If three different SAPs (homemade, polyacrylamide/Miracle-Gro, cross-linked copolymer of acrylamide, and potassium acrylate) are tested in their ability to keep soil hydrated for the longest period of time then the Miracle-Gro SAP will be able to keep the soil hydrated for the longest amount of time because of the amount of water it can absorb compared to its mass and its smaller particle size which allows it to be more dispersed throughout the soil allowing for more even hydration. 

 

 

          Precipitation is any water that is created in the atmosphere and falls back down to earth this includes frozen water. Precipitation is created in clouds when water vapor condenses into larger and larger droplets until they become too heavy and fall back down to earth. Clouds at higher altitudes can cause water droplets to freeze which results in snow and sleet.

           Drought is a prolonged dry period due to a lack of precipitation in a specific region. Defining what a lack of precipitation means is difficult since very few places on Earth receive the same amount of rainfall. For example, if one region has an average precipitation of 425mm and another region has an average of 3690 mm a year a lack of precipitation will look extremely different for these two regions. Drought affects many people and has many causes.

          Drought is caused by a plethora of factors. One major cause of drought is climate change and global warming. Climate change is the change in global, local, and regional climate patterns. Although often used interchangeably climate and weather are two different terms. Climate is the long-term regional and global average of temperature, humidity, precipitation, and rainfall patterns observed over a period of time (usually 30 years). Weather is the current short-term atmospheric condition in a region such as snow, rain, clouds, thunderstorms, etc. Climate change is often caused by global warming. Global warming is the continued heating of Earth’s surface perceived since the pre-industrial period (1850-1900). Global warming is caused by human actions such as burning fossil fuels which releases greenhouse gasses such as methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. These gasses trap heat which results in raised surface and ocean temperatures. Global warming causes rising sea levels, and ice loss at Earth’s poles and glaciers, and it changes the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as hurricanes, flooding, heatwaves, and wildfires. Warmer temperatures from global warming intensify the stage of the water cycle. This increases evaporation which causes dryness. But the excess vapor favors heat causing it to convert to a liquid faster. This means places that experience rain often, will experience it more frequently and heavily. And dry places will become dryer leading to prolonged droughts, causing a vicious cycle.

          Climate patterns such as El Nino also can cause droughts.  El Nino is when the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean experiences high temperatures. The warm temperatures cause the Pacific jet stream (a rapid, slim, winding air current in the atmosphere) to move south. El Nino results in most of Canada and America becoming dryer and warmer than normal except for the Southeast and the Gulf Coast of the U.S. which experience increased rain and flooding. El Nino also causes droughts in Indonesia and Australia.

         Meteorological drought is the result of a prolonged lack of precipitation in a specific region. Meteorological drought is what you most likely picture when you think of a drought ie a large, parched, cracked region. This type of drought usually occurs first and then followed by the other two. Meteorological drought can also begin and end quickly but it can also go on for a long time.

          Agricultural drought occurs when there isn’t enough water to be able to meet the needs of crops and or livestock. Agricultural drought can occur without any other water uses being affected. This type of drought usually occurs after a meteorological drought. Agricultural drought is often caused by poor timing, for example, snow melting before the growing season.

          Hydrological drought occurs when a lack of precipitation leads to the drying up of surface and groundwater. Hydrological drought usually occurs after an agricultural drought. Hydrological drought takes longer to start and resolve since it is drying up water deep inside the Earth. 

          Socioeconomic drought is when prolonged droughts start to affect the people and the economy. An example of this is the supply and demand of economic goods being reduced. This can reduce the amount of money being brought into the economy and it can also cause people to lose their jobs.

          Superabsorbent polymers also known as SAPs are polymers that can absorb large amounts of fluid compared to their mass. Polymers are long repeating chains of macromolecules. A macromolecule is a very large molecule that contains a large amount of atoms and is made from smaller chemical structures. There are many different subcategories of SAPs including crosslinked, copolymers, homopolymers, and natural and synthetic polymers. SAPs have many uses from diapers and sanitary napkins to the medical field and agriculture, to name a few. 

         

          Polymerization is the process by which monomers (small molecules) form a chain to make polymers through covalent bonding( a bond when atoms share one or more pairs of electrons). Polymerization can be achieved in many different ways but the two used in this project were emulsion polymerization and photopolymerization. Photopolymerization uses UV light to start a chemical reaction with the help of a catalyst to create a polymer. Emulsion polymerization is when an emulsion is used to create a polymer often an oil-in-water emulsion.

