff. In this study it was hypothesized that the addition of progesterone and -estradiol at a ratio of 1.0/.035 would result in mortality of Daphnia magna. A 48-hour acute study, modeled according to the EPA Aquatic Invertebrate Acute Toxicity Test protocol for freshwater daphnids, was conducted to determine the EC50 of this ratio of progesterone and -estradiol. A 50% dilution series was used to produce 5 differing concentrations of the hormones, and a set of control trials without any added hormones was also created. Daphnids were placed 5 per container in 150 mL beakers of increasing concentrations, and immobilization was recorded at the 24 and 48 hour marks. In addition to this research, extensive preparatory work was conducted in order to construct ideal light, feeding, and water conditions for Daphnia magna. After experimentation, conditions sufficient to sustain significant survival of Daphnia magna over a period of about three weeks were achieved. These findings will make future studies on chronic exposure of Daphnia magna to endocrine disrupting chemicals or other potential environmental toxins possible. Faculty Advisor: Marlena Yost Stephen Brennan Ancient Skolithos Tube Fossils Skolithos tubes are ancient fossilized ichnofacies found in sandstones. Ichnofacies are trace fossils which indicate the conditions that the burrowing organisms inhabited. Skolithos were vertical cylindrical burrows originally formed in a shallow water environment by marine invertebrates. Although Skolithos have been described in the literature, their density has not been scientifically analyzed. This project scientifically analyzes the density of the Skolithos tubes along a section of the forelimb of a major thrust fault near Sherando Lake. Their density was measured in one square meter areas. Where one square meter was not available, a smaller area of 10 square centimeters was used and normalized to a square meter. The density of Skolithos tubes was found to be about 153 per square meter in this area. The range was from 6 to 2100 which makes the density quite variable. The average size of a tube was approximately 2 cm wide, making the maximum density of average sized tubes about 2500 per square meter. In the highest density areas, the tubes are essentially next to each other meaning that Skolithos were a very successful organism in the early Cambrian. Faculty Advisor: Larry Tiezzi Chiron Anderson Analyzing the Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, and Lactobacillus casei: A Preliminary Investigation of Potential Health Hazards of Space Travel Radiation exposure is known to be a significant health risk for manned space missions. Astronauts and space craft are bombarded with x-rays, solar particle events (SPEs), and cosmic rays, all forms of ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation is known to damage DNA, presenting not only as a risk to astronauts, but also potentially to the microbial flora present within the human body. As more and more research reveals connections between our gut flora and our general health, any changes in our bacterial population could pose a health hazard to astronauts. This experiment was designed to investigate the possible negative impact of ionizing radiation on the human microbiome, creating an additional health risk for long term space travel. The hypothesis was that exposure to x-rays would lower the number of reproductively viable cells in a representative sample of gut flora. Three species known to be part of human gut flora, E. coli, P. mirabilis, and L. casei, were diluted to a known starting concentration of 10^6 cells/ml, and exposed to x-rays generated by a diagnostic x-ray machine, before being plated via serial dilution alongside a set of controls. The effects were measured at exposures of 53 mrem, and 583 mrem. The results were inconclusive, as no statistically significant changes were observed in bacterial colony counts. The limited number of data sets collected may account for the lack of a discernable difference. Opportunities for further research include repeating the trial with higher sample sizes, creating full growth curve profiles post exposure, and testing changes in relative concentrations of bacteria in mixed cultures. Faculty Advisor: Melinda Clark Patrick Zinni Rate of Fermentation of S. cerevisiae Saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly called bakers yeast, is a single-celled type of yeast and one of the most studied organisms in all of science. It is a model organism whose genome was sequenced in April 1996 and one of the simplest eukaryotic organisms. This semester I studied the rate at which a single culture of S. cerevisiae fermented through two fermentation cycles. I hypothesized that the first cycle would complete faster than the second cycle. To compare the rates of fermentation I recorded the specific gravity of the mixture every 24 hours after the yeast was added. Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a standard, in this case, water (The specific gravity of water is 1.00). For my study, I began every trial with a dextrose broth and water solution with a starting gravity of 1.20-1.22 prior to adding the yeast. After four or five days, the yeast would finish their fermentation and go dormant and I would record the final gravity. Then, I used that same yeast culture again in a new dextrose broth mixture and repeated the same process for a second cycle. I performed two cycles of fermentation using the same strain of bakers yeast four times over the semester. Plotting all my recorded numbers I have found that the rate of fermentation of S. cerevisiae is nearly identical through two cycles. Further information could be gathered by testing more than two cycles using the same culture. Faculty Advisor: Frances Rees Alisha Atchison Assessment of Antimicrobial Capabilities of On Guard versus Antibiotics As a result of excessive overuse of prescribed antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance has developed as one of the worlds most pressing issues. When bacteria become resistant to antimicrobials, the organism is no longer negatively affected by the product. Bacteria are ever changing organisms and will develop resistance to antibiotics in time. An alternative treatment, that has recently become poplar, is the use of essential oils against pathogens. Doterra, a popular manufacture of oils, developed a proprietary blend called On Guard. They claim it has antimicrobial agents that were all natural and safe for internal and external use. In this study, Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus mirabilis bacteria were tested against the effectiveness of a known susceptible antibiotic and the essential oil, On Guard. By measuring the inhibitory zones on inoculated nutrient agar plates, it was concluded that the oil did present antimicrobial properties. Although the antibiotic disks presented larger zones as expected, On Guards results proved successful. Research, mainly focusing on a suitable quantity, needs to be obtained for full effectiveness of the oil. Combating this issue by approaching it differently may prevent misuse of antibiotics and provide a safer long term treatment. Faculty Advisor: Marlena Yost Brierra Dibble The Relative Importance of the Pancreas and Gallbladder in Fat Digestion Lipase and bile are essential for fat breakdown within the human body. Bile is a digestive fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, used to emulsify fats into smaller parts. This process makes it easier for lipase, a pancreatic enzyme, to break down the fats. Certain conditions alter the digestion of fat by changing the amounts of bile salt and lipase. Bile salt is the main component of bile responsible for fat emulsification. In the liver, bile salt concentration is lower than it is in the gallbladder. After gallbladder removal, bile is no longer stored and released in higher concentrations but is instead continuously released in lower concentrations. Lipase levels can vary due to pancreatitis causing elevation or damaged secretory cells causing insufficient amounts. This experiment examines the favorable conditions of oil breakdown by changing lipase levels and bile salt concentrations. These changes mimic certain health conditions that may compromise fat digestion. Solutions were prepared using different bile salt and lipase concentrations. These solutions were combined with vegetable oil and placed into a 37C incubator for 24 hours. Oil breakdown was measured before and after using pH as an indicator of fatty acid production due to fat digestion. My hypothesis was that the average gallbladder bile salt concentration with the average lipase level would breakdown the most oil. However, results indicated that a low bile concentration with a high lipase level produced the most oil breakdown. This situation corresponds to that of removal of a gallbladder along with a damaged pancreas and resulted in an unexpected abundance of fat digestion. These findings may overall be unlikely and are only specific to this set of experiments. Further experiments should be done to examine other methods for accurate measurement of oil digestion. Faculty Advisor: John Walsh Parabhkiran Kaur Measuring mitotic index in HeLa Cells stained with Hoescht and beta-tubulin antibody. HeLa cells are cervical epithelial cells that originated from a clinical biopsy performed at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the early 1950s. The name HeLa cells comes a woman named Henrietta Lacks who had a cervical cancer and from whom this biopsy was taken. HeLa cells are famous because they were the first line of human cells to survive outside of the human body in an artificial lab setting (in vitro). HeLa cells are cancerous, transformed cells that are characteristically aneuploid, having sometimes more than double or triple the normal number of human chromosomes. Broadly defined, cancer is a condition of abnormal cell growth and proliferation. To this day, HeLa cells are widely used in life science laboratories around the world. Despite this, some of their most basic characteristics, such as mitotic index, are elusive because of piecemeal and varied reporting in the primary literature. This project aims to use Hoescht-stained HeLa cells to determine a baseline mitotic index. Betatubulin staining will be used to confirm individual stages of mitosis. Formaldehyde-fixed (dead) HeLa cells were obtained from collaborators at the University of Virginia and stained for immunofluorescence microscopy as part of the PVCC Cell Biology laboratory course. As an extension of this work, I conducted additional controls and measured mitotic index independently. Based on existing literature, it was hypothesized HeLa cells would display a mitotic index below 10%. The results of this study did not support the hypothesis as the average mitotic index was closer to 15%. This finding matches the Cell Biology class data from Spring 2016 and provides a validated baseline mitotic index for future studies using HeLa cells. Faculty Advisor: Anne Allison Cole Bitler The Effects of Growth Medium Nutrient Concentration on Escherichia coli Escherichia coli is a gram-negative bacteria. Some E. coli strains are commonly found in the intestines of warm-blooded organisms. The shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) is the most well-known strain of the bacteria since it causes many foodborne illnesses. If a person has food poisoning from STEC, they may develop symptoms as severe as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Past research has shown that the culture medium or source of nutrition for bacteria influences its ability to resist antibiotics. Thus, it is possible the source of nutrition is linked to virulence. This study investigates how E. coli grown on different nutrient sources responds to antibiotics. E. coli K12, a non-STEC strain for the purpose of lab safety, was grown in full or half-strength nutrient media. E. coli from the nutrient-poor growth medium was 4.4 times more susceptible than E. coli from a nutrient-rich growth medium. There are no existing antibiotics that target E. coli STEC strains. In some cases, using antibiotics to treat STEC infections can further increase the risk of developing HUS. Knowledge gained from studying how E. coli grows in different nutrient conditions could eventually lead to the development of more effective drugs for treating this devastating condition. Faculty Advisor: Anne Allison Hajar Ghorbanzadeh The Performance of Water Filters in Removing Copper In the modern world, access to pure water has become an important issue. Water has been polluted due to the continued production of industrial and chemical waste. Fortunately, there are water filters which make it possible to remove a large percentage of the heavy metals present in our water supply. In this experiment, the removal of copper by three filters, Brita, PUR, and a home-made activated charcoal filter, were studied. Solutions of copper (II ) sulfate pentahydrate, CuSO4 5 H2O, were used to construct a calibration curve by measuring their absorbance using a spectrometer. Water samples containing copper were filtered using the filters mentioned above, and the calibration curve was used to determine the amount of copper that remained after filtration. The results show that the PUR filter worked better than Brita and the activated charcoal filter. Advisor: Dr. Frances Rees Sean Knepper Survey of Salamander Biodiversity in Central Virginia Salamanders, in all their variety, serve as indicators of the habitat in which they live. Because of their permeable skin and eggs, salamanders are susceptible, at all life cycles, to pollutants and changes in the chemistry of the air and/or water surrounding them. Thus, locating, identifying, and evaluating the health of salamander populations can lead to a better understanding of the health of our ecosystems. For the Charlottesville-Albemarle region of Virginia, relatively few identifications have been made of salamander populations. Although Virginia houses a large biodiversity of amphibians, salamanders in the areas of the Jefferson Heritage Trail at Monticello, Piedmont Virginia Community College, and the Ragged Mountain Natural Area are comparatively understudied. The surveys performed for this study within the areas mentioned have yielded the identification of several distinct species. Desmognathus larvae were located at PVCC, Ambystoma maculatum located at the Ragged Mountain Natural Area, and the most abundant of salamanders surveyed were located at the Jefferson Heritage Trail, Plethodon cinereus, Desmognathus monticola, and Gyrinophilus larvae. The Gyrinophilus larvae were recorded for the first time in this region of the county. It is crucial to identify and catalog the presence of all salamander populations so that the environmental conditions of this region may be more precisely assessed. The more these specimens are studied, the more information will be available to indicate the health of this regions ecological habitats. The data from these surveys will be presented with maps of the locations where the salamanders were found, images of the various specimens identified, along with an analysis of the relative abundance of each distinct salamander in the Central Virginian Region. Faculty Advisor: Joanna Vondrasek Aaron Brock Phytotoxic Poisoning eEffects on Development and Reproduction of Fast Growing Plants (Brassica rapa) The erosion and chemical washing of minerals, such as fluoride, into our water supply can have negative effects on the environment. Scientists have identified hyperaccumulators, species of plants that are able to absorb abnormal amounts of metals without being harmed, and indicator species, species that are sensitive to certain concentrations of toxins, that can be used to tell us that there is danger in the environment. This experiment evaluated the effects of several concentrations of sodium fluoride on Brassica rapa at various stages of growth. In the first measurement of the plants, three days after planting, there was already a marginally significant effect on the plants from the fluoride, with the control with distilled water and the lower concentration of 1 ppm, regular water for the area tested in, showing higher growth than the two groups in the higher concentrations with 2 ppm and 20 ppm (F= 2.72, df=3, p=0.053). At day forty-three, there was a very significant difference between the groups, plants in the control and 1 ppm group had a higher growth rate than the 2 ppm and 20 ppm plants, meaning that this species of plants had a noticeable difference to the different concentrations of fluoride in this run (F= 12.7, df=3, p=4.67*10-7). In contrast to my original hypothesis, the plants with fluoride concentrations equal to that found in municipal tap water did better growth-wise than the other groups including the controls grown in distilled water. More testing would have to evaluate whether the effect is due to the presence of a salt in general or the fluoride itself. Faculty Advisor: Joanna Vondrasek  ...

