Testing of the water in Denmark

By Camilla, Louise, Maria, Michelle and Sheila

 

The used methods concerning the measuring of nitrate in Hulemose Lake and the drinkingwater in different areas of Southern Sjælland in Denmark, are the following; to measure the nitrate, we filled two test-tube with the water samples. We put a little bag of nitrate Ver5 in to one of the two test-tubes and the other stayed neutral. We shook the nitrate mixture strongly and it rested afterwards.  Then we placed the samples in a spectrophotometer, out of this we got the following results.  

 

Locations

NO3-(mg/L)

Hulemose Lake

13,6

Run-up from- kullake

22,9

Run-up from –field

57,64

Hulemose brook

33,0

     

Hulemose Lake: The results we got here are much lower than excepted. This can be caused by the alga’s in the water, which has absorbed No3- for their own survival.

 

Run-up from kullake: There is a big concentration of nitrate, this is caused by the leaching from the fields and the military exercise-areas

 

Run-up from the field: The results here are twice as high as run-up from the Kul Lake. This is caused by a big concentration of nitrate in the soil from the field, because the farmers fertilise their fields and it supplies a lot of nitrite, which leaches out from the soil.

 

Hulemose brook: The high numbers of nitrate can be caused by leach from the run-ups, that might come from Nyråds football pitches.

 

The drinking water: If the water crosses the permit limit of 25mg/L NO3-  is the water dangerous. In Denmark the waterworks get closed if NO3-   has crossed 50mg/L. If the water value gets over 25mg/L the water gets diluted with water.    

 

 The degree of hardness: There is chalk in the underground, especially near Møns cliff and Stevens cliff. When the water breaks through the underground, then the water becomes full of chalk. The chalk originally comes from dead shellfish, which has been deposited on grown of the sea. During The Ice Age the ice took chalk, stone and soil with and when the ice melted, the chalk stayed on the ground.   

 

Locations

Total hardness °dH (unboiled)

The permanent hardness °dH (boiled)

Præstø

18,7 °dH

 

Præstø

17,5 °dH

8,7 °dH

Præstø

33,71 °dH

23,82 °dH

Stege

24,9 °dH

15,4 °dH

Stege

24,3 °dH

14,2 °dH

Langebæk

23 °dH

13 °dH

Langebæk

26,44 °dH

16,24 °dH

Vordingborg

17,5 °dH

8 °dH

Valse

31,5 °dH

20,5 °dH

Bogø

19 °dH

12 °dH

Svinø

22,58 °dH

18,10 °dH

Faksinge

21,69 °dH

17,08 °dH

Demoralised water

0,46 °dH

0,46 °dH