Connecticut Brownfield Sites

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Connecticut Brownfield Sites

• CAPT- Science, Technology, Society
• Curriculum Embedded Performance Task
• Strand III Global Interdependence

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Background

• More than 290 sites in Connecticut have been
  identified as Brownfield Sites.
• These are parcels of property once used for
  industrial, commercial or manufacturing and are
  now typically abandoned due to suspected
  contamination.
• Often these unused parcels adversely affect the
  quality of living in the area and may pose
  potential health risks to local citizens.
• Financial assistance is available from the state
  and federal governments to assess and remediate
  these sites.

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Task-ID a Brownfield Site

• Find a nearby CT Brownfield site by clicking on
  the Brownfield Inventory link found at the
  Connecticut Department of Environmental
  Protections website
• http//dep.state.ct.us/wst/remediation/brownfields
  /brownfields.htm (main page)
• http//www.ct.gov/dep/lib/dep/site_clean_up/brownf
  ields/brownfieldsinventory.pdf (direct to
  inventory)
• What has the property been used for that led it
  to being identified as a Brownfield site?
• Use a search engine such as Google to research
  one of the potential contaminants at the site.
• Some major contaminants their possible sources
  are given on the next slide to help you.

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Contaminant Possible source of contamination
Heavy metals Arsenic Cadmium Chromium Lead Mercury metal finishing/plating shops manufacturing foundries coal burning power plants
Gasoline/constituents of gasoline Gasoline Benzene Ethylbenzene Toluene Xylene gasoline stations tank farms pipelines
Solvents Tetrachloroethlyene Trichloroethylene III-trichloroethane dry cleaners machine shops metal finishing/plating shops
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Task-Ask a ? Design an Investigation

• Formulate an experimental question about a
  Brownfield site that may be answered through a
  scientific investigation.
• Design an investigation that would enable you to
  answer your question.
• Formulate a general procedure for exploring the
  effect the contamination may have on the site or
  nearby property.
• Do not worry about the specific steps needed to
  isolate the contaminant or specific techniques
  used to measure the contaminants effect on the
  environment.
• Focus on writing a general plan for your
  investigation including the independent and
  dependent variables to be studied, general
  procedures you will follow and the data you will
  collect. Include a control group if appropriate.

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Possible Investigation Ideas

• Design an investigation that focuses on one
  specific chemical
• its contamination plume at the site.
• You will want to consider
• where the sampling will occur (water, soil, air)
• the number of test sites
• distances from the source
• etc.
• its influence on one species in the area.
• You will want to consider
• which plant or animal you want to study
• what type of effect you are looking for in that
  plant or animal (Ex. concentration of contaminant
  in relation to height, weight, etc.)
• etc.

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Example

• What has the property been used for that led it
  to being identified as a Brownfield site?
• What are some possible major contaminants at this
  site?

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Example

• What could we ask as our experimental question?
  (What problem do we want to investigate?)
• Formulate a hypothesis (Make an educated guess
  as to what the outcome may be.)
• Use this format If, then because.

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Example

• What is your independent variable?
• Identify your dependent variable?
• What is your control? (your basis for comparison)
• What factors are you keeping constant? (What are
  you keeping the same throughout your experiment?)

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Example

• What general procedures you would follow to
  conduct your investigation? (list steps)
• Now its your turn

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Grading

• Total 20 points
• Experimental Question 4 points
• Hypothesis 4 pts
• Identify your Independent Variable 2 points
• Identify your Dependent Variable 2 points
• Identify your Control Constants 2 points
• General Procedures for conducting your
  investigation 6 points

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Learn More

• Article The Mad Hatters Legacy