... Fall 2016 Science 299 Abstracts Fall 2016 Science 299 Independent Research Projects Science 299 projects are semester-long independent research projects that students pursuing an A.S. in Science are required to complete prior to graduation. Students carry out their research under the guidance of a PVCC science faculty member as mentor. Below are the abstracts of the projects completed in fall semester, 2016. Alex Casillas Chemistry 299: Monitoring water quality of the Piney River From 1931 to 1971, American Cyanamid Corporation mined titanium ore and manufactured titanium dioxide. During the process, toxic waste containing highly acidic ferrous sulfate and other heavy metals were dumped near the Piney River. During 1977 through 1981, six major fish kills were reported in the Piney River due to surface runoff (EPA). Hurricane Camille caused a flood in 1969 and caused massive damage to the site ultimately leading to shut down of the plant. The purpose of my research is to test for concentrations of iron and pH levels in the Piney River. Turbidity, nitrates, ortho-phosphates, dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform, and temperature were also tested to evaluate the quality of the water. The iron concentrations were tested using spectrophotometric methods and Beers Law. The pH levels were tested using a Vernier pH sensor. My research shows that even after a heavy rain there was no significant difference of iron concentrations or pH values when compared to the control in the Piney River. Higher levels of fecal coliform, nitrates, and ortho-phosphates were found around agricultural areas when compared to other testing sites. My research shows that American Cyanamid has done a decent job of cleaning up the waste; however, most of the pollution comes from agricultural areas. Faculty advisor: Dr. Barbara Heyl Michael Caviness Geology 299: The effects of acidity in rain and groundwater on limestone Limestone is a very durable rock but also susceptible to erosion. If given the right conditions, limestone can thrive but these conditions it requires is a neutral pH (7pH). The world we live in today offers little to the pristine conditions this rock requires. Rain has a pH of 5-5 and acid rain has a pH of 4. I set out with the goal of testing the rock and just how much acidity was needed to break it down. I also wanted to examine the rate of erosion relating to the level of acidity in the water, believing as the acidity in the water rose as did the rate of erosion. In my experiment, I tested the durability and strength of limestone and my results were as follows: In a matter of just one week it was obvious the rocks with vinegar did lose mass and the rocks within neutral water retained theirs. At the end of the experiment there was no denying that the level of acidity directly affected the mass of the limestone rock. Rocks containing the highest level of acidity lost the most mass, as levels of acidity lowered less and less total mass percentage was lost. Throughout the entirety of the three weeks, the rocks contained in the neutral water retained the same mass. I also examined that as mass was lost, the pH balance also started to climb. Limestone acts as a natural buffer and the more mass lost, the higher the pH became. I conclude, levels of acidity directly affect the rate at which limestone will erode, as the pH scale lowers, the erosion rate increases. Faculty Advisor: Dr. Larry Tiezzi Naseem Hussein Chemistry 299 : Testing Glyphosate in Corn and Jalapeno Glyphosate (N-phosphono-methyl-glycine) is the main ingredient in Monsantos Roundup herbicide. Its used to kill weeds, especially broadleaf plants and grasses that compete with crops. The purpose of this experiment was to test for the presence of glyphosate in corn and jalapenos using extraction and HPLC techniques. Four samples were tested; grocery store corn (sample 1 and 2), livestock corn (sample 3), and local jalapenos (sample 4). The grocery store corn was extracted twice using different extraction techniques with different solvents. The first sample was extracted by Soxhlet extractor using methanol as solvent. Samples 2, 3, and 4 were extracted using reflux technique. The solvent was a mixture of 20% 1-propanol and 80% water. The mixture had 30g of each sample in 150 mL of the solvent solution. The samples were then dried using a rotary evaporator for samples 1 and 4. Filtration and centrifugation were used for samples 2 and 3 to separate the corn from extracted samples. The filtered samples were then treated with acids and buffers for glyphosate derivative. The samples were left to dry, then dissolved in 1 mL of mobile phase and were ready for the HPLC test. The results showed a retention time of 1.3 min in all samples with additional small peaks at multiple positions. These small peaks indicated the presence of impurities that were not removed during either the derivative or the extraction processes. A solid derivative of glyphosate was tested, the sample showed significant peaks at 0.379, 0.532. the results indicated a possible presence of glyphosate in the samples. The molarity of the used buffer in glyphosate derivative was a slightly different than the one used for the sample derivatives, which might be the reason for the peak shift. In conclusion, the results indicated the presence of glyphosate in samples 1, 2, and 3. Faculty Advisor: Dr. Barbara Heyl Patrick Hancock Bio 299: Variable Light Exposure and Its Effects on Brassica rapa physiology Brassica rapa, the Wisconsin Fast Plant, is a species selectively reproduced for rapid growth to facilitate experiments and studies over multiple generations. This experiment was designed to observe the impact of variable light exposure on the heritable phenotypes of Brassica rapa across multiple generations. I hypothesized that environmental factors would influence the growth of the plants and the traits of subsequent generations. I predicted that Brassica rapa grown with greater exposure to light will have taller stems but less flowers and smaller leaves than the plants grown with reduced light exposure. These phenotypes will be passed to the next generation and directly impact their growth. Two reciprocal groups were grown: one with sixteen hours of light exposure and eight hours of light and the other group with sixteen hours of darkness and eight hours of light. Both groups were thinned to simulate random selection using an online random number generator on day 25. Unfortunately, the first generation grew too slowly, possibly due to not using a proper growth chamber, and no seeds were produced to create an observable second generation to test the hypothesis. The data that were collected from the first generation demonstrate that Brassica rapa grows notably better under greater light exposure than less light exposure with the average height being 4cm taller, having an average of 0.4 more leaves per plant and an average of 2.8 more flowers per plant. If this study were to be reproduced to fully test the hypothesis, then the use of a growth chamber is highly recommended to accommodate full and timely growth. Faculty advisor: Dr. Anne Allison Jeffrey Justice Chemistry 299: The Feasibility of Photovoltaic Solar Power Photovoltaic solar cells offer an increasingly affordable and efficient source of inexhaustible power that can be adapted to a variety of energy needs. Using modern photovoltaic power equipment, the effect of maximum power point tracking was examined as a method for increasing solar power yield while local weather data was used to examine the effects of adverse weather conditions on power production. The variable nature of solar power reinforces the need for large-scale power storage facilities. A low-toxicity flow battery design was tested using 2,6-dihydroxyanthraquinone and potassium ferrocyanate in basic solutions and was found to produce voltage and was capable of taking a charge. Analysis of available solar energy and the efficiency of modern photovoltaic equipment were performed using a 190-watt Mage monocrystalline panel, a Midnite Solar Kid charge controller and a lead-acid storage medium, producing 12 kilowatt-hours and 1148 amp-hours over a thirty-five-day period. A positive correlation between energy production and local weather patterns was found through contrasting daily weather observations with energy production. Data was collected using a Davis VantagePro station for on-site weather data and a programmable camera was used to monitor the solar charge controller power output. The flow battery was assembled using a galvanic cell with an ion-permeable bridge and graphite electrodes. The negative electrolyte was formed of 2,6-dihydroxyanthraquinone in 1.0 M potassium hydroxide while the positive electrolyte used potassium ferrocyanate in 1.0 M potassium hydroxide. Charging was performed at 1.2 volts and 0.15 amps, with the battery producing approximately 0.03 volts in a fully discharged state, and 0.35 volts after thirty minutes of charging. Photovoltaic power production can benefit from maximum power point tracking through not only active control of the solar cell itself but of electrical load management as well. The flow battery performed within an acceptable range, demonstrating the capacity to store energy for later use. The combination of weather and power output data that this project produced would be valuable for designing a full-scale photovoltaic system. Further steps would include assessing the energy demand of a full-size system and the long-term cost benefit ratio. Faculty advisors: Drs. Barbara Heyl and Frances Rees Priscilla Lam Biology 299: Antimicrobial Activity of Endophytic Fungi Isolated from the herbs Melissa officinalis and Rosmarinus officinalis The evolution of bacteria in response to antibiotics and the overuse of antibiotics in daily life has caused antibiotic resistance to be a major problem, prompting a rise in the use of home remedies. Many of these remedies involve the use of herbs, which may have the potential to revolutionize medicine and be less invasive to the human body. This experiment examines the antimicrobial activity of endophytic fungi isolated from lab grown and store-bought Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) and garden picked and store-bought Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary). It was hypothesized that the fungi isolated from the storebought herbs would have a larger zone of inhibition than that of their lab grown and garden picked counterparts, due to any pesticides the herbs may have been treated to. Fungi grew on almost all plates, with the exception of one garden grown rosemary plate, one store-bought lemon balm plate, and two lab grown lemon balm plates. Due to potential hazards of the unknown fungi on most plates, only the fungi from the two store-bought lemon balm plates could be used. The fungi were used to create twelve plates of pure cultures, which were then tested on Escherichia coli plates. Two different samples of the pure culture were tested, and the controls used were Sabouraud Dextrose Agar with antibiotics (penicillin and streptomycin) and without antibiotics. The two fungi samples from the lemon balm produced average zones of inhibition of 0.40 cm and 0.37 cm, respectively, but there was no significant difference between the control (with antibiotics) and either sample: lemon balm 1(t=0.0002, df=11, p=1.00) and lemon balm 2 (t=0.0038, df=11, p=0.997). Since it is uncertain whether the antibiotics in the agar could have interfered with the effects of the fungi, further tests are need to determine the effects of both. Faculty advisor: Dr. Joanna Vondrasek Christopher McHale Biology 299: Bacterial growth on deli products when neglected over time Sandwiches are the food of choice when it comes to needing a good source of sustenance on the go or at a spring or summer picnic and can be found all around the city. If they are handled and stored properly they are in fact a good source of nutrition, however if not they may be a breeding ground for food borne illness. The DEA requires all food restaurants to have their food prepared within the hour after being taken out of the refrigerator before they need to throw product away due to cultivation of colonies of bacteria that have populated that item. In this study, the focus was on what happened when four deli products; turkey, ham, brie, and cheddar were left out at room temperature over time to see how badly they become populated. The four types of deli products were observed after being wrapped at the initial opening of the package, at 2 hours, at 4 hours and at 6 hours, and were then placed into incubator for 24 hours. There were 2 controls for this experiment one being a saline plate to see if there was any cross contamination and the other being a plate of E. coli ground in the same way as the meat and cheese to see if the grinding process influenced the proliferation of bacteria. While the deli meats and cheeses were wrapped, they simulate being put into a plastic bag for lunch or packed away for a picnic and allowing most samples to retain moisture and have an increase in growth up to the 6-hour point. The results show that over time the food does become more contaminated and unsafe for consumption. More experimentation can show how other lunch meats and cheese can become unfit for consumption or look at the variety of bacteria that can be grown on the subjects selected for this experiment. This study shows that careful consideration is needed when storing and handling food and knowing when you should or should not toss out food, even when you think it is safe to eat. Faculty advisor: Dr. Melinda Clark Hunter Morris Biology 299: The water quality of the Rivanna River Macroinvertebrates are small invertebrates that can still be seen by the naked eye. They can serve as indicators for water quality in many freshwater streams including the Rivanna River. In this experiment, several samples were taken from various locations of the Rivanna River to test water quality. Each site was either near or far away from farmland that harbored cattle. The hypothesis for this experiment was that the water quality would be better in areas farther away from farmland, worsening with more exposure to cattle farmlands. In order to test this claim, macroinvertebrates were caught and counted at all three locations. The number of macroinvertebrates found was correlated to the quality of the water. The more invertebrates caught meant the better the water quality. The results support the hypothesis that the testing location farthest from farmland yielded the most macroinvertebrates while the site closest to farmland yielded no macroinvertebrates. Faculty Advisor: Dr. John Walsh Xavier Smith Biology 299: The Antibacterial Effects of Endophytic Fungi Within Leafy Greens In this experiment, sections of Romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia) and Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) were dissected and isolated to cultivate the growth of native endophytic fungi under controlled conditions. Twenty-four of these plant samples were placed on 12 agar-nutrient plates laced with streptomycin and penicillin. Fungal growth was monitored and a pure colony was isolated and grown to evaluate for its anti-bacterial properties. The fungal colonies were tested for their ability to inhibit the growth of the bacteria Escherichia coli. Zones of inhibited growth around the fungus samples were measured (average = 3.21 cm2, SD +/- 0.34). These zones were significantly larger than zones around controls (t= 17.7, df= 6, p=0.05). This suggests that the fungus itself, or compounds produced by the living fungus was inhibiting the growth of the E. coli. No inhibition was observed when testing fungal extractions. Future studies could be conducted to identify the fungi isolated by genetic or morphological means. Faculty Advisor: Dr. Joanna Vondrasek Mark Soechting Chemistry 299: The Environmental Effects of Natural and Industrial occurring Chromium (VI) in local Drinking Water Sources. The purpose of this experiment was to measure the levels of Chromium (VI) in the public drinking water source of the James River, above and below the Bremo Bluff power station site where potentially harmful industry processes take place along the James River. The EPA drinking water standard for Chromium-6 is 0.1 milligrams per liter or 100 parts per billion. Chromium (VI) is a health concern as it may be a human carcinogen if ingested above these EPA standards. Chromium (VI) naturally occurs in the environment but can also be caused by industrial processes. Soil and water samples were collected above and below the Bremo Bluff power station. Tap water samples from the town of Bremo Bluff whose water supply is collected below the Bremo Bluff power station were also collected for this study. These water samples were run through a near-IR spectrophotometer, the results of which were compared to a standard Chromium-6 solution to determine the direct relationship between absorbance and concentration using Beers law. This experiment did not find higher levels of Chromium (VI) below the Bremo Bluff Power station but instead found slightly higher chromium-6 levels, several miles upstream from the Bremo Bluff Power station in the town of Scottsville, Virginia. Faculty Advisor: Dr. Frances Rees Annelise Stunes Biology 299: Quantity and phylum diversity of zooplankton along a temperature gradient in Lake Anna Zooplankton are small crustaceans found in most bodies of water. Studies have shown that temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen levels can affect the quantity of zooplankton which can impact the health of that ecosystem. Lake Anna provides a prime environment for this observation, with the local nuclear power plant increasing parts of the lake by 8C, and the constant threat of environmental contamination. Yet while most studies have been conducted on a larger temperature gradient, the results of this study support the same observations on a small scale of only 1C. The hypothesis for this project is that there will be a difference in the quantity and diversity of the phylum Rotifera, Copepoda, and Cladocera along a temperature gradient in Lake Anna. By counting three types of zooplankton, the Phylum Rotifera along with two subphyla copepoda and cladocera, the effects of water temperature, pH, and percent of dissolved oxygen on the phylum quantity and diversity was measured. This hypothesis was supported and it was found that with the increase of temperature, the total number of zooplankton increased, cladocerans mainly decreased, and copepods mainly increased. However, the number of rotifers stayed roughly the same. As the pH decreased along the gradient, the average number of copepods increased and cladocerans decreased. The increased percent of dissolved oxygen resulted in slightly more rotifers and fewer copepods and cladocerans and vice versa for a decrease of dissolved oxygen. As the pH decreased along the gradient, the average number of copepods increased and cladocerans decreased. From these measurements, it can be concluded that the temperature increase created by the power station, and subsequently the change in pH and percent of dissolved oxygen, is causing a shift in zooplankton population and should continue to be monitored for the benefit of the lakes ecosystem. Faculty advisor: John Walsh Tzvi Tabackman- Biology 299: Sequencing the pGlo plasmid Plasmids are small sections of DNA that exist separately of an organisms chromosomal DNA and are mainly found inside bacteria. Bacteria use plasmids to synthesize proteins they otherwise couldnt, providing them with benefits such as resistance to antibiotics. pGLO is a plasmid that has been genetically engineered to provide its bacterial host with a resistance to the antibiotic ampicillin and to synthesize a protein known as Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). GFP makes bacterial colonies glow neon green when exposed to UV light. This phenotype (as well as the antibiotic resistance marker) allows researchers to verify that the plasmid has been successfully introduced (transformed) into bacterial cells. PVCC has samples of the pGLO plasmid for which the complete DNA sequence is not known. Not having this information reduces its use as a molecular tool. In order to provide PVCCs faculty, staff and future students with access to all of pGLOs capabilities, I set out to determine its DNA sequence. First, I grew a plate of E. coli. Next, I used one of the bacterial colonies from this plate and transformed it with the pGLO plasmid. After confirming that the transformation was successful, I created a preparation of the plasmid DNA and sent it to GenScript, a biotechnology company, to be sequenced. Faculty advisor: Dr. Anne Allison  ...

