Kemtec Ocean Trash Can

This exercise examines various types of pollutants, their sources, and their effects on the ocean, its inhabitants and the surrounding coastline. Students classify ocean pollution into five basic categories; debris, toxins, dissolved nutrients, particulates, and oil. They model the effects of ocean pollution with activities examining a variety of topics: the effect of the pH of various liquids on calcium carbonate; the effects of dilution, buffering capacity, salt and acid runoff; acid rain; the ability of water to purify itself; and oil spill clean-up. As a final project, students design and write a newsletter containing articles with pertinent pollution topics such as current laws, pollution, effects, bioaccumulation, and prevention

Requires four class periods plus research timeRequired, but not included: 6 one gallon milk containersDesigned for 24 students working in six groups of four