Seminar on "Water Quality: Laboratory Methodologies"

Guayaquil, viernes 10 enero 2020
Participants in the chemistry lab
Participants in the chemistry lab
Environmental engineering students in our branch campus in Guayaquil held a seminar on "Water Quality: Laboratory Methodologies" in the chemistry and biology laboratories located in "Maria Auxiliadora" campus. 
 
Participants learned about methodologies for sample drawing and laboratory analysis in order to determine water quality. "This hands on seminar allows students to put their theoretical knowledge into practice, assess results and determine water quality to find out if there is any contamination", said Carmen Palacios, director of the environmental engineering undergraduate program. 
 
It is a 40 hour seminar that will end on January 17th. During the seminar students will use the laboratories to determine physical – chemical parameters, water quality indicators such as hydrogen potential, color, total dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, iron, ammonium; and as a biological indicator, total coliforms that provide information on contamination by bacteria. 
 
Some of the activities during the seminar will be:
 
- Sampling of natural water bodies and laboratory practices in the area of chemistry and microbiology
 
- Use of sampling equipment such as the depth display bottle
 
- Measurements using potentiometers, oxygenometers 
 
- Analysis methodologies such as spectrophotometry, volumetry, membrane filtration.
 
The seminar will enable participants to learn about new tools and methods that strengthen students' knowledge and will be applied in their professional lives. "We have really learned a lot, from different types of tools to the different types of microorganisms in water", said Genesis Tumbaco, environmental engineering student.