... 1 Annual Spring Science Presentations Science 299 Independent Research Projects: Spring 2015 Students Kamran Bastam Taylor Dillon Burgundy Draper Peggy Freeman Fletcher Gore Stephen Hazen Ismael Leon Melanie Lindemann Ashley London Will Markle Angela Nebel Levi Perry Kira Runkle Morgan Russell Jacob Simons Candice Tomlinson Dorcas Yoder Faculty Advisors Anne Allison Yanina Goddard Barbara Heyl Frances Rees Larry Tiezzi Joanna Vondrasek John Walsh Marlena Yost Chemistry Biology Biology Biology Physics Biology Biology Biology Chemistry Biology Geology Biology Chemistry Biology Biology Biology Biology .page 2 .page 2 .page 3 .page 3 .page 4 .page 5 .page 6 .page 6 .page 7 .page 8 .page 8 .page 9 .page 10 ....page 11 .page 11 .page 12 .page 13 Laboratory Managers Ed Funck Rosalyn Koontz Jennifer Scott 2 Kamran Bastam Preparation of phenyl penicillin potassium salt and benzyl penicillin potassium salt In this experiment two types of penicillin were prepared which is a class of -Lactam antibiotics to treat some Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA) was acylated with Benzoyl chloride and Phenylacetyl chloride through Friedel-Crafts acylation reaction to prepare Phenyl penicillin potassium salt and Benzyl penicillin potassium salt (penicillin G), respectively. In this experiment, phenyl penicillin was obtained from Benzoyl chloride that illustrated 29.3% yield whereas percentage yield of Benzyl penicillin was 7.5% yield from Phenylacetyl chloride. Those antibiotics were assayed using Infrared spectrometer (IR) and melting temperature apparatus to compare with their literature measurements. But during the measurement of melting point those Phenyl penicillin and benzyl penicillin were decomposed at 210C and 210.7C, respectively, whereas melting temperature range of benzyl penicillin is 214-217C (since Phenyl penicillin is not common compound, it does not have literature melting temperature range). The results show that the decomposition points are close to the melting temperature range and the comparison of the experimental IR spectrums with literature IR spectrums show that the experiment was successful. Faculty Advisor: Barbara Heyl Taylor Dillon The Effect of Lake Age on Zooplankton Zooplankton are small, heterotrophic animal like organisms that are typically found in most bodies of water. There are many different species that reside in our local lakes and ponds. Species diversity measures how many different kind of species there are and how even each species is. This experiment compares the differences of zooplankton in a fairly new pond and an older lake. The hypothesis is that there will be a higher diversity of plankton in the old lake, Lake Monticello, than there will be in the newer pond at PVCC. A special net called a plankton net was used at each site to collect the samples. The plankton net was moved through the water for two minutes during every sample, and the contents were collected in the cup at the bottom of the net. The samples were then taken to the lab to be looked at under a compound light microscope. About 7-10 slides were looked at for each sample. The plankton that was seen on the slides were counted and identified. It turned out that there was a higher number and diversity of zooplankton in the newer PVCC pond in four out of the five samples. A diversity index was done for each sample most of the numbers showed that the PVCC pond had a much higher diversity than Lake Monticello. Most people would think that there would be a higher species diversity in the older lake because species usually become richer as a lake gets older, but my findings show the opposite from this. This could mean that the biodiversity in Lake 3 Monticello has leveled out, and it is not growing as much because it has been around for longer. Faculty Advisor: John Walsh Burgundy Draper Does cattle access to farm water sources affect water quality measures: a study of farms in the Keswick, Virginia area Many farms have creeks, rivers, and streams running through them. In the agricultural areas surrounding Keswick, VA , these water ways are a part of the Chesapeake Bay water shed, which currently has a report card letter of a C. The government has proposed that farms build off-stream water sources to help reduce the pollutants entering the Bay. One source of contamination from farm run-off is cattle feces, by either having the feces washed into the waterways by rain or having the cattle bathe in the waterways. Cattle feces can have a harmful effect on the ecology of the water, by. (increasing bacterial contamination, increasing nitrate load). The reason for this study was to determine whether cattle access has a negative effect on the the water chemistry of water sources near local farms. In this study, nitrate, phosphate, and dissolved oxygen tests were run to see the effects of cow feces on these water quality measures. On two different days, at the same locations from each site, water samples were collected from six different farms, three where cows had access to the waterways and three where the cows had no access. The water samples were then taken to the lab where they were tested for dissolved oxygen, phosphate, and nitrate levels. The data collected show no significant difference between the water quality measures of farms where there was cattle access and where there was no cattle access (nitrate, DO, phosphate p values for some of the tests). Further studies might examine whether microbial loads differ according to cattle access (or something else looking forward) . Faculty Advisor: Joanna Vondrasek Peggy Freeman Weight Evolution in Bean Beetles (Callosobruchus maculatus) Agricultural pests have been able to adapt and evolve resistance to current control methods such as pesticides at a rapid rate. With short generation times and massive populations, a pest can evolve more quickly than science and technology can devise new solutions forcing farmers to use dangerous chemicals at high levels to protect crops. In order to help find better solutions than the dangerous chemicals, biologists have begun to uncover how 4 the bean beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus, a common parasite of dry beans in warm climates, has evolved by examining the genetics of key traits: development time, longevity, and fecundity. One of the main indicators for these traits has been body size or mass. There has been no direct genetic correlation between weight and the three traits. This was a benefit of either maternal or environment effects that positively influence genetic inheritance. Larger beetles benefit from longer longevity and better fecundity at the cost of a prolonged development time, while smaller beetles develop faster but have reduced longevity and fecundity. The current study is a continuation of a previous PVCC student research project regarding mass selection in the bean beetle. The same beetle population was maintained from the first experiment in a large colony where the beetles were allowed to freely mate over Generation 3 between fall semester to spring semester. Out of this colony, 144 mung beans (Vigna radiata) with eggs, Generation 4, were randomly selected and isolated in an incubator maintained at 27C and allowed to develop and hatch. At the end of the four weeks, 10 breeding pairs were chosen based on mass with five heavy pairs and five light pairs placed on 60 mung beans each. After roughly four weeks, the beans were isolated and allowed to hatch. While 87 of 144 (60%) of Generation 4 hatched successfully, there were no fertilized eggs in Generation 5 of the light breeding pairs, and only two successful hatchings in Generation 5 from the heavy breeding pairs. The average mass of males in Generation 2 was 3.505mg, and the average mass of Generation 2 females was 4.379mg. The average mass of males in Generation 4 was 3.9mg, and the average mass of Generation 4 females was 3.512mg. When analyzed with a t-test of Generation 2 against Generation 4, the change in values between males was shown to be not statistically significant (P-value = 0.9659). However, the change in value between females was shown to be statistically significant (P-value = 0.0050). The males maintained their mass in despite the unknown effect of random mating in Generation 3 hinting at a benefit of maintaining mass. The females did not maintain or grow in mass and began to decrease in mass suggesting the females may be attempting to balance the three genetic traits. Faculty Advisor: Joanna Vondrasek Fletcher Gore Bicycle Powered Water Pump for a Middle School Garden One of the most important, and sometimes the most challenging, requirements in agriculture is to supply ones crops with a sufficient quantity of water. Especially when attempting to adhere to the ideals of sustainable agriculture, this can be very difficult-- seeing as the standard supply of water has been processed and pumped to the garden using a relatively large amount of energy. However, a method that has grown in popularity in recent years uses the rainwater collected by a roof to fill an elevated cistern. Unfortunately, the pressure created in the watering system by the elevation difference between the water tank and the ground is generally very low, a problem that can be remedied only by using an additional source of energy to pressurize it. However, the energy needed to do this can be provided by a myriad of 5 different sustainable sources, including your feet. This is precisely the problem that was encountered by Buford middle school in Charlottesville Va. And, to alleviate it, a device was designed and built that uses the energy provided by children pedaling stationary bicycles to do the work necessary to pressurize and move the collected rainwater. Staying true to the ideal of sustainability, and to reduce the cost of the machine, used, abandoned, repurposed or remanufactured parts were used wherever possible. In the end, the device was capable of producing 14 P.S.I, (the equivalent of a 33 foot head) and a flow rate of 2.8 gpm. These measurements were taken using only one adult to power the machine, while it was designed to be used by two middle school children. Because of this, these measurements were merely a baseline; the actual maximum pressure and flow rates are predicted to be higher. The result was an increased pressure and flow rate through the gardens watering system, using only the energy provided by the middle school's students themselves, while at the same time providing them with a clear, enjoyable means to help in the production of food in their schools garden. And, due to the simplicity of the machines design, the teachers were provided with an opportunity to clearly demonstrate the relatively simple physical rules of force, work, torque and pressure, in addition to more complex subjects such as potential and kinetic energies, fluid dynamics and Bernoullis principle. Faculty Advisor: Yanina Goddard Stephen Hazen Aggregative Multicellularity in Capsaspora owczarzaki Choanoflagellates are believed to share a common ancestor with metazoans and are used to study the origins of multicellularity in animals. The choanoflagellate Salpingoeca rosetta demonstrates distinct singular cell types and a colonial aggregation of morphologically similar cells. Capsaspora owczarzaki belongs to the clade Filasterea, a close sister group to both choanoflagellates and metazoans, and like S. rosetta, demonstrates distinct singular cell types and colonial aggregations. I hypothesize that, as has been previously shown for S. rosetta, exposing C. owczarzaki to fluorescent lectin wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) will stain some fast, free-swimming individuals as well as colonial aggregations. Staining with lectins such as WGA is a useful tool for studying multicellularity because lectins facilitate cell-to-cell interactions. To pilot this assay and optimize conditions, a different but readily accessible protist, Vorticella, was stained with fluorescent WGA. Vorticella was observed in both a free swimming and adherent stage (no aggregations were observed). As previously demonstrated by others, the stalks of adherent individuals as well as the cell bodies of free-swimming ones stained with fluorescent WGA. C. owczarzaki was then stained to determine if colonial aggregates would be visible. Live free-swimming C. owczarzaki were observed under the compound light microscope (no colonial aggregations were observed). None of the free-swimming C. owczarzaki cells stained with the fluorescent WGA. In conclusion, free-swimming C. owczarzaki do not appear to behave in the same way as free-swimming S. rosetta. While additional experiments should be done to 6 observe aggregative C. owczarzaki colonies, these initial findings suggest that C. owczarzaki may constitute an important outgroup for future studies of multicellularity using choanoflagellates. Faculty Advisor: Anne Allison Ismael Leon The inhibition of growth from four Mouthwash Rinses on Streptoccocus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae It is important to maintain good oral hygiene to ensure adequate oral health. Dental decay, or caries, is caused from a lack of good oral hygiene, harmful habits, and an unhealthy diet. Various products for oral hygiene can be found in a local grocery store. This experiment focused on three different mouthwash rinses and their effect on bacterial growth of three different bacteria normally found in the human flora of the oral cavity. The leading cause of caries is the bacterium Streptococcus mutans, but this experiment also included Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia. Oral hygiene products varying in chemical composition have been used in previous studies. This experiment used clinically proven, all natural, adolescent, and inexpensive mouth rinses with varying chemical components. The hypothesis was that Crest would be the most effective, while Equate would be the least effective. Knowing which product is most effective in inhibiting growth of these bacteria is knowledge the public can use to maintain better oral hygiene. Bacteria were grown on and tested against the various products on Nutrient agar and Brain-Heart Infusion agar plates. Paper discs dipped into the mouth rinses were then placed in the center and the plates were grown for approximately 24 hours in a temperature that was about 37 degrees Celsius. It was found that Crest was the most effective in inhibiting the growth of all bacteria tested. Second most effective was Equate, followed by the similarly formulated ACT for Kids. The least effective mouth rinse was Toms of Maine, as in many cases the product had no inhibition of growth. The hypothesis that Crest would be the most effective was accepted, while the rest of the hypothesis was refuted due to Equate not being the least effective in inhibiting bacterial growth. Faculty Advisor: Marlena Yost Melanie Lindemann Toxicity of Cigarette Residues on Daphnia Magna Globally, cigarette filters are the most abundant form of litter. Every year 1.1 billion smokers worldwide contribute over three billion pounds of toxic waste, more than two thirds of which is littered, polluting our coastlines, waterways, and land. Numerous studies have 7 affirmed that a lethal mix of over 7,ooo chemicals leach into the environment from spent cigarette filters and pose a threat to wildlife. In this study, Daphnia magna were used as biological indicators, per US Environmental Protection Agency regulations, for acute toxicity tests of both Marlboro Red cigarettes and Organic American Spirit cigarettes to evaluate the relative toxicity of spent cigarette filter leachate. Artificially smoked test cigarette filters were submerged in aged tap water for 24 hours and daphnia were exposed to the leachate in concentrations of 2, 1, .5, .25, .125, and 0 cigarette filters/l. The tests demonstrated high rates of mortality for the non-organic filters, with a lethal concentration of .25 filters/l. However, organic filter leachate displayed a mere 40% mortality rate in concentrations of 2 filters/l compared that of the Marlboro filters at 100%. These results suggest that filter leachate from organic cigarettes is considerably less toxic than leachate from cigarettes with additives such as ammonium diphosphate and ammonium hydroxide. Further experimentation and comparison could be done using higher concentrated leachates to identify a lethal concentration of organic filter leachate. Isolating and testing cigarette additives and chemical components in spent cigarette filters would also be beneficial to identify specific toxins. My results along with further research and experimentation could be used to educate consumers about the harmful effects of littering cigarette filters, urge manufacturers to contribute to litter prevention campaigns, and prompt more testing of cigarette additives. Faculty Advisor: Jennifer C. Scott Ashley London Nutritional Difference of Store Bought and Home Raised Eggs Chicken eggs have been a long time source of protein for humans. Eggs are not only a good source of protein but also provide a few other vitamins and minerals. In modern times, people do not typically raise chickens anymore; instead, people predominately buy eggs in grocery stores. There may be a few differences in nutritional value of store bought eggs compared to home raised eggs. Home raised eggs are hypothesized to have more nutritional value than store bought eggs because they are fresher, not having to be stored and shipped for long periods of time, and the chickens that lay the eggs are more likely to be free range and fed a better feed. In this experiment, chicken eggs raised at home are compared to store bought chicken eggs by testing iron and cholesterol in the egg yolk and calcium in the egg shells. Calcium in the egg shells can transfer into the white and yolk of the egg, giving home raised eggs their first advantage over store bought eggs. The home raised eggs had about eighty-four percent calcium in the egg shells compared to seventy-three percent in the store bought eggs. In addition, iron is important for humans to transfer oxygen throughout the body. Home raised eggs were shown to have higher levels of iron than store bought eggs. Recent studies have shown that cholesterol has many benefits in human diet despite cholesterols reputation of 8 being bad. Taking this into account, home raised eggs, having more cholesterol, can be taken as good or bad. Faculty Advisor: Barbara Heyl Will Markle Effective Management of Lactose Intolerance Lactose Intolerance is the bodys inability to digest lactose, a sugar found in dairy products, and affects about 65 percent of the worldwide population. The condition is caused by the deficiency of lactase, an enzyme produced in the small intestine that breaks down lactose, and causes symptoms including bloating and diarrhea when the undigested lactose reaches the colon and interacts with normal colonic bacteria such as Escherichia coli. While there is currently no treatment, there are various ways to manage the condition. In this experiment three different remedies were tested for their effectiveness of managing lactose intolerance; Lactaid, a lactose-free milk, lactase pills, and Cinchona officinalis pellets, a homeopathic remedy. 