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(continued from page 6) <br />three years, and this is her second trip <br />to the state competition. Bushrah is a <br />senior and will attend either New <br />Mexico Tech or Baylor University in the <br />fall and plans to major in medicine and <br />minor in biology or environmental <br />science. She credits her mentor, Dr. <br />Janet Benson, an Albuquerque <br />toxicologist, for the guidance she <br />provided throughout the experi- <br />mentation aspect of her science project. <br />Bushrah is interested in studying <br />pharmaceuticals in environmental <br />waters and has done so for the past two <br />Christopher McCallum <br />years. The purpose of this year's study <br />was to assess the potential toxicity that <br />common pharmaceuticals and vitamins <br />have on aquatic life such as algae and <br />Zebrafish. She looked at acetamin- <br />ophen, ascorbic acid, caffeine, <br />ibuprofen and salicylic acid. She <br />hypothesized that the toxicity of the <br />chemicals at different ranges of doses <br />may affect the growth of algae and the <br />development of Zebrafish. <br />For the algae experiments, she used <br />an Algal Toxkit to examine the affects <br />of the chemicals on the growth of algae. <br />For the Zebrafish experiments, <br />fertilized eggs were obtained from <br />naturally reproducing adult Zebrafish. <br />Groups of eggs were exposed to <br />different concentrations of ibuprofen, <br />acetaminophen, and caffeine. The <br />results of her study were inconclusive, <br />partly due to a problem that arose <br />concerning the Zebrafish embryos that <br />she purchased from an entity in Florida. <br />The vast majority of embryos were dead <br />on arrival, and Bushrah had to learn how <br />to distinguish a live embryo from a dead <br />one. She considered this part of the <br />learning process and was philosophical <br />about the unforeseen problems that <br />scientists encounter in their research. <br />In the Junior Division, 8" grader <br />Nicole Puissant from Queen of Heaven <br />in Albuquerque received first place <br />honors and a check for $100. She was <br />interested in what may be the only <br />source of "new water" available for the <br />future, namely, brackish water. Nicole <br />looked at "...using solar energy to <br />preheat brackish water so that less <br />energy is required to remove salt by the <br />thermal distillation process." Her <br />project was entitled, The Effects ofSolar <br />Pre- Heating and the Desalination of <br />Brackish Water — Phase 2. <br />Through her experimental design, <br />Nicole found that solar preheating does <br />indeed significantly reduce the amount <br />of energy needed to remove salt from <br />brackish water using the thermal <br />distillation process. Nicole concluded <br />that the sun is a good source of <br />additional energy in many parts of the <br />world, including New Mexico. <br />Nicole said she "has always loved <br />science" and was influenced by her aunt <br />who is a chemist. She has prepared <br />science projects every year since 6t" <br />grade. <br />Second place in the Junior Division <br />was awarded to Christopher McCallum <br />for his project entitled, Is there Pollution <br />in the Rio Hondo? Christopher set out <br />to see if the Taos ski valley is polluting <br />the Rio Hondo. He used a bacteria/ <br />nitrite /nitrate test kit to look at E -coli <br />bacteria, nitrates, and nitrites at two <br />stream sites, one above the Taos Ski <br />Valley and one below the Taos Ski <br />Valley sewer plant. Christopher found <br />one sample out of four at the upstream <br />site tested positive for bacteria with <br />none indicating the presence of nitrates <br />or nitrites. At the site below the sewer <br />plant, three out of four samples resulted <br />in positive readings for bacteria with <br />none indicating nitrates and nitrites. He <br />used a dipstick to measure for nitrates, <br />and in a future study would like to use <br />a more reliable method to get better <br />readings. <br />A 7t" grader at Taos Middle School, <br />Christopher has prepared science fair <br />projects since 2nd grade and indicates <br />that he will continue to do so. "It's so <br />fun," according to Christopher. He <br />credits Mr. Lopez, his science teacher <br />at Taos Middle School and his dad for <br />their encouragement and help. <br />Christopher isn't sure what he'll study <br />in the future, but he knows that his love <br />for science will be a part of it. <br />Pesticides in the Nation's <br />Streams and Ground <br />Water, 1992 -2001 <br />has been published as part of <br />the USGS series of publications <br />on The Quality of Our Nation's <br />Waters. <br />The report summarizes a 10- <br />year assessment by the <br />National Water - quality <br />Assessment (NAWQA) Program <br />and provides the most <br />comprehensive national- scale <br />analysis to date of pesticide <br />occurrence and concentrations <br />in streams and ground water. <br />The report and companion <br />materials are available on the <br />Internet at: http:// <br />ca.water.usgs.gov /pnsp /pubs/ <br />cir1291 /. <br />7 <br />