Indicator paper issues!

After much more testing with the indicator paper - it seems that anything less than extremely acidic goes a bluey-grey colour with a purpley outline. Only the very acidic substances turn the paper pink,which is a shame, since some of the geothermal samples I've been given seem to be quite acidic (according to real pH paper and sample tests).

Nevertheless - an interesting range of colours coming up in the different portraits. Need to have reproductions of 6 decent ones, a statement and an application form done by Friday, so having a break from graphite portraits this week - sorry to those waiting for theirs to appear.

Adding indicator to samples directly - Whammy! COLOUR

LtoR: Tom Turner's Matarawa Stream (Whanganui) most alkaline. Natasha Petrove's Kakaho Stream, Distilled water (i.e pH neutral) , Rebecca Bennik's Oroua River (Manawatu), Nicole Bennik's Lake Horowhenua, (Levin), and Jessica Costall's Wai-o-tapu - geothermal stream (dissolved sulphuric acid? perhaps causing the strong acidic reaction here)

From this it's clear that the indicator paper is not nearly as sensitive as the raw indicator dye - not sure how to combat this. Am actively seeking pH neutral paper, having discovered that the latest batch of 'acid free' paper I bought is much more alkaline than the last (I know because the paper turned greenish before I even put anything else on it.)

Having said that, as Hannah so kindly pointed out, it's an exciting day - I will have to see just how long the colour lasts, because as they are in this photo - there's a huge colour disparity between samples; this might make an interesting comparison with the samples in their natural state, or even just an artwork by itself.

Am also still looking for an appropriate box for a glass sample jar to be displayed in.
There's a nifty explanation of using redcabbage indicator here, which also has a sweet picture of the range of results. 

Water Portrait Trials

Samples from Mokai Gravity Canyon Crew!!!

The awesome crew at Mokai Gravity Canyon are the first adventure sports operators working on or around Freshwater in New Zealand to send water samples for the Spectrum Project! Gravity canyon is set in awesome scenery, and is 20 mins from Taihape - following the signs from SH1.

Their samples came from the Mokai Stream and the Rangetikei River and were taken on 20th May 2010:

Thanks heaps Michaella!
Mokai Gravity Canyon offers three awesome adrenalin adventures: an extreme flying fox, a 80-metre bungy or  a 50-metre freefall  bridge swing.


Even if you're not an adrenalin junky, Gravity Canyon is a beautiful place to stop off for a coffee or just to take some photos! I'd highly recommend it, having been there several times. My good friend Helmi, from Finland, did a bungy there in 2007 and loved every screaming second of it!

South Island on the map!

Thanks to Hannah and Daniel, both normally resident in Auckland, who brought two watersamples each back from their travels to Christchurch and Reefton respectively.

Charlotte also sent a Manawatu River sample, that came in the post this morning. Which takes the total up to about 45 different samples from 20 odd participants. :) which is sweet.

Am asking for responses to one or more of the following questions. Previous responses can be found here.
feel free to add to the discussion thread, or add answers via comment on this blog.

Name:

Source of Sample (if applicable):
Please respond least one of the following in 100 words or less
Describe the source of your sample:
(i.e location, look of water clear/murky, urban/rural, your reaction to it, how you collected the water)


What does fresh water mean to you?


What is your view of freshwater in New Zealand?

What was your motivation for participation in spectrum (and what did you gain from the experience of collecting samples)?


Share a personal memory/experience of freshwater:

Map of samples so far

Making Indicator Paper/Experiments

Red cabbage, finely chopped - slow boiled over low heat in distilled water for a couple of hours to extract the flavin to make dye:
[ Red cabbage contains a pigment molecule called flavin (an anthocyanin). This water-soluble pigment is also found in apple skin, plums, poppies, cornflowers, and grapes. Very acidic solutions will turn anthocyanin a red color. Neutral solutions result in a purplish color. Basic solutions appear in greenish-yellow. Therefore, it is possible to determine the pH of a solution based on the color it turns the anthocyanin pigments in red cabbage juice.] More indepth instructions can be found here.

Paper dyed  in the solution - I've found that over night works best. Paper soaked for a shorter amount of time seems to fade more quickly.

Air dried - hanging paper up means it's not sitting on something it can react to...

Different paper types.

Portrait comparison. Graphite / memory of water.