          Cross-linking is the process of creating a stronger bond between polymer chains. This process often involves a covalent bond to create bridge-like structures between polymers. Cross-linking increases a polymer's strength and stability.

          The most common type of SAP is sodium polyacrylate. It is a sodium-based polymer and it absorbs water through osmosis. The sodium in the polymer wants to be distributed equally when it comes in contact with water. This results in some sodium particles leaving the polymer and being replaced with water molecules. Sodium polyacrylate can absorb 800 times its mass in water. Polyacrylamide which is a combination of acrylic acid and acrylamide is the result of the oxidation of propylene (propane). It can absorb 300 times its mass in water and can withstand multiple wet-dry cycles.  Cross-linked copolymer of acrylamide and potassium acrylate can absorb 250 times its weight in water. How it does so and how it’s made is not well known.

          Copolymers and homopolymers are still polymers just with different characteristics. A copolymer includes one type of monomer and a homopolymer includes 2 different types of monomers. Homopolymers and copolymers have pros and cons. Homopolymers have increased wear resistance, a low thermal expansion rate, and high mechanical strength. But lacks UV light resistance. Copolymers have a high impact resistance but are expensive to make. So whichever one is chosen will depend on the use of the polymer.

          Soil porosity is a major factor in how well soil will absorb water. Soil porosity refers to the amount of pores/open space between soil particles. Pores can be influenced by the movement of worms, roots, and insects. Soil porosity is important because it determines how much oxygen is spread throughout the soil which is vital for plant growth. Humans and animals also affect soil porosity as they compact the soil from walking and heavy construction equipment. Soil porosity can also depend on the soil profile. Good topsoil has a range of pore shapes and sizes allowing for better aeration and drainage. A good subsoil contains pores that are arranged vertically. The soil porosity in the topsoil and subsoil work together to allow for the best aeration. 

          Soil type can also affect how soil will absorb water and its water-holding capacity. Water-holding capacity. Water holding capacity is the amount of water soil can retain. Smaller soil particles which are sand and clay have a larger surface area allowing them to absorb and retain more water than larger particles like sand. This is why we see sand absorb water and dry quickly. For the best water absorption and holding capacity, you want medium soil which would be loam, silt loam, or silt.

          Soil texture and structure also affect porosity. Fine soil has small particles and numerous small pores and can hold more water and oxygen than coarse soil. On the other hand, coarse soil has large soil particles and large pores and holds less water and oxygen compared to fine soil. This doesn’t mean that fine soil is better than coarse soil as fine soil absorbs water quickly but also dries out quickly  Think of sand on a beach it gets wet rapidly but also dries rapidly. Good soil has medium particle and pore size to allow for a balance between water absorption and retention. 

 

Controlled	-the person experimenting -the amount of soil -the type of soil -the amount of polymer -the amount of water in the soil -time of day soil is checked on  -location of planters
Manipulated	-the polymers
Responding	-how long the soil stays hydrated with each polymer

Materials 

• Miracle-Gro water storing crystals
• UV light lamp
• Avocado peels/9 organic avocados 
• Orange peels/19 organic oranges
• Lemon juice
• Distilled water 
• Kitchen scale
• 12 plastic cups
• Soil
• Knife
• Blender
• Baking sheet
• Fine mesh strainer
• Cutting board 
• Candy thermometer 
• 1 container
• Glass measuring cup
• 1 tbsp
• 12 plastic spoons
• Cross-linked copolymer of acrylamide and potassium acrylate (CLPA)

Procedure #1 (making the polymer)

1. Gather all required materials
2. Wash hands 
3. Peel and finely chop 19 (623 grams of orange peels) oranges keeping the peels and setting them aside in a bowl 
4. Measure 100 ml of lemon juice in a graduated cylinder or glass measuring cup add it to the orange peels and let sit for 2 hours 
5. Measure 1000 ml of distilled water and add it to the orange peel and lemon juice mixture in a pot 
6. Place the pot on the stove, and turn on the stove to medium-high heat. Once the mixture starts to simmer/reaches 98 degrees Celsius wait 6 minutes and a half and then remove the mixture from the stove.
7. Strain the mixture overnight with a fine mesh strainer. Ensure that you keep the strained liquid.
8. Peel 9 organic avocados(185g worth of peels) wash the insides with water and then chop the peels finley. 
9. Dump the orange and avocado peels onto a baking tray, and evenly spread the mixture.
10. Leave the mixture to dry under a UV lamp until the peels are 100 percent dry (about 6 days)
11. Grind the mixture into a very coarse powder
12. Place the mixture in a container to use for the experiment  

