Log Book for January 12, 2011
Science Report 1
Judah Epstein Reporting
The purpose of this project is to explore the effectiveness of a slow sand sedimentary water filtration system in a planetary environment. To simulate a planetary environment the experiment is conducted at the Mars Desert Research Station, a self-sustaining planetary research experiment and simulation expedition.
Background information regarding the project abstract, purpose, goals, and specific experiment details and information are included in the Science Report from January 6.
Data collected from Jan 11 and prior is available in this spreadsheet.
Updates on results:
Filter 1 (Martian Simulant) and Filter 2 (Commercial Sand) are not achieving optimal results as the filter seems clogged with extremely low hydraulic conductivity. Therefore not enough effluent water was produced to take measurements with the Qanta probe (Temp, SpC, DO, pH, TDS, DO%, ORP).
Turbidity results: Turbidity of effluent from all three slow sand filters has generally been increasing. Turbidity of effluent from the wetland, greywater, and HAB potable are remaining generally consistent.
Bacteria results were measured and seem to mostly be positive, but the indicators were very faint. Therefore the very faint indicators are quite possibly an indication of negative bacteria results.
On Jan 11, the Martian Regolith filter had a very faint positive indicator. The Commercial Sand filter had a positive indicator. The local MDRS sands filter had an extremely faint positive indicator. The MDRS Wetland Filtration had a very faint positive indicator. And surprisingly, the Greywater had an extremely faint positive indicator.