2% milk and Lactaid were used as mediums and several samples were inoculated with lactose positive and lactose negative E. coli, E. coli with and without the ability to ferment lactose, with several samples having crushed lactase pills and C. officinalis pellets added respectively in addition to lone samples of 2% milk and Lactaid. pH levels as well as glucose levels, a sugar that results from lactose being broken down, of each sample were tested before and after a 48 hour incubation period. The results indicated that samples including bacteria and lactase pills had consecutive drops in pH after the 48 hours across all tests while samples containing bacteria and C. officinalis pellets had consecutive drops in pH after the 48 hours across duplicated conditions. Faculty Advisor: Marlena Yost Angela Nebel The Anatomy of a Rock Slide The Sherando Lake rock slide is more than just a rock slide. In analyzing the rock slide and its causes a number of discoveries were made. It contains Skolithos liniaris (worm tubes) which are about 500 million years old. This makes these fossils the oldest found in Virginia. It may also contain evidence of Sea Pens, crinoids that occur in the early Cambrian. Other fossil traces like mud-cracks and bioturbation activity can also be seen. 9 From the information collected and through the work of others, it is possible to put together the history of the rock at Sherando Lake. The quartzites began life as a beach sandstone and were deposited in a barrier island complex - a near-shore to off-shore shallow marine environment with pure quartz sand, similar to what we find today in the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Based on the large number of worm tubes and other signs it was teeming with life. It then was buried, metamorphosed and thrust about 100 miles to where it exists today. Quartzites are very resistant to erosion. However, in the more geologically recent time the colder climate has resulted in ice wedging along fractures in the rock. Anatomy of the land slide indicates that the lithic composition of the slide is homogeneous, but in some places were found significant changes in the rocks appearance. The quartz in the sandstone is well cemented with silica, and in other places of the slide is fine grain laminated and layered. These changes are noticeable in the higher point of the slide where the quartzite sandstone is well structured, while in the places near the vegetation border appeared rocks with more layers. Considering the lack vegetation in part of the slide, it is suggested that it is still moving. The relative homogenous size of rocks indicates a uniform fracture pattern. In summary,the Sherando Lake landslide is moving today and is the result of ice wedging. It contains the oldest fossils in Virginia. To fully unravel all of its mysteries will require additional future work. Faculty Advisor: Larry Tiezzi Levi Perry Mutualism Between Plants and Soil Microbes: Effects on Plant Reproductive Success The mutualistic relationship between plants and soil microbes is well documented and is an ancient part of the evolutionary tale. Plant roots provide fungus and bacteria with a hospitable habitat and often nutrients from photosynthesis, while the microbes expand the surface area of the roots, and transfer nutrients that would not normally be available to the plant. My experiment was to examine the relationship between the presence of soil microbes, specifically nitrogen-fixing bacteria and mycorrhizae fungus, and the reproductive success of the plants. My hypothesis was that the group exposed to both bacteria and fungus would have the highest measures of reproductive success. Four test groups were used: Group A was the control with no microbes added, Group B was supplemented with bacteria, Group C was supplemented with mycorrhizae fungi, and Group D contained both bacteria and fungi. For each group, three Wisconsin Fast Plants seeds (Brassica rapa) were planted in a Styrofoam planter with eight cells. After germination, plants were randomly thinned to a single seedling per cell. The potting soil was autoclaved prior to planting to ensure a lack of microbial activity. At two points after seed germination, the microbes were inoculated into the soil following the 10 manufacturers instructions. The seeds from the first generation of plants were collected, and sixteen of each group (except for the control which produced zero seeds) were replanted into sterile soil. Due to the lack of seeds in Group A, the difference between the mean seeds per plant was statistically significant (p=0.0010), but when Group A was removed from the comparison the difference between the groups was not significant (p=0.28). Group D produced seeds that were visibly smaller than the other groups, and the mean seed weight was drastically different (p=1.5x10^-96). Out of 16 second generation seeds planted, Group B germinated 15, Group C germinated 14, and Group D germinated 7. The proportion difference was not significant between groups B and C (p=0.54), but the difference between groups B and D, and groups C and D was significant (p=0.0023 and p=0.0092 respectively). Therefore, there appears to be a correlation between seed weight and percent germination, and the possible tandem effects of both fungi and bacteria on seed weight can be further explored. Regardless, the presence of soil microbes positively influencing reproductive success is supported, as Group A developed no second generation in the time allotted. Faculty Advisor: Joanna Vondrasek Kira Runkle Food for Thought: Isolation of the Neurotransmitter form Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) from Kefir Grains For the past several decades, researchers in the fields of microbiology and molecular sciences have focused their attention towards the impact of gut flora on human biology. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) produced by lactobacillus, has been shown to influence mood, altar brain chemistry, and reduce hypertension. This study focused on the isolation of lactobacillus from kefir and the subsequent extraction of the GABA compound. MRS agar, a media known to select for lactobacillus, was inoculated with fermented milk. Colonies were then tested for catalayse negativity and Gram positivity for a positive identification. The target bacteria were then grown in broth, which was later centrifuged, and the supernatant removed. To isolate GABA, the solution was run through ion-exchange chromatography. The filtrate was then tested for the presence of amino acids using ninhydrin test strips. The final step involved running the fraction against pure GABA and Glutamate on a thin-layer chromatography plate. The results revealed the presence of both amino acids and one unknown amino acid in the mixture. GABA itself was not isolated as it never precipitated out of the filtrate sample. This may be due to the high solubility of the amino acid in the aqueous solution. Future studies may try incorporating an organic solvent to cause the neurotransmitter to precipitate out. Faculty Advisor: Barbara Heyl 11 Morgan Russell Effect of Various Essential Oils on Microbial Inhibition Many bacteria are present in and on our bodies, as a part of our normal human microbiota, including Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. These three bacteria usually cause us little to no problem, and are generally seen as opportunistic in nature. Nonetheless, this means they can occasionally take advantage of various bodily conditions and over multiply, which can cause a variety of problems. To combat the propensity of these bacteria to overproduce in such accommodating bodily conditions, we often utilize various antimicrobial agents, such as Neosporin, silver solution, and mouthwash to keep their populations low, and thus less capable of causing infection. However, not only has the efficacy of these antimicrobials been in question since their invention but also the risks of using these antimicrobials in contrast to their benefits. Furthermore, many people use alternative products, such as medical grade honey, spices, and various essential oils, in place of these antimicrobials, and have made great claims to their efficacy and lack of adverse effects. This study set out to test the former of these claims, in testing the efficacy of various traditional and alternative antimicrobials in inhibiting the growth of Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Six antimicrobials, Neosporin, silver solution, mouthwash, rosemary essential oil, peppermint essential oil, and tea tree essential oil, were tested by placing sterile paper discs soaked in each antimicrobial onto streak plates of each of the three bacteria. Despite multiple attempts to grow S. mutans on a variety of mediums, growth could not be attained and thus results could not be recorded for S. mutans. Results of the tests on the remaining two bacteria were compared to previous studies on microbial inhibition in these two species. For both bacteria, tea tree essential oil showed the largest areas of inhibition, by far, while silver solution showed no inhibition, Neosporin, rosemary essential oil, and peppermint essential oil showed comparable areas of inhibition, and mouthwash showed variable results. These findings not only bolster claims for alternative antimicrobial agents, but also underscore questions regarding traditional antimicrobials. Faculty Advisor: Marlena Yost Jacob Simons A Novel Technique Facilitates Immunofluorescence Experiments Immunofluorescence is a technique that uses antibodies to bind fluorochromes to specific biomolecules within a cell. Viewed under an epifluorescent microscope, and excited by specific wavelengths of light, these immuno-targeted fluorochromes emit fluorescent light, thus making specific molecules in the cell visible. In my Cell Biology course in fall 2014, we stained HeLa cells to visualize the nucleus, cadherin proteins, actin filaments, and gamma tubulin. When cells were viewed under an epifluorescence microscope, the gamma tubulin was not visible, and the 12 phalloidin signal bled through into the TRITC channel. To investigate why these two stains behaved this way, I first developed a new and expedient cell fixation and permeabilization technique that can be used for rapid immunofluorescence experiments. As a proof of principle for this new assay, I stained human cheek epithelial cells with Hoescht dye and Texas-RedPhalloidin to test if these reagents allowed me to view nuclei and actin filaments, respectively. Nuclei were clearly visible and demonstrated normal nuclear morphology. Actin filament staining was also visible, but this staining revealed a somewhat perturbed cell structure, most likely due to the rapid fixation technique used. Next, this technique was used to conduct a series of experiments designed to determine if the lack of gamma tubulin staining was due to a problem with the primary anti-tubulin and/or secondary antibodies. In this experiment, cadherin staining was used as a positive control, and while this staining was faint, it was visible. The gamma tubulin staining was visible, indicating the integrity of our reagents. However there were also areas of the slide where staining had occurred where there was no cell present. This observation could be explained by the harsh fixation technique used. A dilution assay using varying amounts of methanol showed enhanced cell biology for cytoplasmic structures at lower concentrations of methanol. Future studies of gamma tubulin should take this technical observation into account. Faculty Advisor: Anne Allison Candice Tomlinson Depletion of Arf6 protein from human epithelial cells reinforces Arf6s role in regulating the actin cytoskeleton Stress fibers are filaments comprised of actin and myosin proteins. Stress fibers are found in non-muscle animal cells, and they help these cells move, form their shape, and stick to one another in tissues. Stress fibers are important for cell contractility. These fibers are formed by a cells response to its physical environment and appear when a cell undergoes high mechanical force or levels of stress. Arf6 is a cellular GTP-binding protein that is localized at the plasma membrane and is integral to membrane trafficking and cytoskeleton remodeling. The purpose of this project was to explore the relationship of Arf6 to stress fibers. Previous studies have shown that when Arf6 is mutated, stress fibers become more visible and pronounced. This study aimed to determine if cells depleted of Arf6 protein would display a similar phenotype. Cells were stained with a fluorescent dye to visualize actin filaments and were viewed using an epifluorescence microscope. A series of photographs was taken, and stress fibers were counted and measured using an open-source image processing program. Compared to control cells, stress fibers were more prominent in cells lacking Arf6 protein. These results enhance and are consistent with cell biologists current understanding of how Arf6 regulates the actin cytoskeleton during important cellular events. Faculty Advisor: Anne Allison 13 Dorcas Yoder Application of Road Salt and its Effects on Freshwater Invertebrates The application of road salt to highways and sidewalks can cause a buildup of Na, Ca, and Mg ions in soil and other surfaces. Subsequent rains can carry these ions into nearby streams and increase the salinity of stream water. A saltwater solution of 52.2 ppt was applied to a model system with three different surfaces of wheat grass, clay, and concrete. Both the volume and salinity of the runoff was measured. A portion of the runoff was diluted and used for a toxicity test with Daphnia magna. Freshwater Daphnia were transferred to solutions of 5 ppt, 2.5 ppt, 1.25 ppt, .625 ppt, and .3125 ppt. The Daphnia were checked for their survival rates after 24 hours and after 48 hours. Because the runoff from the different surfaces contained a high salinity and the Daphnia had low survival rates, we concluded that the application of road salt increases salinity of runoff and is toxic to freshwater organisms. Future research could include testing the salinity of samples from nearby streams and observing their salinity over a long period of time. Faculty Advisor: John Walsh Special Thanks The lab managers are often the people we turn to first for help with our 299 projects. The lab managers make themselves available for questions big and small: how do I sterilize my media? Whats wrong with this microscope? Do we have X/Y/Z reagents/materials stocked in the lab or do we need to order more? This course would not be possible without their expertise and willingness to help. We extend special thanks to Jennifer Scott (Biology), Rosalyn Koontz (Biology), and Ed Funck (Chemistry).  ...