Procedure #2 (the experiment)

1. Gather all materials
2. Wash hands
3. Label 12 plastic cups 3 for each polymer 
4. Fill with each cup with 40g of soil
5. Measure out 2 grams of each superabsorbent polymer in separate containers (Miracle Gro water storing crystals, CLAP SAP, and the homemade polymer)
6. Add 2 grams of each SAP to the corresponding cup 
7. Stir the SAPs in for 30 seconds with different spoons for each polymer
8. Add 3 tablespoons of water to each cup
9. Stir each sample for 30 seconds with different spoons for each polymer
10. Place the 12 cups by a window that receives a moderate amount of sun
11. Check on the soil every day at 7:00 pm until the soil drys

Test 1

Homemade Polymer: 1

Day	Observations	Mass(g)
1	The soil is dark in color almost black. It seems much denser than compared to the other homemade polymers. Small sticky clumps have formed on the surface of the soil.	91
2	Soil is still dark in color, and clumps of soil are still present on the surface. There is a faint smell of the polymer similar to cheese. Soil still looks denser than the others but there is a slight loss of expansion( approximately 1 cm). Soil is hydrated but not sticky.	91
3	The smell has gone away but a thin layer of mold has appeared on the surface. The soil is dark chocolate brown. Clumps of soil encased in mold. Slight dryness on the cup wall and the soil is pulling away from the wall (approximately 5mm). Loss of height (approximately 1.5cm)	84
4	Mold has increased on the surface. Soil clumps are still encased in mold. The color is still dark chocolate brown. The top half of the soil is pulling away from the cup wall. There are noticeable dry clumps but most of the soil still feels hydrated.	79
5	The surface is very dry it penetrates about 1 cm deep. It’s about the same height as the no-polymer samples. All the soil particles are clumped together due to dryness or mold.	75

Homemade Polymer: 2

Day	Observations	Mass(g)
1	Dark in colour almost black. Minimal clumps on the surface and they aren’t as sticky as homemade polymer 1. No visible signs of expansion	81
2	Still dark in color. Smells like the polymer. Feels moist but by this time I would usually water it. No visible loss in height. No large clumps and the soil particles seem more evenly distributed.	81
3	Noticeable dry clumps on the surface and sides. A thin layer of mold is present on the surface. The smell of the polymer is gone. Soil isn’t as sticky as it was in the past. Soil is separating from the cup wall (about 5mm). The soil is still dark chocolate-brown.	73
4	Mold has increased. The top half of the soil is pulling away from the cup wall. About 1/7 of the soil is dry. Below the surface, the soil is still damp. It's about the same hydration level as it was when it came out of the bag.	70
5	The surface of the soil is dry it penetrates about 1 cm deep. There’s lots of mold on the surface and side somewhat holding everything together. The surface is a lighter brown compared to the bottom.	66

Homemade Polymer: 3

Day	Observations	Mass(g)
1	Dark in colour again almost black. Appears expanded but feels dense. Minimal clumping with a weaker bind.	84
2	The soil is still dark in color. A faint smell of the polymer is present. No clumps on the surface. It looks like there is a slight loss of expansion about 0.5 cm. Similar to homemade polymer sample 2 it feels moist but I would usually water it at this stage.	82
3	Dry brown clumps are present on the surface. A thin layer of mold on the surface has formed. There is still a faint smell of the polymer. The surface of the soil is slightly dry but below the surface soil is damp. The soil is pulling away from the cup wall.	74
4	Dry clumps are still present on the surface. The mold has increased. The soil has filled most of the space from day 3. But there are still areas where the soil is pulling away. The surface is about the same dryness as yesterday but below the surface, it’s still relatively hydrated.	73
5	The surface is dry and a lighter brown than the rest of the soil. It’s really dry around the sides/cup wall. There are lots of clumps either encased in soil or bonded together from the dryness.	68

  

   

Miracle-Gro: 1

Day	Observations	Mass(g)
1	Feels less dense compared to the other Miracle-Gro polymer samples. There is visible expansion not as much compared to Miracle-Gro sample 2. No clumping is present on the surface. The soil is dark chocolate brown. The expanded polymer crystals are also visible on the surface.	81
2	The soil is dark brown. The polymer crystals look smaller. Still feels lighter and less dense than 2 and 3. There is no unusual smell. There’s about a 1 cm loss of expansion. The top layer of soil feels dry and there are some dry clumps.	78
3	The surface of the soil is slightly lighter than the rest of the soil. The surface also looks and feels dry. Below the surface, the soil still feels moist and hydrated.	73
4	The surface and below the surface are both really dry. The soil is no longer sticking to the cup wall. There is about a 5 cm loss of height. The polymer crystals have significantly reduced in size.	71

