This presentation was given during the 2015 STEM Forum held at Florida SouthWestern State College (December).

1. pH and Water Toxicity
Florida SouthWestern State College
2015 STEM FORUM
Presenters:
Dr. Juan Zaragoza
Dr. Wendy Athens

2. Definition:
 pH – is a measurement of the acidic or basic
(alkaline) nature of a solution. The
concentration of the hydrogen ion [H+]
activity in a solution determines the PH level.

3. Mathematically
pH = -log [H+]
“The pH value is the negative power to which
10 must be raised to equal the hydrogen ion
concentration.” (source: Wikipedia)

4. Ph Scale

5. Science Fields Using It
 Biology
 Chemistry
 Marine Science
 Environmental Science
 Medicine
 Food science
 Forestry
 Many others…

6. Possible Jobs in Marine
Science
 anthropologist
 Bacteriologist
 Botanist
 college professor
 fisheries biologist
 laboratory technician
 marine biologist
 museum/aquarium staff member

7. Why is pH important for
people?
 Since our body is water-based, the pH level
has profound effects on our body chemistry.
 If the pH becomes too acidic or too alkaline,
cells become poisoned by their own toxic
waste.
 If left unchecked pH might corrupt all cellular
activities and functions from the beating of
your heart to the firing of your brain.

8. Illnesses Caused by an
Unbalanced pH:
 Nervous System: insomnia, anxiety,
depression, neuroses, psychoses and
memory loss
 Digestive system: indigestion,
gaseousness, bloating, and abdominal
cramping
 Immune System: People become
susceptible to viral, bacterial, fungal and
other infectious diseases as well as cancer

9. How acidic is your favorite
beverage?
Follow this link to find out:
https://goo.gl/vRghpY

10. Why is pH important for the
environment:
 If the pH of water is too high or too low
the aquatic organisms living within it will
die.
 Alabaster and Lloyd (1980) identified the
safe pH range for fish living in fresh water
to be around 5.0-9.0.

11. Problem
Runoff from agricultural, domestic, and
industrial areas may contain iron,
aluminum, ammonia, mercury or other
elements. The pH of the water might
increase the toxic effects of these
substances.
For example, 4 mg/l of iron would not
present a toxic effect at a pH of 4.8.
However, as little as 0.9 mg/l of iron at a
pH of 5.5 can cause fish to die.

12. On the News!!
 Here’s a story that captures some of the
effects of ocean acidification:
 http://bcove.me/6ntxr4qy

13. Acid Rain Formation

14. What can we do to help?
Join a volunteer monitoring program:
 Florida Lakewatch
 Marine Resources Council of East Florida
 The H2O Guard
Many of these groups offer training and
education to community members.