Illinois Junior Academy of Science - Yearbook (Urbana, IL)

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CONSERVATION

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The Effect of L-Cysteine Hydrochloride Upon a Penicillium Fungus PAUL RAPP Schurz High School Chicago t-cymu.m.aunm ppp V Efflllllhllfllll The purpose of this experiment program was to determine the effect of animo acid concentrations upon a Penicillium fungus. The fungus employed is common to exposed pine- apple. In the pilot study twenty-two amino acids were tested. The results generally fell into three categories: ill no effect 127 the fungus continued to grow but in a distorted form Q31 the mold did not grow. Obviously the third type of result is the most important. There was only one amino acid in this group: L-Cysteine I-Iydrochloride. Further experiments hoped to determine if the result in the pilot study could be employed practically. To ac- complish this it was necessary to grow cultures containing various concentrations of amino acid treatment. The experiments bore out the results of the pilot study. L-Cysteine Hydrochloride does indeed retard the growth of the Penicillium fungus employed. I found that a treatment of .04997g.!ml. lgrams of L-Cysteine Hydrochloride crystal dry weight to ml. of culturel was able to control the fungus for at least 120 hours. It was alsd found that a treatment of 0.9286g!.ml. controlled the growth for sixty days or more. Other research in this area by others substantiated my con- clusions. It is believed that the L-Cysteine Hydrochloride treatment interfers with the cell division of the fungus. Determination of Percent Dissociation of Solutions by Concluctance RICHARD MUELLER CRAIG ZASTERA 1:5- NC! ..'i'Z'!.'21 '.L1m'- of WDIUII cntolllli In this experiment, the conductance of a solution was used to determine its percent dissociation. This procedure is dependent on the fact that conductance is proportional to the number of ions in solution. A meter unit applied an appropriate voltage to a solution in a conductance cell equipped with platinum electrodes. This unit measured the voltage and current in the cell from which resistance was found by Ohn1's Law. , Specific conductance is the reciprocal of the resistance through one cubic centimeter of solution. A cell constant, dependent on the dimensions of the cell. converted the re- sistance through our cell to this standard. When specific conductance was multiplied by the number of cubic centi- meters required to obtain one normal of solute, equivalent conductance -- that of one gram equivalent of solute - was obtained. This was plotted against the square root of con- centration and extrapolated to determine the conductance at infinite dilution - when the solute is completely dis- sociated. Comparing this value to the conductance at each concentration gives the percent dissociation. There are two basic factors which influence conductance- mobility and percent dissociation. With strong electrolytes, the former is the predominate factor, while in weak electro- lytes, the later is more important. In general, the conduct- aknce decreases with concentration due to the proximity of t eions.

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Abstract PAULA EVANS The major problem in soil conservation is erosion. It is estimated that we have lost millions of acres of topsoil because of erosion. Soil conservation methods make the loss of topsoil less and some can even stop it entirely. Some methods heal the work of erosion. A few of these methods are contour farming, terracing, grassed waterways, strip cropping, pastures, cover crops, farm drainage, farm ponds and reforestation. Some methods are simple and some are not. When a farmer needs help for one of these conservation methods, he can ask for help from the Soil Conservation Service. This service is a great help to the farmer. The trained men in the service are very interested in soil conservation. They make maps of the farm and take soil samples. Then they put on the map which conservation methods should be used in each of the fields. Then the farmer can look at the map when he is ready Po Sant his crops and see what crops he should plant in each ie . The men of the Soil Conservation may also tell the farmer about these ways to control erosion on their farm: Give the soil a good cover and rich organic matter to help hold it in place and improve drainage. Use grasses and legumes in crop rotation. Grow them often enough to keep soil losses at a low level. Reduce erosion by managing your crops well. Disk down stalks in the fall and do not over graze grain and pasture. Farm on the contour. This helps hold the soil and in- creases yields. Combine strip cropping or terracing with contouring on slopes that are too long or too steep for contouring alone. Have plenty of grass waterways and outlets to remove run off water. Install tile systems where they are needed and establish good root systems. These steps may be followed for good, profitable farming. A Study of Water Pullution Miss KAREN DUGAN my Miss JOANN FERKO my Marian Catholic High School Chicago Heights Sponsor: Sister M. Emmanuel The third and final year of this project on Water Pollu- tion dealt with the effects of detergent and insecticide on marine life. The work done in the two previous years con- cerned, common water pollutants, various means of eliminat- ing these hazards and the effects of more specific pollutants on plant and marine life. The knowledge gained, formed the basis of this year's experimentation. Although the seeds of last year's tomatoes were planted to see if any mutations would show in the second generation, the plants died, be- cause the root hairs dried up upon transplantation. There- fore all work was concentrated on bluegills and common goldfish. In one series of experiments, tolerance tests were per- formed on bluegills from the original stock group. These being a year older, the results achieved with detergent CABSJ and insecticide CDDTJ, proved that an older fish can tolerate a higher level of pollution. In a long term experiment covering a period of six months, the effects of a tolerable level of pollution on blue- gills and goldfish were ascertained. The fish kept in insec- ticide were very inactive, while those in detergent seemed nervous and swam spasmodically about the tank. Both groups showed very little desire for food. These effects were also found in the experimental fish in the tolerance tests and the maze experiments. This last series of experiments showed that a tolerable level of detergent and a tolerable level of insecticide will seriously effect the learning and retaining abilities of fish. All of the fish had been trained to go through a simple maze: after treatment with pollution, the control group improved in that the time it took them to go through the maze became shorter, while the experimental groups worsened. The conclusions drawn from these experiments were: 1.1 Pollution should be abolished as much as possible especi- ally in spawning areas. 2.1 Detergents and insecticides have serious effects on the mental powers of fish. 3.7 The adverse effects on fish shown in these experiments, coupled with the news reports of fish kills and spoilings, should be, for man, a warning to bring about a rapid change for the better. Water Filtration System MICHAEL KENNING i7l Saint Francis Quincy Sponsor: Sister Ruth Ann S.S.N.D. Fry 1,Fll.TIlATI0ll SYSTEMT