Miracle-Gro: 2

Day	Observations	Mass(g)
1	Visible increase in height and expansion of polymer crystals. The finer soil particles are sticking to the polymer crystals.	90
2	The soil is dark brown with dispersed light brown clumps. The soil feels a little dry and there are visible dry patches. There’s about a 1 cm loss of height in the soil. And there is no unusual smell.	85
3	The surface is a lighter brown than day 2 and it is slightly dry. Below the surface, the soil is still a dark chocolate brown. There’s about a 0.7cm loss in height. The polymer crystals have reduced in size.	79
4	The surface of the soil looks and feels dry and is medium-light brown. Below the surface, the soil still feels slightly hydrated. The difference in hydration from the surface and below the surface is very noticeable.	77

Miracle-Gro: 3

Day	Observations	Mass(g)
1	The surface of the soil looks more even compared to Miracle-Gro samples 1 and 2. The soil is dark in color. There's a visible increase in height. No soil particles are sticking to the polymer crystals.	95
2	This sample feels and looks less dense compared to Miracle-Gro samples 1 and 2. There is no loss in height. The surface of the soil looks and feels dry. There is no unusual smell.	83
3	The surface is dryer than on day 2. Below the surface, the soil is dark chocolate brown and slightly moist. There is about a 0.5 loss in height.	78
4	The surface looks and feels very dry. The polymer crystals have appeared to re-expand.	74

   

  

CLPA: 1 

Day	Observations	Mass(g)
1	¾ of the soil looks dense and compacted. The other ¼ is expanded. The soil is dark in color. The polymer crystals are significantly expanded and larger than the other polymers.	93
2	The soil is dark chocolate brown. There are some small visibly dry light brown clumps. The polymer crystals have decreased slightly in size. There is about a 0.5 cm loss in height.	81
3	The surface is very dry and crumbly it's also a medium brown. Below the surface, the soil is still a dark chocolate brown. The polymer crystals have decreased in size and have separated.  There is approximately a 0.62 cm loss in height.	74
4	1.2 cm from the surface down is extremely dry. The polymer crystals are starting to deteriorate. Looking at the cup from the side you can very quickly see the difference in hydration. Below the surface, the soil is dark brown and it is wet and dry in different areas.	73

CLPA: 2

Day	Observations	Mass(g)
1	There are large clumps present on the surface. 2 polymer crystals have expanded and fused. The soil is also a dark chocolate brown and increased in height from before watering.	67
2	The polymer crystals do not seem to shrink. The soil is still a dark chocolate brown and has no unusual smell. There are no dry areas/patches and there is a loss of about 0.5 cm in height. The sample also feels lighter than CLPA, 1, and heavier than 3.	85
3	There are some small dry clumps on the surface. The majority of the soil is incredibly hydrated and seems to have gained height (approximately 0.5 cm) due to the expansion of the polymer crystals.	80
4	The polymer crystals have shrunk and seem to be deteriorating. The surface is dry but the dryness doesn't penetrate as deep as CLPA 1 and 3. The contrast in soil color is very distinct and visible.	78

CLPA: 3

Day	Observations	Mass(g)
1	This sample looks the most expanded compared to CLPA samples 1 and 2. The soil is dark chocolate brown and there are large polymer crystals on the surface.	55
2	The soil is dark chocolate brown. There is one large clump on the surface and small dry clumps as well. The polymer crystals have decreased in size and there is no unusual smell present. There is approximately a 1 cm loss in height and this sample feels lighter than CLPA samples 1 and 2.	75
3	The surface is quite dry but the soil below the surface is still slightly hydrated. There’s a slight loss in height (too small to measure) and the polymer crystals have shrunk since day 2.	70
4	The surface of the soil is very dry and is a light brown and has a high contrast with the soil below the surface. The polymer crystals vary in size and durability/strength.	67

