Air Quality Lab
Pre Lab Questions:
1.
Ozone (forms in heat and
sunlight from Nitrogen
Dioxide)
Particulate Matter (dust,
dirt, pollen, smoke)
Causes
Car exhaust, industry
Cars, factories, fires,
construction sites, fields
Nitrogen Oxides
(greenhouse gases)
Cars, burning, utilities,
industry
Sulfur Dioxide
Burning coal and oil,
utilities
Lead
Concerns
Respiratory irritation, lung
damage, asthma, plant
damage
Visibility impairment,
respiratory illness,
deposition, aesthetics
Smog, acid rain, respiratory
irritation, leads to ground
level ozone
Respiratory irritation, acid
rain, plant damage,
visibility impairment
Brain damage, heart disease
Metal processing,
incinerators, battery
manufacturers, paint
Carbon Monoxide
Fossil fuels, wood burning, Chest pain, nervous system
cigarettes
damage, smog
2. This would be the case because ozone is created through heat and sunlight. This means in
the summer, ozone will be the greatest and in the winter will be the lowest.
3. The countries’ government’s using leaded gasoline have to be aware that lead causes
brain damage and heart disease. Dealing with this issue may be complicated because of a
lack of money in these countries.
4. Areas around Charlotte are not in compliance of the Clean Air Act.
Hypothesis:
 The filter paper that is placed outside will have more particulate matter and more ozone
parts per billion.
Variables:
1. Independent Variable: Where the pieces of filter paper are placed around the school
2. Dependent Variable: How much particulate matter and ozone parts per billion are on the
paper
3. Controlled Variables: same paper, same solution that the paper is dipped in, same amount
of time, same size paper
Experimental Set-Up:
1. Control Group: Filter paper in the Petri dish
2. Experimental Group: The filter paper placed inside and outside the school
Problem:
 Are the levels of ozone and particulate matter inside and outside the school unhealthy?
Procedure:
1. Half the class should work on preparing the ozone monitoring test strips by placing
100ml of water in a 250 ml beaker, and adding 5g of cornstarch. Then heat and stir the
mixture until it gels (when the mixture becomes thick and clear). Remove the solution
from heat, add 1 g of potassium iodide, stir well, and allow to cool. After the solution has
cooled, lay a piece of filter paper on a petri and brush the paste onto the filter paper. Turn
the filter paper and brush the paste on the other side. Hang up and allow the filter paper to
dry. Cut the papers into 1 inch-wide strips. Store the strips in a plastic bag out of sunlight.
2. The other half of the class will prepare Particulate matter collectors by smearing a thin
layer of petroleum jelly onto a microscope slides. Try to make the layer as even as
possible. Use a q-tip to lightly smear the specimen side of each slide. You will need to
prepare 2 slides per group and place them in a slide container to avoid smearing the
petroleum jelly on anyone.
3. Each group will place one labeled slide on the exterior of the school. Some groups
should choose areas that would receive few particulates, others should choose locations
that produce more particulates. (Keep in mind sources of particulate matter)
4. One member from each group should take the second slide and place it in a location
inside the school.
5. You should then place your ozone monitoring strip outside for 8 hrs. Before placing the
strip outside, dip the strip in distilled water, then attach the strip out of sunlight. When
placing your strip find the relative humidity for that day.
6. The next day, each group should collect their slide and ozone monitoring strip.
7. Dunk each strip into distilled water. Use the chart at the right to determine the
Schoenbein Number of your strip.
8. Use the relative humidity and the Schoenbein number to calculate the concentration of
ground level ozone using the chart below.
9. Look at your particulate matter slide under the microscope. First decide the amount of
particulates and then attempt to estimate the source of the PM. Your group will need to
decide how you can classify what type of PM was collected.
Schoenbein Number
Observations and Data:
1. Observations
o After a few days of the filter paper hanging in specific locations inside and
outside the school, the ozone paper was dipped in distilled water. The ozone paper
from inside turned a dark purple. The ozone paper from inside stayed white when
dipped in the water. The particulate matter on the paper with petroleum jelly on it
was very light and close to none.
2. Data Table
Inside
Outside
Ozone Paper
8
0-1
Particulate Matter Paper
None
Very light
3. Pictures
Lab Specific Questions:
1. No. Wake Forest did not meet the Clean Air Act standard. The results were 140 ppb
which means it is about 60 ppb over the limit.
2. These areas are not meeting the standards because these are the main areas where
manufacturing occurs. Also, most of the major cities are located along the west and east
coasts of the United States. Cities are the highest populated areas and they produce the
most Carbon Dioxide which leads to higher temperatures. Higher temperatures produce
more ground level ozone.
3. Particulate matter was not part of the Clean Air Act before 1990 because industry and
manufacturing plants have increased in numbers causing more pollution.
4. The particulate matter paper did not meet the expectations because they were much lower
than expected.
5. Air quality monitoring is important because it shows how we, as humans, are affecting
the environment. If ozone and particulate matter levels are too high, solutions need to be
made.
Conclusions:
1. The results did not support my hypothesis. The ozone paper and particulate matter paper
placed outside were expected to have higher levels than those placed inside.
2. During the experiment time, it rained. This could have caused the particulate matter to
wash off, altering the results.
3. This applies to the real world because it is important to periodically record ozone and
particulate matter levels to ensure the area meets the Clean Air Act standards.