What is the white stuff in the water?
Both natural processes and pollution cause white colors in creeks. If the white is foam, foam is “a gas (usually oxygen) mixed in a liquid containing some impurity.” If the white is aluminum, the pH is slightly acidic. If the white is sulfur, it is from surfur-oxidizing bacteria that live above sulfur-reducing bacteria. Sulfur-reducing bacteria give off hydrogen sulfide, which is the smell of rotten eggs. Tools and Things you will need Rubber boots Gloves Microscope (if possible) Litmus paper Eyedropper Shovel or stick Baby food jars with lids What to do. • How can you tell if an impurity is present in the environment? • Find out if your creek has white foam. • Collect the white flocculate in a baby food jar with an eyedropper. • Smell the mud under the white flocculate. What do you smell? A sulfur smell may indicate the presence of sulfur-reducing bacteria. What did you see? • Look at the flocculates under a microscope. • Do you see changes over time? • What else did you see? What do