No Polymer: 1

Day	Observations	Mass(g)
1	The soil is a rich brown as well as hydrated and moist. And there is no increase in height.	80
2	The soil still feels moist and hydrated and is still a rich brown. There are no clumps or unusual smells. There is approximately a 1 cm loss in height.	77
3	The soil still is hydrated, moist, and rich brown. There is a decrease of about 0.2 cm in height.	73
4	The soil is similar to day 4 with it still being hydrated and moist. The soil is starting to stick to the sides of the cup and there is a slight decrease in height (too small to measure).	69
5	The soil is showing increased signs of dryness but is still a dark-chocolate brown with some dry clusters. The soil is starting to lose its moisture and hydration.	64
6	There are dry clusters present on the surface.  The color of the soil has slightly lightened since day 5 and it feels slightly dry.	62
7	The surface of the soil is very dry it penetrates about 1 cm deep. The contrast in color and moisture level from the surface and below is very apparent. Even though the soil below the surface is darker it still feels dry.	55

No Polymer: 2

Day	Observations	Mass(g)
1	The soil looks more packed down compared to no polymer samples 1 and 3. The soil is moist, sticky, and a rich chocolatey brown.	81
2	The soil is sticking to the sides of the cup and l feels hydrated and sticky. It’s dark-chocolate brown in colour and there are 2 large clumps on the surface.	79
3	The 2 large clumps are still present. The soil is rich in color and is moist and hydrated. There is a slight loss in height about 0.7 cm.	74
4	The 2 large clumps are still present on the surface. The soil feels moist and hydrated. The soil is sticking to the cup walls and there is a slight loss in height (too small to measure).	70
5	The soil still feels hydrated and shows no signs of dryness. The soil is still slightly sticking to the cup walls and there is only 1 cluster present on the surface.	66
6	There are no visible signs of dryness. The soil is still a rich dark brown but the soil particles have fused into various clusters.	63
7	There are 3 large dry clumps the rest of the soil feels hydrated.	56
8	The surface is a lighter brown and the 3 clusters are no longer on the surface. The soil feels and looks dry. The surface is more even.	49

No Polymer: 3

Day	Observations	Mass(g)
1	The soil is hydrated and a rich dark brown. There is some slight clustering but not much.	99
2	There is no visible loss in height. The soil still feels hydrated and it is still a rich brown colour. There is no unusual smell but the soil is slightly sticking to the sides of the cup.	77
3	The soil still feels hydrated but it is sticky and there is a slight loss of height of about 0.3cm.	72
4	The soil is similar to yesterday. It is still hydrated and a rich brown.	69
5	The soil is slightly dry but it’s still pretty hydrated. There is 1 dry clump present on the surface but the majority of the soil is a dark- chocolate brown.	64
6	There are visible dry patches on the surface but below the surface the soil is still adequately hydrated. The majority of the soil is still a dark chocolate brown.	60
7	The majority of the surface is dry it penetrates about 0.5 cm deep. Below the surface, the soil feels slightly hydrated and is a dark chocolate brown.	54
8	This sample looks similar to no polymer sample 2. There are some small dry clusters present on the surface. The soil feels and looks dry and it is a lighter brown compared to day 7.	49

   

    

Test 2

Homemade polymer: 1

Day	Mass(g)
1	80
2	72
3	66
4	59

Homemade polymer: 2

Day	Mass(g)
1	74
2	67
3	58

Homemade polymer: 3

Day	Mass(g)
1	82
2	75
3	68
4	62

Miracle-Gro: 1

Day	Mass(g)
1	73
2	69
3	63

Miracle-Gro: 2

Day	Mass(g)
1	72
2	69
3	61

Miracle-Gro: 3

Day	Mass(g)
1	90
2	84
3	75

CLPA: 1

Day	Mass(g)
1	73
2	69
3	61

CLPA: 2

Day	Mass(g)
1	80
2	76
3	67

CLPA: 3

Day	Mass(g)
1	78
2	72
3	66

No polymer: 1

Day	Mass(g)
1	76
2	67
3	57
4	53
5	47

No polymer: 2

Day	Mass(g)
1	75
2	70
3	59
4	55
5	52

No polymer: 3

Day	Mass(g)
1	80
2	73
3	57
4	58
5	49

 

          From the graphs, you can see that both of the polymers performed the weakest compared to the other variables. Based on my research I was expecting the polymers to perform stronger than the samples with no soil because my research said the polymers can hold up to 350 times their mass in water increasing the amount retained. I believe that the reason that they performed the weakest was because I watered the soil inadequately to simulate the amount of water an area would receive during a drought. On the back of the Miracle-Gro water storying crystals and CLPA polymer they both said that for the best results, the soil should be watered adequately.