... Annual Fall Science Presentations Fall 2014 Science 299 Independent Research Projects Kelly Barker Tricolsan Resistance Triclosan is a ubiquitous antimicrobial compound used in common personal care products and household materials. Even though it has useful applications as an antimicrobial agent, it has been shown to have many negative environmental and health effects. In addition to these negative effects, there is overwhelming evidence that use of antimicrobial chemicals in everyday products is promoting the development of resistant bacteria in general. The goal of this project is to determine if Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacterium found on ones skin, is capable of forming resistance to Triclosan. This project used a zone of inhibition assay, where S. aureus was plated with different concentrations of Triclosan dissolved in ethanol, or plain ethanol as a control. Within one plating cycle, colonies grew within the zone of inhibition. Those colonies were then plated and tested using the same zone of inhibition assay, and they revealed a smaller zone of inhibition. In other words, the colonies that grew within the zone of inhibition on the first plating were able to withstand higher concentrations of Triclosan relative to the original S. aureus culture. This suggests that S. aureus is capable of developing resistance to moderate levels of Triclosan in a very short period of time and raises further concerns about the widespread use of such chemicals in everyday products. Faculty Mentor: Anne Allison Caroline Daniels Studies on the Toxicity of Roundup Pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers are often applied to crop fields of conventional and non-conventional farms. Of the three, herbicides (also known as weed killers) contain the strongest and most harmful chemicals in order to effectively kill unwanted vegetation. Chemicals in the soil from the various herbicidal sprays enter nearby waterways via the runoff of topsoil, which can severely affect the ecology of nearby aquatic organisms. In this study, acute toxicity tests of both Round-Up (an herbicide used on most conventional farms) and St. Gabriels organic weed killer were performed in order to evaluate toxicity once the herbicides enter a waterway. Daphnia magna were used as biological indicators for acute toxicity tests on 2% concentrations of both solutions, and to run toxicity tests on runoff where both solutions have been applied to the grass Thinopyrum intermedium. I found that 2% concentrations of both Round-Up and St. Gabriels were toxic to the Daphnia. Round-Up contains glyphosate and many inert ingredients that negatively affect living cells. St. Gabriels is 6% citric acid which is the major contributor to its ability to kill both plants and animals despite the fact that it is organic. However, the runoff of both solutions was considerably less toxic to the Daphnia yet still able to kill Thinopyrum intermedium over a course of two weeks of diligent watering. Both solutions are not severely toxic when used in small concentrations, but may still be toxic to organisms in the soil (a concept that needs further testing). Additionally, these findings make clear that it is unnecessary to use any herbicide in full 100% concentration since doing so negatively affects the environment and these herbicides remain effective weed killers at significantly reduced concentrations. Faculty Mentor: Joanna Vondrasek Veronica Deighan Well Water Testing in Nelson County In 2017, Dominion Power plans to install a natural gas pipeline through Nelson County. This pipeline will run through several properties and will possibly have an effect on the local water quality. In order to provide some preliminary testing for those families who are most likely to be affected, we tested the quality of 12 wells and 2 springs in Nelson County. We performed tests on temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen content, Escherichia coli, turbidity, dissolved solids, phosphates, nitrates, lead and iron. Within the parameters of these tests, no harmful results were observed in any of the water. Homeowners whose wells were tested will be supplied with copies of data showing the health of their wells. Faculty Mentor: Barbara Heyl Erika Douthit Testing for the Presence of Excess Staphylococcus aureus in Private Swimming Pools This experiment was designed to detect the presence of excess Staphylococcus aureus after exposure to swimmers in two private swimming pools. S. aureus is a common species of bacteria shed from the human body that are semi-resistant to chlorine treatment and are opportunistic infectors (Alico & Dragonjac, 1986). Because of repeat reports of ostis externia from swimmers who frequented Pool A, it was hypothesized that Pool A would contain an excess of the bacteria after swimmers were present in comparison to Pool B. The two swimming pools were nearly the same size and depth and were close in location. To test for the presence of S. aureus, four samples were taken; 50 mL from Pool A with no human exposure for 24 hours, 50mL from Pool B with no exposure to humans in 24 hours, 50ml from Pool A after an hour of exposure to humans, and 50ml from Pool B after an hour of exposure to humans. The samples were then cultured, using only 1mL of sample water per plate, and incubated on Mannitol Salt Agar plates for 72 hours. Out of six plates from Pool A with exposure to people, only one showed indication of the presence of S. aureus, and four out of six plates from Pool B with exposure to people indicated presence of S. aureus. The results refute the hypothesis by showing that Pool B contained more S. aureus than Pool A. Several variables were identified as possible reasons for the excess bacteria in Pool B such as difference in filter age and care schedule. Further testing may consist of determining the effect of filtration rate on the concentration of S. aureus. Research on the exact standards of pool chlorination and its effects on S. aureus would also be helpful. Faculty Mentor: Patricia Franklin Kyleigh Hanson Antimicrobial Resistance Antimicrobial resistance is becoming a large problem due to the overuse of antibiotics and antibacterial products. As Susan Chon (2012) states in her finding about antibiotics in the field of dermatology, because of their consistent use, utility, and availability antibiotics are susceptible to overuse within the medical practice, and, specific to this discussion, in the dermatologic setting. When using antibacterial products it is prevalent for the organisms to become resistant to the product after excessive or non mandatory use. When bacteria become resistant to a certain product it becomes virtually useless against the organism. Taking a non antibacterial approach to killing common bacteria could be beneficial for a safe daily use product that will not be as devastating if the organism were to become resistant. I investigated the antimicrobial resistance of a few common bacteria found on the human body; Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis and Escherichia coli against common household hand soap and a homemade facial cleanser composed of Epsom Salts, Hydrogen Peroxide and tap water. In James Q. Del Rossos (2008) article on the use of facial cleansers instead of antibiotics demonstrates that the use of a facial cleaner will not cause the bacteria to become resistant thus is a safe long-term bactericidal alternative to antibiotic use. Muller-Hinton Agar lawned with S. aureus, S. epidermidis and E. coli were used for this experiment. One antimicrobial disk soaked in either Ajax non-antibacterial soap, an Epsom Salt-Hydrogen Peroxide mixture or saline were used in each agar plate. After incubation, the zones of inhibition were noted and measured. The results lead to the conclusion that household products tested with these common bacteria, are a safe and effective alternative to using antibacterial products. Faculty Mentor: Marlena Yost Chet Lam Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles to Detect Glyphosate The purpose of this experiment was to synthesize cysteamine-modified gold nanoparticles and use them to detect glyphosate in roundup. Cysteamine-modified gold nanoparticles were synthesized by reducing hydrogen tetrachloroaurate(III) trihydrate with sodium borohydride in the presence of cysteamine hydrochloride. The nanoparticles were characterized by an absorbance peak at 520.70 nm, using a vernier spectrophotometer. An attempt was made to use the cysteamine-modified gold nanoparticles to detect glyphosate in roundup by diluting roundup to different concentrations to make a standard curve. Sodium acetate : acetic acid buffer was added to the cysteamine-modified gold nanoparticles and the different concentrations of roundup were added to the test solutions to incubate over night. The vernier spectrophotometer was used to quantify the results by the 650/524 nm ratio of absorbance vs. the concentration of roundup (gylphosate). The test appeared to be able to detect glyphosate, although not nearly as well as previous research because the slope (0.0023) of the standard curve was too flat, the R2 value(0.8010) was too low, the reaction behaved differently (precipitation instead of turning blue) and the absorbance peaks were different. However, the slope's deviation from the horizontal was significant, and the linear correlation coefficient of 0.895 was significant at p < 0.05. Faculty Mentor: Barbara Heyl Miranda Mayhall Wells Along Projected Dominion Pipeline A project known as the Atlantic Coastline Pipeline (ACP) has recently moved forward into action to develop a natural gas pipeline to run from West Virginia into South Carolina. This projected route is set to run through the nearby Nelson County and will directly fall along the properties of many personally owned farms and lands. The people who claim ownership of these lands recognize not only the amount of intrusion on their own sanctuary, but the possible disruption of their natural resources, mainly their water sources which are primarily on site aquifers utilized as drinking water. Presence of these pipelines will not only induce erosion but could potentially increase the level of dissolved solids and metallic elements in their wells. The purpose of this experiment was to conduct initial testing on the wells that will be affected by the Dominion pipeline project so that the families who use them will have resolute evidence of the detriment caused by this type of industrial development. Water samples were extracted from 14 different private water sources from this target area to be tested for current water quality. Each sample was tested for temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen content, Escherichia coli, turbidity, dissolved solids, phosphates, nitrates, lead, and iron. As suspected, no harmful results were found in any of the wells. Each family belonging to these wells is receiving copies of these reports and will be able to provide proof of the condition of their wells prior to the pipeline construction. Faculty Mentor: Barbara Heyl Brittany Schalizki Who Shot the Sheriff? Sheriff Jason Longbottom, was shot while speaking to the local community. The bullet passed through his shoulder and hit a wall behind him. Luckily, the bullet traveled straight through Longbottom 's shoulder. He will make a full recovery. Because of the chaos at the time, however, Longbottom cannot make a confident determination of the shooter's identity. There was no shell casings found at the scene, therefore the shooter could only be identified by forensic testing on the weapon. The forensic scientist must assist the police in identifying the shooter, and provide a detailed justification in the report for the police and the district attorney identifying the shooter. After the deputies interviewed the crowd, they narrowed the suspects to two repeat offenders in the community. Both were armed and their guns had been recently fired. Alison Wonderland carried a 1.5 inch .38 special and Will Doolittle had a 5.5 inch .357 magnum. To determine the identity of the shooter, a forensic scientist must fire both guns to determine exit velocity of each bullet. The velocity of a bullet can be determined using a chronograph. Ballistic gel was prepared and used to simulate the ballistic behavior of bullets in a human body. The velocity of each bullet was measured again, by the chronograph, as the bullets exited the ballistic gel, to find out how much the bullets velocities changed. The measurements of the heights drop between the Sheriff's bullet wound and indentation on the wall and knowledge of the bullet's exit velocity allows one to determine the identity of the shooter. A detailed report of all forensic experiments will be presented at the poster session and shooter identified unambiguously. Faculty Mentor: Yanina Goddard Peter Terrance Contamination of Surface Water in Culpeper VA In 1981, Culpeper Wood Preservers, based in Culpeper VA, was the site of an ecological spill of 100,000 Gallons of chromated copper arsenate (CCA). The run off from the site contaminated local surface and ground water in the immediate area. In order to test whether contamination still exists in local surface water, 3 samples were taken from 6 locations during different weather conditions in an effort to see if chromium, copper or arsenic are present. By using the Bincinchoninate, and EPA 7196 method of ground water testing, copper and hexavalent chromium can be measured against a Beers curve of known concentrations. After being exposed to the proper reagents, both methods result in measurable color change at an appropriate wavelength by a spectrometer. Using a scaled down version of the Marsh test creating arsine gas is one method to test for arsenic. Since this gas is extremely toxic, a field test kit was utilized and the proper precautions were taken to ensure everything was disposed of in an appropriate manner. During this experiment, copper, chromium, and arsenic were found to be present in one of the samples tested. This location, to the south of CWP right next to Mountain Run stream was not previously mentioned in any of the reports. While the amount of chromium and arsenic were below the level of unsafe drinking levels according to the EPA, the amount of copper was approximately 3 times the safe drinking standard. This discovery is important because it proves that ecological disasters can remain a problem even 30 years after the event occurred. What is more important is that local wildlife is allowed to drink from the contaminated stream and could inadvertently be eaten in the future by unsuspecting members of the community. Faculty Mentor: Barbara Heyl Thomas Wagamon Weight Selection in Bean Beetles All over the world, insects cause heavy damages to crops. One such insect is the bean beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus. This beetle is a prolific agricultural pest in warm climates all across the globe, where it feeds on beans and other legumes. Bean beetles have a rather short generational period, which allows them to adapt quickly. The focus of this experiment is to see if a significant change in a population can be made in just one generation. To discover this, the beetles in this experiment were selected based on their mass. To start the beetle culture, 192 mung beans (Vigna radiata) with eggs on them were taken at random from an existing bean beetle culture. To keep the beetles from mating randomly once hatched, individual beans were placed into the wells of two ELISA plates. The plates were then covered, labeled, and put into a 27oC incubator. The plates were checked twice a week and the mass of any hatched beetles was recorded. After 4 weeks had passed, the five most massive males and five most massive females were selected and moved to a plate containing 96 mung beans in order to breed. After 1 week, each bean was placed in the well of an ELISA plate. Once again the plate was covered, labeled and placed in a 27 oC incubator. The plates were checked twice a week and the mass of any newly hatched beetles was recorded. After approximately 4 weeks recording ceased. The average mass of males in the first generation was 2.87 mg, the average mass of first generation females was 3.83 mg. In the second generation the average mass of males was 3.50 mg, while the female average was 4.38 mg. When analyzed with a t-test, the change in mass between generations for both sexes was shown to be significant (p < 0.05). Since the data was shown to be significant, it can be reasonably assumed that a change in the mass of a population of bean beetles can be achieved in one generation. Faculty Mentor: Joanna Vondrasek Special thanks to the following faculty and staff for facilitating or assisting with student projects Laboratory Managers Ed Funck (Chemistry) Rosalyn Koontz (Biology) Jennifer Scott (Biology) Science Faculty John Walsh (Biology) Frances Rees (Chemistry)  ...

... Fall Science Presentations 2012 Fall 2012 Science 299 Independent Research Projects Science 299 projects are semester-long independent research projects that students pursuing an A.S. in Science are required to complete prior to graduation. Stuart Goetting (Geology 299): A Comparison of Two Different Hydrocarbons: Gilsonite vs. Raphaelite The basis for this project was to compare a well-known hydrocarbon (Gilsonite), which has been used in the oil and gas industry for over a decade, with a lesser tested hydrocarbon (Raphaelite). While both products have multiple commercial uses such as additives in asphalt paving mixes, inks, and paints, this project tested the two against each other to find which compound works better as a fluid loss control agent for oil-based drilling fluids. Using a combination of proven industry methods and a newly invented experiment, I was able to evaluate the two compounds performance over four different tests. At the conclusion of the experiments it was determined that Gilsonite would serve as a better additive in oil-based drilling muds. Lawrence Tiezzi, faculty advisor Mindy Farrell (Chemistry 299) This organic chemistry experiment attempted to use a column chromatograph in order to isolate epigallocatechin (EGC) from a commercial green tea. The green tea solution was formed by placing green tea leaves into a heated solvent and removed the leaves by vacuum filtration. The solution was treated with several different solvent combinations on thin layer chromatography plates in order to find a potential working solvent for the column chromatograph. Pure acetonitrile resulted in a spot on the plates, so a few silica columns were ran with acetonitrile as the solvent. The samples were then run through an infrared spectrometer (IR) in order to see what was isolated. The IR had an analysis program that matched results from their data base, but there were no compounds in the database that had over a 35 percent match which is indicative of absence of any compounds from green tea or acetonitrile. Barbara Heyl, faculty advisor Airlie Lyle (Chemistry 299): The Effect of Cow Farm Pollutants on Groundwater The experiment was designed show the effect of cow farms on ground water. The objective was to determine which direction the ground water flows by comparing the areas of pollutants found from a cow farm along the James River in Scottsville, VA. I took water samples from four separate locations surrounding the farm. I tested the six samples for dissolved oxygen, turbidity, ammonium, nitrate, and fecal coliforms. Ammonium and nitrate were all in very low concentrations, reading 1.0 mg/L in each of the samples. The turbidity in each of the samples was also very low, all of the readings were negative however the results varied; the James River samples were similar to that of the house, Belle Haven, that sits closest to the farm, ranging from -3.0 to -3.7. The two wells tested on the other side of the farm were similar to one another and had lower turbidity than that of Belle Haven and the James River locations ranging from -6.6 to -7.2. The dissolved oxygen at Belle Haven was similar to that of the James River. Each of these three samples had a reading between 9.0 and 9.5 mg/L of dissolved oxygen, where the Totier Creek locations had slightly lower concentrations of dissolved oxygen. The fecal coliform test results varied by location. Three to four different enteric species were found at Belle Haven, and also across the farm at one of the Totier Creek locations. I found after returning to Belle Haven to speak with the owner, that the water from her house is actually Scottsville city water. This indicates that the ground water is flowing in the opposite direction of the James River and almost parallel to it. Barbara Heyl, faculty advisor Jeannette Wade (Biology 299) Aquatic biodiversity can be measured in lotic systems by collecting macroinvertebrates and measuring abiotic factors of the streams. The Rivanna watershed, in particular, covers parts of Green, Orange, Albemarle, Louisa, and Fluvanna so the health and quality of the watershed are very important. However, many aspects to the watershed, including its aquatic biodiversity, are being threatened and depleted by the very people who rely on it. Many pollutants enter the water and destroy the habitat of many macroinvertebrates. Collecting macroinvertebrates is a good way to test the habitat because the water quality rating can be calculated based on the pollution sensitivity of the organisms found. The Shannon diversity index can also be calculated to determine the overall biodiversity of the environment. Overall, the quality and health of the Rivanna watershed are important to maintain because both biotic and abiotic factors depend on it. ??, faculty advisor Zachary Grove (Natural Sciences 299): Antimicrobial effects of Kombucha Kombucha is a widely known health supplement drink that began its journey into the hearts of many health enthusiasts sometime around 2000 years ago in Eurasia. It has been regarded by many people as a health tonic which can help to relieve and heal many different ailments. In my study I wanted to see if I could begin to validate a portion of these claims. I began by testing the antimicrobial properties against common bacteria found in the G.I. track. Once some level of antimicrobial effect was found, I tested to see if the pH of the kombucha was the sole antimicrobial factor, which it seems it was, leading me to believe that the acidic content is the cause of antimicrobial effect. Overall my study shows some evidence that there may be scientific support for some of these health claims, although further research is necessary. Patricia Franklin, faculty advisor  ...

