Contaminants in water and food is mentorship focus
Leaching of Bisphenol A in canned foods, contaminants in tap water and ground water, and the effectiveness of water purification and filtration systems are the focus of four Student Mentorship projects announced by the Hygienic Laboratory this month. The Student Mentorship Program matches students with laboratory staff who provide guidance and testing for science projects that have a laboratory testing component. Students are chosen through an application process, and work with their teachers and laboratory mentors to conduct testing.
The 2015-2016 recipients will work with staff from the Ankeny, Coralville and Lakeside laboratories.
Lily Fuger, Central Lee High School (Donnellson)Project: Continuation and expansion of her 2014 project to test for levels of Bisphenol A that are leached in consumable products; this year measuring its level in the preservative lining used in canned foods.
Mentor: John Vargo, Coralville Laboratory
Luke McKenna, Algona High SchoolProject: Testing nitrate, nitrite and phosphorus levels in ground water.
Mentor: Dennis Heimdal, Milford Lakeside Laboratory – Regents Resource Center
Gavin Moeller, Central Lee Middle School (Donnellson)Project: Measuring total dissolved solids (TDS) in tap water, particularly sodium chloride used to treat icy roads.
Mentor: Royce Riessen, Ankeny Laboratory
Laura Stowater, Algona High SchoolProject: Continuation and expansion of her 2014 project measuring effectiveness of water purification and filtration.
Mentor: Dennis Heimdal, Milford Lakeside Laboratory – Regents Resource Center
