Using Membranes to Remove Toxic Algae

Each student needs:

• Algae Sorting Recording Worksheet (PDF)
• Week 1 Questions (PDF)
• (optional) Optional Assessment (PDF)
• lab safety goggles
• Week 2 Questions (PDF)
• Week 3 Questions (PDF)
• Week 4 Questions (PDF)

Each group needs:

• Algae Sorting Activity (PDF) cards
• empty water bottle
• water quality testing materials, such as water test strips (e.g., 16-in-1 Drinking Water Quality Test Strips) and/or reef aquarium testing kits (e.g., Red Sea Reef Care Algae Control Test Kit)
• a filtration unit with vacuum flask and hand pump, such as one as in Figure 1Figure 1: Filtration units with vacuum flasks and hand pumps can speed up the filtration process.CopyrightCopyright Left: https://www.amazon.com/Laboratory-Filtration-Distillation-Apparatus-Filtering/dp/B0942NYT9L Center: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Olympia-Sports-16072-Filtering-Set-with-90-mm-Porcelain-Buchner-Funnel/47753231 Right: https://www.amazon.com/Vacuum-Suction-Filtration-Conical-Buchner/dp/B09479W6B8?th=1

OR

• 2 L or 3 L soda bottle
• 1,000 mL beaker
• large rubber band(s)

AND

• forceps
• funnel
• petri dish, 1 per used filter
• various microfilters for testing (available at https://www.sterlitech.com/custom-sample-packs.html)

OR

• filter paper or coffee filters

For the entire class to share:

• collected water from a fish tank or pond for testing (may be collected as an additional class activity)
• • Collect 0.5 L per student group, or no more than 5 L per class. Store water in an amber HDPE bottle.
• nutrient solution
• deionized water
• aluminum foil
• waterproof tape
• paper towels
• microscope
• (optional, but recommended) spectrophotometer