... Fifth Annual Spring Science Presentations Spring 2012 Science 299 Independent Research Projects Science 299 projects are semester-long independent research projects that students pursuing an A.S. in Science are required to complete prior to graduation. Gina Baldi (Biology 299): The Efficacy of Garlic as an Antimicrobial against Escherichia coli, Ampicillin-Resistant Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. This experiment was undertaken to compare the effectiveness of raw garlic as an antimicrobial, compared to the antibiotic ampicillin. The three bacteria being studied are Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and ampicillin-resistant E. coli. Each bacterial strain was streaked onto nutrient agar plates, onto which disks impregnated with raw garlic and ampicillin were placed. After incubation, the zones of inhibition were recorded. The zones of inhibition for E. coli treated with garlic and ampicillin showed no statistical difference (p = 0.405). S. aureus was much more susceptible to ampicillin than garlic (p < 0.0001), while garlic was much more effective than ampicillin against ampicillin-resistant E. coli (p < 0.0001). These results suggest that garlic may be a viable treatment option for some infections. Joanna Vondrasek, faculty advisor Devin Benson (Microbiology 299): Use of Distilled White Vinegar to Disinfect Shoes To determine the effectiveness of distilled white vinegar as a cleaning agent on a pair of Vibram KSOs, a basic series of growth plates was run to determine the effect of distilled white vinegar on the growth of both bacteria and fungus. Using Sabouraud agar for fungal growth, Mannitol Salt agar to mimic the salt rich environment of the shoes and a Nutrient agar for general growth, the series was run over a two month period. The result was that distilled white vinegar inhibits bacterial growth and fungal growth, rendering it an effective disinfectant. Patricia Franklin, faculty advisor Chelsey Blevins (Biology 299): The Effects of Organic Fertilizers on Radishes (Raphanus sativus) The use of organic fertilizers in crop production has vastly spread due to the increase in crop growth and development. This is caused by bacteria which gradually break down the fertilizer and slowly release the nutrients into the soil. This gives the plant time to absorb and process the fertilizer. There are many different brands of organic fertilizers which all promise to have your plants producing at optimal growth. My experiment suggests that not all organic fertilizers function as well as others. I tested three different organic fertilizers on radish plants to see which produced the greatest growth. I measured the heights and widths of the plants every week over a nine week growing period. At the end of the nine week period, I obtained the mass in grams of each of my radish plants. With the data collected I performed a Students Ttest to evaluate the null hypothesis. I also was able to see if I could prove/disprove my working hypothesis. Knowing which fertilizers produce the greatest amount growth can be very important information to have in an agricultural society. With this knowledge agriculturalists can maximize crop production and use less harmful products for their crops and soil. Lloyd Willis, faculty advisor Monica Contreras (Biology 299): The Effects of Exercise on Heart Rate and Blood Pressure The aim of this study was to define the effects of exercise in heart rate and blood pressure. This was done by comparing both the heart rate and blood pressure of active people to sedentary people. Ten people with each lifestyle, active or sedentary, participated in the study. Their resting heart rate and blood pressure were taken. Then, each individual jumped for two minutes straight as an exercise to raise their heart rate and blood pressure, and both measures were taken again after exercise. The purpose of this was to see the difference in the mean of both resting and after exercise heart rate and blood pressure, to examine whether exercise can make the heart stronger and more efficient. The sample was small, but results were still significant. Sedentary people had, on average, an increase in heart rate of 51.8 beats per minute, and active people had an increase of 43.5 beats per minute. The difference between these means and those of blood pressure showed the relationship between an active lifestyle and a more efficient heart. John Walsh, faculty advisor Caitlin Couch (Microbiology 299): Comparing Enteric Bacteria Found in a River vs. a Lake Testing water for enteric bacteria is important to determine water safety for human consumption and to swim in. Enteric bacteria are one of the most common contaminates for water sources. This is why testing water for these bacteria is so important. Water samples were taken from the top and bottom of the Rivanna River and Lake Monticello to determine if there was a difference in the kinds of enteric bacteria that grow in each different kind of environment. The bacteria were then grown on Nutrient agar, Eosin-Methylene Blue (EMB) agar and Hektoen Enteric (HEK) agar plates. Bacteria were also grown in test tubes of different carbohydrates: glucose, lactose, and sucrose. Triple sugar iron, SIM, Simmon's Citrate, and MRVP tests were also done to determine the different types of enteric bacteria that were in each sample. The results showed several varieties of bacteria that mostly use glucose and sucrose, as well as some bacteria that are able to use lactose. Patricia Franklin, faculty advisor Martin Edwards (Chemistry 299): Synthesis of Prilocaine Hydrochloride from Toluene Prilocaine is a local anesthetic that works by disrupting nerve impulses in tissues in a manner that lasts long enough to perform a procedure, but then is also reversible. The synthesis was undertaken as an independent project to investigate the complexity and difficulty of performing a multistep synthesis on the undergraduate level for students with only two semesters of organic chemistry. Prilocaine was synthesized with toluene as the starting material, and a five step synthesis was utilized. The synthesis emphasizes the care needed to work with hazardous reagents, the need for use of protecting groups, and full understanding of the reaction mechanisms. Such mechanisms include the directing properties of functional groups on a benzene ring, catalytic hydrogenation, substitution, amine and amide properties, and conversion of amine groups to ammonium salts. Additionally, the experiment requires the use of many basic organic lab skills, including temperature control, efficient stirring, refluxing, and evaporation and drying of products without decomposition. Typical yields from toluene are 15-30%, and in this synthesis, a percent yield of about 7% was obtained, yielding 1.561 grams of proilocaine hydrochloride. While no data was available for the subject, I learned that prilocaine hydrochloride decomposes under heat, and therefore the product should not be dried in an oven, but rather in a dessicator under vacuum. Because the mechanisms can be performed with different reagents, understanding the why and how each reaction occurs is useful so the experiment can be adapted to different laboratory environments. Barbara Heyl, faculty advisor Betsey Hedges (Chemistry 299): Synthesis of Creatine The object of this project was to synthesize crystalline creatine monohydrate and then to synthesize creatinine from it. Sarcosine (N-methylglycine) and cyanamide were stirred for an hour in aqueous solution with ammonium hydroxide and sodium chloride. The product was isolated by filtration after sitting for a week and was then recrystallized. The purified crystals (creatine monohydrate) were filtrated and converted to creatinine hydrochloride by heating to dryness in the presence of hydrochloric acid. The creatinine hydrochloride was then chilled in ammonia to facilitate conversion to creatinine. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and melting point were used for determination of both the creatine and the creatinine. Thin-layer chromatography also was used with the creatine. From the results of these tests it was concluded that creatine monohydrate was produced in the first synthesis and creatinine in the second. Barbara Heyl, faculty advisor Jolie Hirwe (Biology 299): The Effects of pH on Termites and Protozoans This experiment was carried out to study the effect of pH on the Hodotermitidae, rotten-wood termites, and their symbiotic protozoans using vinegar (acetic acid). Two tests were conducted; the first test was done by dividing 30 termites into two groups: the control group that received wood soaked in water and an experimental group that received wood soaked in acetic acid. Each group had 15 termites and both groups were incubated at room temperature for 24 hr. All termites and their internal protozoans were still alive in the control group after 24 hr; whereas in the experimental group, termites and protozoans were all dead. A second test was done by using a dilution of 25% of acetic acid (pH of 5), and this test produced different results. Out of 15 termites treated, 8 were dead after 24 hr and the rest took more than one day to die. It is possible that the termites that did not die after 24 hr had protozoans that tolerated a low pH concentration, but this would require more studies to evaluate this possibility. The results suggest that acetic acid may be a nontoxic way to protect homes against termites. Joanna Vondrasek, faculty advisor John Lindsay (Biology 299): Does Electrical Current Inhibit Growth in Escherichia coli? Mainstream medicine has historically disregarded alternative treatments, such as herbalism and electrical medicine, as backwards or potentially dangerous. More scientific evidence has come out over the past few decades for the beneficial effects of herbs. However, electrical medicine has not enjoyed the same revival, despite the body being run by electrical impulses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a home built 30 KHz Hulda Clark Zapper on Escherichia coli cultures versus a control. Hektoen plates were lawned with E. coli and one set of plates was hooked up to a Zapper, while the other had jump wires inserted in the medium. The plates incubated for 24 hours at 30 C and were then measured for the zones of inhibition produced by the Zapper and the jump wires. The plates attached to the Zapper produced a mean zone of inhibition of 32 millimeters, while the control plates produced a mean zone of inhibition of 9 millimeters. The Zapper significantly inhibited the growth of E. coli. My experiment could help revive interest in using electrical devices to treat certain diseases. Patricia Franklin & Joanna Vondrasek, faculty advisors Sandra Lowe (Biology 299): Soap v. Germs: The Resistance of Bacteria to Commonly Used Anti- Bacterial Agents The aim of this project was to observe the resistance of bacteria against commonly used household detergents and hygiene products to confirm whether or not common bacteria can evolve resistance to antibacterial products over time. A hypothesis was formed stating that bacterium could develop resistance against bacterial agents if the conditions are optimal for bacterial growth. Staphylococus aureus, a facultative anaerobic Gram-positive coccal bacterium that is primarily responsible for most staph infections, and Klebsiella pneumonia, a facultative anaerobic Gram-negative rod bacterium that can cause Klebsiella pneumonia disease, were the two bacteria tested throughout the experiment. The active ingredients in hand sanitizers (ethyl alcohol) and in dish detergents and hand soap (triclosan) were used as the antibacterial agents. With a combination of cell preparation methods, S. aureus and K.pneumonia exhibited a varied amount of resistance relative to the amount of exposure to antibacterial agents. For more accurate results, the antibacterial agents (ethyl alcohol and triclosan) were used in their purest forms instead of within products containing other inactive ingredients that may skew results. The results confirmed that the bacterium can develop resistance to antibacterial agents over time. With this finding, one could begin to question the validity of commercial products and the most appropriate methods for hygienic living. Joanna Vondrasek, faculty advisor Sean Miller (Biology 299): Tolerance of the aquatic plant Elodea against desiccation in various salt solutions Joanna Vondrasek, faculty advisor Tyler Ruff (Biology 299): Macroinvertebrate Analysis: Left Branch River The purpose of this experiment was to determine if waste dumping (twice a year near Zion Crossroads, Virginia) was affecting the quality of the Left Branch River in Gordonsville, Virginia. The analysis of macroinvertebrate data of a stream or river can help determine water quality, and help identify those streams that may have environmental issues. Streams that are identified through macro-invertebrate analysis can then be further tested to find the exact source of the problem. A standardized method using a kick net was used to collect samples of stream-dwelling invertebrates at two separate sites on the Left Branch River. Organisms were identified and classified as they were collected; then analyzed through a series of calculations that generated a stream health score. The first site was located about 1 miles above the second site, and the second site was located 50 yards below a large lake. After analysis of the data, site 1 had a Save our Streams Multimetric Index (stream score) of 11. Site 2 had a stream score of 6. The acceptable ecological range is 7-12; while 0-6 is considered an unacceptable score. After studying the surrounding geography of the area and analyzing the data collected, it appears that the dumping is affecting macroinvertebrates, and therefore water quality in portions of the Left Branch River. John Walsh, faculty advisor Beth Russell (Biology 299): Does handedness predict eye/foot/ear dominance? In 96% of the population, the side of the brain that contains the area important for language is the left side. People have dominant parts of their bodies for other jobs too. For example, about 90% of the population is right-handed. In other words, the right hand is dominant...righthanded people prefer to use their right hand for most tasks. What about the foot, eye and ear? The purpose of this experiment is to determine whether subjects have a dominant hand, foot, eye, and ear and whether their dominant side is consistent or cross-dominant. Evaluating whether a person is right-handed or left-handed is a good indication of the rest of the bodys dominant side. I also investigated whether there is more cross-dominance in children than in adults. This was tested by taking a sample of 80 college students and a sample of 80 children and administering tests to record their hand, eye, food, and ear dominance. The hypothesis was that the majority of subjects will have hand/eye/foot/ear dominance on the same side of the body, but there will be a greater percentage of children who are cross dominant than adults. The tests showed that the percentage of children who are cross dominant is 18.4%, and for adults it was 8.8%. When people are younger, they are still learning coordination skills and developing both mentally and physically so they are more able to switch their dominance from one side to the other because they do not yet have a reliance on a specific side of the body. Whereas adults have finished growing and they have a much stronger tendency to favor one side over the other because they instinctively know which side is slightly stronger and more reliable so they almost always rely on their dominant side. John Walsh, faculty advisor Angelica Simmons (Geology 299): Modeling Glacial Erosion This experiment was performed to study glacial erosion utilizing a clay, soil-gravel model of a mountain system. The glacier of this system was composed of modeling clay which was set upon a layered soil-gravel surface at a twenty degree angle, and monitored over a three week period with the addition of two ounces of fresh water each day to prevent the dehydration of the model and to simulate melt-water. Observations were taken on a day-to-day basis to determine the movement speed of the glacier model down slope and to study emerging erosional features associated with glaciation. Despite the model's clay origins, many erosional features indicative of glacier systems were observed, making this a viable method for the study of glacial erosion and processes. Larry Tiezzi, faculty advisor Shereena Sylvester (Microbiology 299): Interactions between Antibiotics and T4 Bacteriophage against E. coli The widespread resistance to antibiotics and its lack of clinical treatment has made Escherichia coli a formidable bacterium to combat. Combination antimicrobials and bacteriophage therapy have had mixed results clinically and research and have had some worsening effects as seen with the emergence of E. coli O157. This study was aimed at trying to develop a better understanding of the interactions between antibiotics and T4 bacteriophage when used against E. coli B. The Kirby-Bauer Sensitivity Tests indicated that E. coli B was resistant to Streptomycin and Erythromycin and was intermittently resistant to Kanamycin. A plaque assay of T4 phage and E. coli B indicated Plaque Forming Units (PFUs) at 10^-4 dilution. Plaque assay of T4 phage, E. coli B, and Streptomycin resulted in zero bacterial growth at both 100 mg/ml and 50 mg/ml concentrations and at all levels of phage dilution. Kanamycin had similar results at both 10 mg/ml and 5 mg/ml concentrations when added to T4 phage and E. coli B plaque assay. At both 100 mg/ml and 50 mg/ml concentrations, Erythromycin had bacterial growth but it was stunted in comparison to our control and there were also no PFUs. These results indicated that there does appear to be an increased effect on E. coli B with the combination of phage and antibiotics although it is unclear what the determining variable is. Interestingly, although all three antibiotics target protein synthesis, the Kanamycin and Streptomycin both affect the 30s ribosomal subunit in the bacteria. Patricia Franklin, faculty advisor Jonathan Vaughan (Geology 299): The Effect of Density on the Velocity and Depositional Patterns of Turbidity Currents Turbidity currents result from dense, sediment-laden water running down a slope through a less dense fluid. This phenomenon is common within nature. When rivers transport sediment into oceans, lakes, and other bodies of water, turbidity currents are a driving mechanism. Studying this natural phenomenon can help us better understand sediment transportation, deposition, erosion, and other geological processes. This experiment demonstrates how turbidity currents of varying densities influence flow velocity and depositional fan shape. Milk, Honey, and Dawn dish soap, were used to represent water with differing levels of suspended sediment/densities. These fluids were released from a chamber into water and allowed to flow down a slope, into an overflow basin. Velocity of the turbidity flows and the shapes of the flow deposits within the overflow basin were observed and recorded. Results showed that fluids with low densities flowed at a greater velocity than highly dense fluids. Moreover, low density fluids displayed a wide, less uniform depositional fan over a greater area, while high density fluids formed narrower depositional fans over a smaller area. These results showed that density has a large influence on velocity and depositional shape. Knowing this information can help scientists better predict and analyze turbidity currents and the geological processes they cause. Larry Tiezzi, faculty advisor Beth Wray (Biology 299): Investigation of Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Variable Conditions to Determine if Land Use Alters Environmental Conditions The focus in this project was to extend research done by stream watch organizations and volunteers a multi-disciplinary, interagency data collection and monitoring program (Virginia DEQ, 2011). The general purpose of the study is to test the health of local area waters using biological standards set to measure the well being, reproduction, and population growth of macroinvertebrates. Evident biological decrepitude has been linked with watershed instability. It is negatively affecting benthic macroinvertebrate conditions; therefore my hypothesis states that the lower the human impact, the higher the health ratio is of the benthic macroinvertebrates inhabiting those areas. Testing was focused in four locations of one connected watershed. Results are structured to organize observed data into a cluster analysis. This is an exploratory data analysis tool which aims at sorting different objects into groups in a way that the degree of association between two objects is maximal if they belong to the same group and minimal otherwise. Cluster analysis discovers structures in data representations without explaining why they exist. Discussion will divulge what results indicate. John Walsh, faculty advisor Special thanks to additional faculty and staff who facilitated student projects Laboratory Managers Ed Funck (Chemistry) Rosalyn Koontz (Biology) Jennifer Scott (Biology) Science Faculty David Moyer (Biology) Frances Rees (Chemistry) Marlena Yost (Microbiology and Biology)  ...

