RESULTS
This section includes ALL collected data in paragraph form and visual form.
PARAGRAPH

Write the results and analysis after your experiment is completed. Include a detailed
explanation on how you interpreted your data, so that the reader will be able to follow
your conclusions. Use past tense.
o Example - “The height of the plants were taken…” not, “I measured the
diameter of the stems.”
VISUAL DATA (table, chart, graph, pictures…)
Power Point may be useful in creating this section.
Data tables



Title
Title for all rows/columns
Units
Graphs





Bar/Line Graph
Title
Label x and y axis with appropriate units
Use correct scales on each axis
If using multiple lines/bars, can you tell the difference between each one?
Use colors if necessary.
Pictures

Label each picture with a caption
CHECK:
 Is there sufficient data to know whether or not the
hypothesis was correct?
 Make sure all calculations are correct.
REMEMBER
 Results should be easy to understand.
 Make your visuals are accurate, clear, and effective.
 Results state what charts, tables, and graphs say, not what they
mean. You will discuss this in another section.
 Use Times New Roman, 12 pt. font
 THIS WILL BE GRADED!!!!
 DUE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2015
Rules for Good Graph Making:
1. Always give your graph a title in the following form: "The dependence of
(your dependent variable) on (your independent variable).
2. The x-axis of a graph is always your independent variable and the y-axis is
the dependent variable.
3. Always label the x and y axes and give units.
4. Always make a best fit line graph!
A bad graph!
A good graph.
Graph 1:

Let's see what's wrong with this graph:
 There's no title. What's it a graph of? Who
knows?
 There are no labels on the x or y
axis. What are those numbers? Who
knows?
 There are no units on the x or y axis. Is
this a graph of speed in miles per hour or a
graph of temperature in Kelvins? Who can
tell?
 Somebody played "connect the dots". This
should be a nice straight line which goes
through the points or a curve that tends to
follow them.
Results
The results shown above were obtained by taking a daily sample of both toluene and benzene
from each group. This process mainly involved pulling back the handle of a gas detector pump attached
to color metric gas detection tubes. After pulling back the handle, the pump was locked into place and
held horizontally for a total of 2 minutes. Depending on the chemical concentration, a visible color
change from white to light brown would be seen. Looking at the markings on the tubes, the
concentrations of both benzene and toluene were taken. Afterward, using the cross sensitivity table
given, data was converted into an accurate form.
Throughout the experiment, it was found that Group B, the experimental group did generally
have a lower concentration of both benzene and toluene. As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, the toluene
readings of Group B were drastically lower than those of Group A. While these results did shown a
reduction in toluene, the rate of change in Group B over time was not extremely high. A similar pattern
was shown in the benzene reading as well as seen in Figure 3 and Figure 4.
Figure 1
Amount of Toluene (ppm)
Group A
Group B
Day 1
50 ppm
26 ppm
Figure 2
Figure 2
Day 2
49 ppm
17 ppm
Day 3
45 ppm
12 ppm
Day 4
44ppm
9 ppm
Day 5
43 ppm
6 ppm
of Biofiltrationon
on the
Reduction
of Tolueneof Toluene
The EffectThe
of Effect
Biofiltration
the
Reduction
Amount of
Toluene
(ppm)
Day of Experiment
Figure 3
Amount of Benzene (ppm)
Group A
Group B
Figure 4
Day 1
8.6 ppm
3.2 ppm
Day 2
8.5 ppm
1.8 ppm
Day 3
8.3 ppm
0.9 ppm
Day 4
8.1 ppm
0.3 ppm
Day 5
8.0 ppm
0.1 ppm
Figure 4
The Effect of Biofiltration on Benzene Reduction
The Effect of Biofiltration on Benzene Reduction
10
9
Amount of Benzene (ppm)
8
7
6
5
Group A
4
Group B
3
2
1
0
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day of Experiment
Figure 5- A vinyl tube connected the measurement chamber to the biofilter
chamber. The paint thinner vapors diffused from the biofilter chamber to the
measurement chamber. The outer portion of the tube was sealed using window
sealant tape.
Figure 6 – Benzene and toluene detector tubes were used in measuring the
chemical concentrations. Chemical reactions cause a color change to take place.
Directions and details were listed on a data sheet which accompanied the tubes.
Figure 7- A P. Aeruginosa bacteria culture with growth
medium was added to potting soil to simulate an average
soil bed.
Figure 8- Measurements were taken daily over a five day period using
a gas detection pump and a set of gas detection tubes.
Figure 9- This biofilter design contains all
necessary components of a biofilter.