Animas River, Mineral Creek and Cement Creek

Ion Lab
Abstract
The motivation for conducting this experiment was to test for ions that may be present in the
Animas River in an attempt to bring information and facts to the present quality of the Animas
River. Our experiment consisted of testing for Calcium, Chloride, Iron, Sulfate, Copper and
Lead. We tested water from different locations on Cement Creek, Mineral Creek and the Animas
River to detect Calcium, Chloride, Iron, Sulfate, Copper and Lead in the water samples to
determine the possible of these ions present in the Animas River. After concluding the ion test on
a control and test sample, it was determined that the vast majority of tests done on the water
yielded negative for most ions in the Animas river closer to Durango but, in Cement creek and
Mineral River and Creek Capitalized some ions tested positive. Although the Animas River did
not tested positive for any of the ions, Cement Creek and Mineral Creek tested positive for some
of the ions. This could suggest that the particles are resting on the base of the river and could
possibly cause harm in the future of humans and wildlife downstream.
Methods
This experiment was conducted in a standard chemistry lab located on campus of Fort Lewis
College. Safety and disposal of material was used during this experiment. To insure that the
health and safety of student conducting this experiment was not endangered. Student were
required to wear safety goggles with indirect ventilation to ensure that no fumes or material with
hazardous properties had contact with eyes or was ingested. Latex gloves were also worn to
prevent material that irritate skin would not come into direct contact with hands. Material that
could not be drained down a sink was placed in a specific material disposal container inside a
fume hood. Well plates and other glassware was used during this experiment was also cleaned
with distilled water and dried with specific sterilized tissues to insure that material would not
contaminate the next iteration of testing.
To begin the testing for each ion, steps need to be taken to insure that the test is done properly. To
begin, inspect the Well Plate visually and remove and signs that of contamination by using
distilled water. Air dry the Well Plate after cleaning. Have a legible table with ready with all ions
and required areas ready for answers. When testing for ions there are three sections that need to
happen to insure that the a correct result is stated. These are the reference solution and control
solution. These are there to show what a positive and negative reaction look like when testing for
ions. The reference solution will always have a reaction and will show you if a participant and

color change will occur if the ion is present. The control, which is distilled water will show the
absence of a reaction and show you what will happen to the test if the ion is not present. To begin
testing for calcium ions, ten drops from a the pipet of Ca2+ were added to one well of the clean
well plate, in the next well ten drops of distilled water and in one more well ten drops of the test
water were added. Using the proper piette three drops of sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) was
added a every well. This gave the following reaction, for the reference solution a participant was
formed in a milky white color indicating that any positive reaction would forms a precipitate. The
control was a unaltered reaction which shows what to look for with the negative reaction of the
water samples. Depending on what water sample was used, the sample would have had one of
the two stated reaction in a few second of contact of the ion. Each test water sample was tested
twice to help maintain accuracy of each test. The same process was used for every ion but with
varying quantities of material of reference solution, control and test water. The test for the ion
the data must be logged in the data table and the material used should be placed in the
designated waste container. When testing for the ion chloride the same procedure was used,
clean well plates, pipettes, reference solutions, control solution and test water. In a clean well
plate, twenty drops from the reference solution Cl to one well, ten drops of distilled water to
another and and ten drops of test water to its own well. Using the specific dropper, three drops
of silver nitrate (AgNO3) were added to each well to test for a reaction. The reference solution
created a milky white perticatate while the control solution had no reaction. If the water sample
had no traceable amount of the ion present then there should be a similar reaction to the control
solution. For the iron ion test, in a clean Well Plate and using the proper pipette, add twenty
drops of the reference solution Fe3+ to one well. Add ten drops of distilled water to another well
and ten drops of test water to the next well. Using the proper pipette add three drop of
potassium thiocyanate to each well. The reference solution should become a dark red
precipitate showing the reaction should the test be positive. The control sample should remain
clean and show the reaction if the ion is not present. When testing for sulfate in a clean Well
Plate and using a proper pipette place twenty drops of the reference solution SO42- to the first
well. Using the proper pipette put ten drops of distilled water in the second well and using the
proper pipette place ten drops of the test water in the third. Using the proper pipette place three
drops of barium chloride (baCl2) to each well. The reference solution should from a milky white
precipitate as a positive reaction to the ion. The control solution will remain unchanged. If the
ion is present in the test water then it will have the same reaction as the reference solution. For
test for copper and lead add the reference solutions to a clean Well Plate. Using the proper
pipettes place twenty drops the reference solution Cu+2 into the first well and in the second put
twenty drops of Pb+2 into the second well. Using the proper pipette ut ten drops of distilled water
in the third well and in the fourth the test water. Using the proper pipette place one drop of
potassium iodide (KI) to each well. The reference solution Cu+2 should form a dark green
precipitate to demonstrate the positive reaction and the reference solution Pb+2 should form a
yellow precipitate to show the reaction as well. The control should remain unaltered as usual.
After each ion test, all material should be dispused of in designated waste container and the
glassware and Well Plate cleaned. All result should be written in the table legibly.