... Inaugural Fall Science Presentations Piedmont Virginia Community College Fall 2011: Science 299 Presenters and Projects Jason Gaviria (Physics 299): Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Today there are many types of spectroscopy employed, however nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is an invaluable method to physical, chemical, geological and biological scientists alike. The inherent magnetic properties of many atomic nuclei present the opportunity for investigation of structure and dynamic of complex molecules. NMR is used by biochemists to determine the structure and dynamics of membrane proteins; it is employed by chemists in studies of polymers; by geoscientist to locate oil and study different ores, by food scientist in analyzing and improving properties and shelf-life of different products, such as, for example, chocolate. The theoretical principles of NMR are used by medical professionals in imaging studies (MRI). My project includes the history and science behind this spectroscopic technique. A brief outline of how the technique works, what are the basic pulse sequences and the description of how the results can be analyzed are presented. Yanina Goddard, faculty advisor Sandra Lowe (Biology 299): Soap v. Germs: The Resistance of Bacteria to Commonly Used Anti- Bacterial Agents The aim of this project was to observe the resistance of bacteria against commonly used household detergents and hygiene products to confirm whether or not common bacteria can evolve resistance to antibacterial products over time. A hypothesis was formed stating that bacterium could develop resistance against bacterial agents if the conditions are optimal for bacterial growth. Staphylococus aureus ( S. aureus), a facultative anaerobic Gram-positive coccal bacterium that is primarily responsible for most staph infections , and Klebsiella pneumonia (K. pneumonia), a facultative anaerobic Gram-negative rod bacterium that can cause Klebsiella pneumonia disease, were the two bacteria tested throughout the experiment. The active ingredients in hand sanitizers (ethyl alcohol) and in dish detergents and hand soap (triclosan) were used as the antibacterial agents. With a combination of cell preparation methods, S. aureus and K.pneumonia exhibited a varied amount of resistance relative to the amount of exposure to antibacterial agents. For more accurate results, the antibacterial agents (ethyl alcohol and triclosan) were used in their purest forms instead of within products containing other inactive ingredients that may skew results. The results of the following experiment confirmed that the bacterium can develop resistance to antibacterial agents over time. With this finding, one could begin to question the validity of commercial products and the most appropriate methods for hygienic living. Joanna Vondrasek, faculty advisor Andrew Roderick (Biology 299): Joanna Vondrasek, faculty advisor Lauren Thompson (Biology 299): Triclosan Concentration Effects on Bacteria Triclosan is an antibacterial agent that is used in soaps, toothpastes, and other household items. The use of triclosan comes with a debate including the pros and cons of its inclusion and deciding if the risks are worth the rewards. It is a positive substance in the sense that it does prevent and hinder the growth of bacteria, as I found in this study. Triclosan, along with most other antibacterial agents, can be seen to have negative points also such as the formation of bacterial resistance, increased allergies in children due to the immune system having little exposure to bacteria, and overuse leading to the lack of beneficial bacteria. During this study, I compared bacterial growth of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium when using soap containing triclosan, soap not containing triclosan, and hand sanitizer. I furthered my study by changing the concentration of triclosan and determined if the amount present caused great changes in the growth inhibition of the bacteria, E. coli. Patricia Franklin, faculty advisor (Geology 299): Larry Tiezzi, faculty advisor Colleen Yax (Biology 299): Alkalized, ionized, reducing agent, structured water: Stands up to its' claims or is it a placebo? Water from a Kangen Filter has measurable pH values, measurable Oxidation Reduction Potential values, and based on ion content assumed potential for polymorphisms due to dipole forces (Wiggins, 2001). The polymorphic potential being beyond my capacity to measure, the study focuses on control for pH in water samples to determine if a high negative oxidation reduction potential results in preferential growth of intestinal flora, Lactose acidophilus, in the production of yogurt and discourages growth of Escherichia coli, unfriendly intestinal bacteria, as suggested by N.V. Vorobjeva (2005). Through the methods used there was no significant difference in growth of L. acidophilus or E. coli or as a result of waters controlled for pH. Frances Rees & Joanna Vondrasek, faculty advisors  ...

... Fourth Annual Spring Science Presentations Piedmont Virginia Community College Spring 2011: Science 299 Presenters and Projects Michael Carlo (Biology 299): Macroinvertebrate survey above and below Sugar Hollow Reservoir John Walsh, faculty advisor Monika Fallon (Biology 299): Differential gene expression in Bordetella avium grown in a 29OC environment. Bordetella avium is a gram-negative bacterium that causes bordetellosis in the trachea of turkeys, chickens, and other poultry. In this experiment, B. avium was grown on BHI (Brain Heart Infusion) media plates and maintained in a 290C incubator, compared to control colonies grown at 370C. Differential fitness will allow certain colonies with beneficial mutations or altered gene expression to survive, and these differences in gene expression between the two types of colonies can be detected using a DNA microarray. Once differential gene expression information is obtained, it can be compared to other strains of the same bacteria using a gene database, allowing us to see the effect of specific environmental conditions over multiple generations. Joanna Vondrasek, faculty advisor Laura Hedger (Biology 299): Effects of antimicrobial soap on microbial growth on human skin Human skin is a zoo of living organisms. These organisms vary from bacteria, to yeast or protozoa. In this experiment, samples were taken from the forearm of eight different individuals and tested on two different types of media. Mannitol salt agar and CHROMager were used to distinguish the type of organism and whether or not it was able to ferment. Samples were taken before washing, right after, and again after twenty minutes. All of the plates produced growth while only some of the growth was able to ferment. Yeast, Klebsiella sp., and E. coli were among some of the most common organisms found during this experiment. The use of an antimicrobial soap significantly reduced the number of microbes but only for a limited time, and many people still had growth right after washing. These results show the effectiveness of most peoples ability to wash properly and the resistance of microbes. Patricia Franklin, faculty advisor Matthew Hurst (Biology 299): A Quantitative comparison of bacteria in the home versus a healthcare facility We live in a world where we as human beings are constantly surrounded by bacteria. They are necessary for many forms of life to survive and play an intricate role in life on planet Earth. Though beneficial and necessary for life to thrive, bacteria may also bring life to an end. Bacteria can be especially detrimental to those with lowered immune systems, namely: newborns, the elderly, and the ill. All of these particularly susceptible people can be found in most healthcare settings, making sanitation of utmost importance. For this study, I compared the quantitative bacteria culture results of an anonymous healthcare setting and my home. The sample data included eight locations, four from the healthcare facility and four from my home, with three trials for each location. The method for gathering the bacteria was standardized and repeated for each trial, and the gathered cultures were incubated for the same amount of time, after which they were counted using a standardized hybrid of averaged estimation and simple counting. The locations of the healthcare facility samples were places where healthcare workers and patients were likely to come into contact with on an everyday basis. The sampled locations at the home setting were also places of frequent contact. Patricia Franklin, faculty advisor Ricky Morris (Chemistry 299): Protein content of common foods Barbara Heyl, faculty advisor Kathryn Phillips (Biology 299): Evaluation of the potentially beneficial effect of green tea extract on E. coli against UV light Numerous studies of green tea have been made in an effort to determine the health benefits it imparts. The aim of this study was to determine if green tea had the ability prevent oxidation of the bacterial species Escherichia coli when exposed to UV light. Two types of plates, nutrient agar and green tea agar, were inoculated with E. coli, exposed to varying amounts of UV light and then incubated. After twentyfour hours, the plates were observed for growth, and it was found that the green tea had a bactericidal effect. Joanna Vondrasek, faculty advisor Elizabeth Rockwell (Genetics Laboratory Independent Project): Gene expression and morphological changes of Bordetella avium grown in high pH and high niacin media Bordetella avium is a gram-negative bacterium that causes tracheal cilia loss and respiratory disease in several avian species, most notably turkeys raised on commercial farms. The objective of this project was to identify upregulation and downregulation of genes affecting the pathogenicity of B. avium grown in a medium containing either a high concentration of niacin or a high pH. After 7-8 generations of growth on enriched media, RNA was extracted and a microarray was performed. Microarray data are pending. Joanna Vondrasek, faculty advisor Laura Roszell (Geology 299): From sandboxes to mountain building The focus of this study was to replicate the basic mountain structure of the Rockies. This was done in an effort to better understand how they were formed and to understand how the more unusual geologic features were created by the formation of these mountains. This was done by using a sandbox with a window on two sides of it, for viewing the results, and seven inches of layered sand marked by thin layers of flour inside of it that would be raised by a wooden block mountain on a car jack to cause uplift. There were several problems encountered, but most were solved and those that were not solved before completing the experiment were thought about afterwards and there are possible solutions to them that could be used in the future. The layers of sand were able to be lifted five inches creating a mountain that showed distinct folding and uplifting patterns so often seen in the Rocky Mountains Larry Tiezzi, faculty advisor Gary Stasko (Geology 299): Energy distribution re-investment Energy distribution in our country reflects urban land use pattern as generating electricity historically has been done near profitable markets such as large cities. Private companies construct coal to steam to electricity power plants on the outskirts and distribute electricity to consumers through series of wires. In many cases manufacturing facilities are in conjunction with urban environment. Many rust belt cities such as Pittsburg and Detroit are perfect examples. This project presentation will look at three data sets: (1) Coal reserves in US (2) Over 500 coal power plants in the US by date constructed and size. (3) Electrical rates by state. My hypothesis is that states with a large number of power plants built between 1940- 1970 relying on rail or barge coal transport are trapped by shifting sources of coal and an expanding volume due to population growth demand. Thus, they must raise rates to pay for the inefficient energy distribution system. The data show that we as a country have outgrown the current historical energy distribution system. Larry Tiezzi, faculty advisor Brandon Wood (Chemistry 299): Chemical analysis of a stream in Azalea Park Over the semester, I have been doing water collection, testing and analysis to see if a river that runs through Azalea Park (in Charlottesville, VA) was up to EPA standards. On Wednesdays, I have recorded the pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature of the river. I have also collected water samples from five sites for analysis in the lab. Sites 1 and 2 were tested for nitrate runoff from gardens in Azalea Park. Site 1 was upstream from the garden, site 2, downstream. Sites 3 and 4 were tested for filtration of nitrate, zinc, and iron from a major sediment buildup underneath the 5th Street Bridge (site 3, upstream, site 4, downstream of the bridge). Site 5 was tested for iron and zinc, because there is a junkyard in the area. In the lab, I created iron and zinc standard curves for a Beers Law plot to measure the concentrations of my water samples. For testing nitrate, I used a vernier and nitrate probe to measure the concentration. Barbara Heyl, faculty advisor  ...