Results

The results for this lab are as follows for each location, A68 -(Animas River in Silverton @
14st,) A72 (Animas River below Silverton), M3 (Mineral creek,) CC@14 (Cement Creek @
14st,) CCAC (Cement Creek above confluence) and SfCC - (South Fork of Cement Creek). Each
of these locations were tested for the same ions with the same methods and procedures to
maintain consistency. At the Animas River in Silverton (A68) 0 of the ions tested positive. At the
Animas River below Silverton (A72) 0 of the ions tested positive. For Mineral Creek (M3) only
1 Calcium test came back positive. Cement Creek at 14st in Silverton (CC@14) showed 3
positive test for Sulfate. Above the confluence of Cement Creek (CCAC) had half of the ions
tested positive. At the south fork of Cement Creek 1 Iron and 1 Sulfate test came back positive.

Figure 1: (A68) Animas River in Silverton @ 14st

Figure 2: (A72)Animas River below Silverton

Figure 3: (M3)Mineral creek

Figure 4: (CC@14) Cement Creek @ 14st

Figure 5: (CCAC) Cement Creek above confluence

Figure 6: (SfCC) South Fork of Cement Creek

Discussion
This Experiment was done to test confirm the presences of ions in the animas watershed. The
ions that were tested for were, calcium, chloride, iron, sulfate, copper and lead in the following
locations, the Animas River at 14st in Silverton, the Animas River below Silverton, Mirail Creek,
Cement Creek at 14st in Silverton, Cement Creek above the confluence and the South fork of
Cement Creek. This locations were tested to catalog the presences of the before stated ions to
provide evidence for current and future safety of ecosystems in and around the Animas River as
well as the health of the public.
The data that was collected during this experiment that is the most significant is the data that was
collected from the Cement Creek. The test conducted on water taken from Cement Creek yielded
the most results. This is partially because the test conducted on the water only confirms or denies
a slightly stronger presences of that particular ion. Without the use of a spectrometer this test
does not give the concentration of the that ion in the sample. The data collected from Cement
Creek yielded that the ions sulfate, iron, calcium and copper were present in Cement Creek. This
is shown in the graphs for all of Cement Creek. Each of the graphs for Cement Creek has a least
one positive for at least one ion, this calcium being the most prominent in the data. This when
compared to the test done the Animas River and Cement Creek, Which had 1 positive for

calcium in Mineral Creek, shows that the ions are not moving in the Animas River in
concentration which could mean that these ions are resting on the bottom of the River and
Mineral Creek beds in till the flow of the River increases again.
Put thrid paragraph here
The results for this lab can be used to assist in a multitude of problems and questions concerning
the Animas River and those that it affect, The navajo nation, Durango Locals, Silverton Locals,
Farms and livestock raisers near the Animas River. The results from this lab could be used to
help with any of the areas that were stated and even help with problems with the designation of a
superfund in Silverton to the stability of the ecosystems in and around the Animas River.
Question from the public about the safety for the population can also be answered to bring those
affected by the Gold King Mine spill.
As the writer I have of this article I have confidence in the results gathered from the experiment
to a point. The confidence that I hold this experiment is due to the method of testing on the water
samples. The test on the water samples done only gave one piece of information, that the water
contained that ion. What this test does not hint at is how high the concentration of that ion is in
the water. This leads me to think that the test is only accurate most of the test and not completely
accurate of the results. There is also the possibility for error when completing the experiment that
all the test were not done to the standards for testing of the water samples. The water could have
been contaminated if left exposed to material in the lab that would have altered the results for the
experiment. This could lead to inaccurate results but my confidence has is not that low for the
results of this experiment. I also believe that if there were errors in the results in the experiment,
that they would change the results to a high concentration of negatives then the current results
state by 10%-20% from the true results of each ion at its location. I believe that the result are
accurate and could be used for a variety of problem concerning the Animas River.
After completion of this experiment and the testing of each water sample. I think that there are
ways to expand and refine this lab. To begin, there is a large area for error when testing multiple
sample with different people. To refine this lab each sample water should be tested by every
individual participating to ensure that any errors are easily spotted when consulting the results
before the result are used as references in scientific journals or articles. This would help ensure
that the result for this lab are accurate.