... 2019 Fall Science Presentations Science 299 Independent Research Projects Science 299 projects are semester-long independent research projects that students pursuing an A.S. in Science are required to complete prior to graduation. Students carry out their research under the guidance of a PVCC science faculty member as mentor. The Abstracts of projects completed in Fall 2019 are included in this booklet. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number 1202181. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. 1 Special thanks to the laboratory staff for facilitating or assisting with student projects: Laboratory Managers Jess Amos (Chemistry) Rosalyn Koontz (Biology) Campbell Thornton - Chemistry 299 Dr. Frances Rees, Faculty Advisor Photodegradation of Riboflavin in Beer in the Presence of Long Wave UV Light The objective of this research was to examine the photodegradation of riboflavin in beer when subject to UV light. When radicalized by UV light, riboflavin in beer catalyzes the breakdown of isohumulone compounds, derived from the hops in beer, to yield 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol which has a skunky aroma. This research tested both the naturally occurring riboflavin in beer and that of lab made riboflavin solutions. Two variables were tested to analyze reduction in riboflavin breakdown, ascorbic acid was used a preservative, and amber glass was used for mechanical blocking of UV light. A spectrophotometer was used to measure the change in absorbance over time and the collected data were plotted to analyze the kinetics of this photodegradation. Only one trial yielded a degradation curve. This trial tested 1mg/L and 3mg/L of riboflavin in distilled water. Most of the trials produced flat curves or inverse results. This is likely because the source of UV light used for this research did not produce UV light at a high enough intensity. 2 Caleb Herndon - Chemistry 299 Dr. Frances Rees, Faculty Advisor The Effect of Temperature on Internal Resistance Lithium Ion batteries are quickly becoming a major area of research and for good reason. These batteries power everything from cell phones to medical devices and methods designed to increase performance are continuously being explored. To create a better battery, you must understand the internal resistance and how to optimize it. In this experiment I tested the effect of external temperature on the internal resistance of Li-Ion batteries. To do this, I stored the batteries at four common temperature points over one-hour increments, and calculated their internal resistance using Ohms Law and Kirchhoffs Law. This was done over five testing periods, and the conclusion was reached that temperature does affect the internal resistance. The colder temperatures resulted in higher resistance values, while the warmer environment resulted in lower values. These findings support my hypothesis, however, with further research and development, I suspect a room temperature environment will be the best storage temperature. Lauren Clark - Biology 299 Dr. Virginia York, Faculty Advisor The Effect of Caffeine on Bean Beetle Movement Callosobruchus maculatus, or the bean beetle is a pest ranked as the principle post-harvest pest of legumes. Loss of legumes has led to heavy use of chemical pesticides for crops invaded with bean beetles. Caffeine serves as a natural insecticide by suppressing certain enzymes in the central nervous system of insects such as the bean beetle. This has caused an increase of 3 cancers in farmworkers who use these pesticides, creating the need for safer natural alternatives. This led to the question, what effect, if any, does caffeine have on bean beetle movement? It was hypothesised that caffeine would increase movement of the beetles based on the compounds effect on humans. To test this, male bean beetles were subjected to 0%, 1.07%, and 2.14% caffeine solutions for 24 hours before measuring activity over two trials. Each beetle was removed from its Petri dish and placed into a glass pipet. The movement of the beetles was measured using a ruler and recorded in centimeters at 30 second intervals for 5 minutes. The movement of dead Weevils was recorded as 0 cm. The results suggest that bean beetle movement was affected by the caffeine solution, but was dependent on the concentration of the solution. The lower concentration showed to have a statistically significant reduction in movement compared to the no or higher concentration caffeine solution. These results support the use of caffeine as a natural pesticide. Jonathan Rodriguez - Biology 299 Dr. Joanna Vondrasek, Faculty Advisor The Effects of Honeys Natural Antimicrobial Agents Against Escherichia coli As antibiotic resistance continues to be a threat to public health, scientists are in search for new antimicrobials and are looking back on ancient remedies and plant-based medicine that have potential, such as honey. This study was conducted to understand the antimicrobial agents naturally present in honey. By using the Kirby Bauer Disk Diffusion method, three different types of honey (commercial, local, and Manuka) were tested to see which one performed best against Escherichia coli. Twelve plates were tested with three types of honey to determine 4 baseline inhibition against E.coli. It was determined that Manuka honey performed the best, with an average zone diameter of 3.5 cm, but there was no significant difference among the honey types. To evaluate whether E.coli might evolve resistance to Manuka honey, a second generation of E. coli was cultivated by selecting bacteria around the largest zone. This E.coli sample was then tested against Manuka honey. This method was repeated to cultivate a third generation of E. coli. There was a statistically smaller zone of inhibition between the first and second generations, a decrease of 2.4 cm and a p-value of 0.0001, suggesting that the E. coli did build some resistance to the honey. More trials and replicates would be needed for more robust results. James McIvor - Physics 299 Dr. Yanina Goddard, Faculty Advisor Investigation of Magnetically Controllable Light Scattering Through a Thin Layer of Colloidal, Magnetic Nanoparticles (Ferrofluid) The aim of this project was to create visible light scattering effects by applying magnetic force to a sample of suspended iron particles, known as ferrofluid. I became interested in this subject by observing the bending of light by gravity and wondering if similar effects could be achieved using magnetic fields. A company, Ferrocell USA, has developed a magnetic field display unit, a Ferrocell, which consists of light directed through a thin layer of ferrofluid contained between two pieces of glass; when a magnet is positioned near the glass, the iron aligns with the field and the light is scattered across the aligned structures. In awe of the observed patterns, I was inspired to recreate and study them. A ferrocell was created by sealing ferrofluid between two 5 pieces of plexiglass, light was directed through the cell and a magnetic field was applied using a solenoid; no change in the light pattern was observed. Light was directed through the ferrocell and a magnetic field was applied using a neodymium magnet (four times stronger than the solenoid), a visible change in the light pattern was observed. Twelve diluted ferrofluid solutions were prepared within cuvettes, the cuvettes were placed inside a solenoid and light was directed through the sample; none of the twelve samples produced visible results but one sample produced a small change, measurable by a light sensor. This project has shown that visible and intriguing light patterns can be produced by manipulating the lights median of travel (in this case ferrofluid) with magnetism. Future work might include or incorporate: using a stronger solenoid to produce results similar to the neodymium magnets, an investigation as to why only one sample from the twelve produced measurable results, or investigate more thoroughly the various patterns producible by placing different magnets (or magnet arrangements) near the ferrocell. Tyler Wagner Biology 299 Dr. Marlena Yost, Faculty Advisor The Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in the Environment In this experiment, the number of potential antibiotic resistant bacteria living in soil in three different locations were determined at two different dates to observe any potential correlation between temperature and number of resistant bacteria. Additionally, temperature change was measured to see if it would affect the amount of growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Three different locations of soil samples were collected: Keelona Farm (off of Scottsville road) which 6 contained cows and zebras, a farm off of Secretarys Sand road in which only cattle was present, and a farm in Keswick, where no livestock was present. The soil samples for this experiment were collected twice, once in the middle of October, and once in the middle of November. For the trials, diluted soil samples were plated onto three different types of MacConkey agar plates. One set of five plates was MacConkey agar with no antibiotic present, one set of three plates contained a low concentration of tetracycline (Tet 3) and one set of three plates contained a high concentration of tetracycline (Tet 30). Soil samples were obtained, diluted, plated on corresponding agar and placed in the incubator at 28oF for 72 hours. Bacterial counts were collected after the incubation process along with data entry. The results indicated that the field with cows displayed the highest percentage in growth; this may be due to the high amount of cattle that were present on this particular field (30+). Next, the cow and zebra field still showed high amounts of growth but this number may be lower due to only having two zebras and 3 cows on the field. In these findings, the trend showed a decrease in growth between the month of October and November. The results support the question of if there was more growth in warmer weather with livestock then there will be less growth as the temperature becomes colder. These findings are important because it provides us with a better understanding of how the presence of antibiotics in soil can develop and potentially lead to the spread of disease or infection within humans. These antibiotic-resistant bacteria are at the phase where they no longer respond to a drug or antibiotic it was originally sensitive to. This means that the treatment for the microorganism will no longer work, making the infection harder to control. 7  ...

... Piedmont Virginia Community College Spring 2010: Science 299 ABSTRACTS Kelsey Berry (Biology 299) Companion Dog's Effectiveness on Reducing Anxiety in Humans Abstract: For years, therapy dogs have offered a helping hand for people with disabilities by assisting them with everyday tasks. These dogs can not only add a level of confidence to their handler, but a sense of security as they are always around and trained to be responsive to a verity of special needs. But these animals are specially trained for years to develop these skills. What about the average dog? Is this sense of security something that all dogs possess or something that can only be conditioned into their behavior? This project focuses on the human-dog bond and how that bond can affect stress levels of the owner. Faculty Advisor: John Walsh David Boudouris (Biology 299) Can Counting Money Reduce Pain and Increase Confidence? Testing Electrodermal Response and Habituation with Galvanic Skin Response Methods The startle reflex is a characteristic spike in electrodermal response (EDR) that occurs after the onset of a novel stimulus, such as a loud, startling noise. Habituation occurs when repeated startle stimuli produce decreasing EDR spikes as the subject becomes accustomed to the noise. Research has also shown that subjects who felt confident and secure exhibited much faster habituation to startle stimuli than those who felt fearful or insecure, suggesting that selfconfidence allows one to better cope with novel situations. Other investigations have shown that the EDR signals can accurately reflect levels of acute pain when compared with other pain assessment scales. Still other experiments have shown that people who counted real money reported feeling less pain than those that counted paper and had a much stronger feeling of being able to cope with problems and satisfy ones needs. In this investigation, electrodermal readings were taken of subjects before and after counting either real money or monopoly money. Startle response and habituation readings were taken before and after as well. These tests showed that counting real money produces measurable difference in both tonic and phasic EDR levels as well as increased habituation to startle stimuli. These findings suggest that counting money may boost confidence, allowing one to better cope with novel situations and improve performance in wide variety of areas. Faculty Advisor: John Walsh K.C. Carlson (Biology 299) The Colorful Side of Brassica rapa Brassica rapa, or Wisconsin Fast Plants, a relative of broccoli and mustard, are a product of at least 20 years of intense artificial selection. The plants have been selected for rapid lifespan, short stature and the ability to thrive in artificial light. The resulting plants have a lifespan of six to seven weeks. I used Wisconsin Fast Plants in my experiment to observe what traits are heritable. From a starting population, I selected the plants with most purple on them and only allowed the purplest plants to breed. I examined the next generation to see if the number of purple plants had increased or if the amount of purple had increased. The stink bug overflow caused some difficulties with my experiment, but results from the second generation of plants will be presented. Faculty Advisor: Joanna Vondrasek Julie Henshaw (Biology 299) What are the effects of healthy foods on Streptococcus pyogenes? Healthy foods have been determined to help the human body when ingested. Although the health benefits of the foods I chose to study have been investigated in the human body, whether these healthy foods are effective antimicrobials against Streptococcus pyogenes is a mystery. In this study, the effects of healthy foods were evaluated and compared to determine how they affect the growth of Streptococcus bacteria. I predict all the healthy foods tested will reduce growth on the S. pyogenes bacteria. S. pyogenes bacteria was grown using a throat culture and sheep blood agar plates in a 37 C incubator. Oranges, limes, lemons, grapes, basil, beans, garlic, bananas, and tomatoes were tested against the Streptococcus bacteria to analyze the growth effects of the foods against the bacteria. Control S. pyogenes bacteria plates were used to compare the results. My research suggests healthy foods have effects against the growth of S. pyogenes bacteria. This study was conducted February - April of 2010. Faculty Advisor: Patricia Franklin Lisa Palmer & Rose Zavada (Biology 299): Stream invertebrates as water quality indicators Our project consisted of freshwater macroinvertebrate collection and analysis from four stream sites within Albemarle, the city of Charlottesville, and a former EPA Superfund site in Nelson County. We determined relative stream health by comparing pollution tolerant and pollution intolerant invertebrate counts upstream and downstream of the former Superfund site, as well as making comparisons between urban and rural sites. We collected invertebrates by sweeping them off the undersides of rocks and into a net, which enabled us to sort them by species and pollution tolerance. Faculty Advisor: John Walsh Stephanie Roddy (Biology 299) Does giving water to males before mating increase hatching success rates in bean beetles (Callosobruchus maculatus)? Bean beetles (Callosobruchus maculatus) are a destructive agricultural pest predominately found in Africa and Asia. The beetles do not need water to survive, only a source of dried beans to reproduce on. However, the presence of water before mating may cause the offspring of beetles to have a higher hatchling rate, due to the added nutrients. Potentially, the offspring of male beetles that had been exposed to water prior to introducing females may have a higher success rate than the offspring of dry males. In the experiment, virgin males were given water 24 hours before the introduction of virgin females. Once the females were introduced, the water was removed and the beetles were allowed to mate. Two weeks after the beetles were put together, the number of eggs was counted and their sizes measured. Five weeks after mating, the number of viable offspring was counted. Reproductive success measures from both control and experimental groups will be presented. Faculty Advisor: Joanna Vondrasek Lindsey Walker (Chemistry 299) Faculty Advisor: Barbara Heyl James Wootten (Biology 299) Faculty Advisor: John Walsh Katie Yancey (Chemistry 299) Hyperaccumulation of Copper(II) Sulfate pentahydrate using Eichhornia crassipes Water Hyacinth Copper(II) Sulfate pentahydrate, a versatile chemical compound used in several applications, both industrial and agricultural, is found to have toxological effects on ecosystems, and humans alike. Where the EPA has regulated drinking water toxicity levels at 1ppm, the PCL (pollutant concentration limit) range regulates the outputs of industry and agriculture up to 1500ppm. Water analysis of polluted ground water cases around industrial/agricultural sites range up to 17,000ppm. This experiment uses Eichhornia crassipes, chosen for their capability to hyperaccumulate inorganic salts and other metals, to demonstrate principles of phytoremediation. A tank used to simulate water habitat was established, and then polluted to a medium of 1880ppm Copper(II) Sulfate pentahydrate. Using the Bathocuproine Method for water analysis it was found that Eichhornia crassipes was able to reduce the content by 16% within five days of exposure. The pods, leaves, and roots, measured accordingly, found that the roots of Eichhornia crassipes retained 5% more Copper(II) Sulfate than that of the leaves and pods with a minimum retention of 2.9% of dried weight in leaves and pods. While the use of Water Hyacinth, a known invasive, can lead to several disruptions within an ecosystem when not properly regulated, this aquatic plant can serve to remediate Copper(II) Sulfate pentahydrate. Faculty Advisor: Barbara Heyl  ...