 

          From the graphs, you can see the samples with no polymer performed the strongest which I wasn’t expecting. I have a couple of ideas for why this result happened. For starters, the polymers are supposed to absorb and release water through diffusion. I think what happened was that the polymer crystals absorbed the water and then by the time the soil was dry and the crystals needed to release the water they were dry as well. Another reason why I think  I got the results I did is because the polymer crystals expanded in the soil affecting pore size and allowing more oxygen to move through the soil. Without any plants to take in that oxygen there was just an excess causing the soil to dry out quicker. Another very likely theory is that the SAPs absorbed all the water drying out the soil quicker. The 3 reasons mentioned weren’t issues for the no polymer samples because they didn’t have any polymers allowing them to stay hydrated for a longer period.

 

 

          In conclusion, my hypothesis was incorrect. The Miracle-Gro polymer did not work the best, surprisingly it did the worst along with the CLPA polymer. The samples with no polymers did the best at keeping the soil hydrated for an average of 7.66 days. I had many ideas for why this happened which I talked about in my analysis but the main ones were the polymers affecting the pore size of the soil and drying out before they could release water. I also played a role since I inadequately watered the soil which the polymers I purchased said they needed to be watered adequately to be the most effective. This wasn’t the result I was expecting since all my research showed that the polymers should have kept the soil hydrated for longer compared to the samples with no polymers.

 

Next Questions

          If I were to do this test again I think I would try and figure out a way to make the homemade polymer better so that it wouldn’t mold and so it could be more effective. Another thing I would do if I redid my test is to do the same test but with plants to see if that would change the results since there would be something taking in the extra oxygen throughout the soil caused by the expansion of the polymer crystals. Before running my test I was originally going to use a commercial SAP unfortunately it wasn’t going to arrive in time for my experiment. So I wonder if I did my experiment but used the commercial SAP would my data look different from the data I have now.

 

          Drought is a major issue and knowing how to reduce the stress it causes is important. Drought affects approximately 55 million people globally. And causes many other issues such as a decline in economic activity in regions that make most of their money from agriculture. This then causes people to lose their jobs, stability, income, etc. According to the World Health Organization, “700 million people are at risk of being displaced as a result of drought by 2030.” That's a lot of people who may be forced to leave their homes this starts mass migration into other countries which can cause a whole other series of issues. Not to mention drought can increase the risk of contracting diseases such as cholera and pneumonia and inevitably death. Cholera cases increase due to droughts causing a decrease in water so people end up drinking whatever they can get. The risk of pneumonia increases during drought because drought can affect the air quality since it increases wind storms and the risk of wildfires. Another thing drought can cause is conflicts over the remaining resources which can cause a country to be torn apart and this can increase the risk of death even more and potentially increase the amount of people migrating to other countries.

          Alberta has been known for naturally being dry but in the last year, Alberta went from stage  3 to  4 of the water management stages. This means there are mass-scale basin and provincial drought conditions that are starting to impact social and economic conditions. The drought level rating in Alberta is out of 5 and we are getting close to being there. If and most likely when we hit stage 5 that means that the droughts in Alberta would’ve gotten so severe that emergency measures would need to be put in place to protect the safety, health, and well-being of the public. Superabsorbent polymers could reduce the environmental and physical stress that droughts are causing in Alberta and all of the things mentioned previously can happen in Alberta.

          Drought is impacting one of Alberta’s most profitable and largest industries; agriculture. Agriculture contributes 10.3 billion dollars to Alberta’s GDP and in 2020 farms brought in 18 billion dollars in revenue. In 2022 Canada used 2.2 billion cubic meters or 2.2 hundred billion liters of water for irrigation and Alberta accounts for ¾ of that total. Between 2011 and 2019 Alberta spent 26.5 million on irrigation for agriculture and the maintenance that comes with irrigation systems. If SAPs were used the water-holding capacity of soil in Alberta could increase between 5.68%- 17.90%. This would save money and water. Even though you the government would have to spend moneys on SAPs the benefits of them could increase the number of animals being raised and crops grown. 

          Farmers aren’t the only ones who use irrigation regular people do as well. On average if you water your lawn for one hour with either an irrigation system or sprinkler you would use 950L of water.  The average person waters their lawns twice a week using about 1900L of water a week. With the use of SAPs, homeowners may only have to water once a week saving 950L of water, or at the least the SAPs could add an extra day or two in between watering.  As said before SAPs could reduce the amount of money spent watering your lawn. If we use the same numbers above it would cost you $2.69 to water your lawn for one hour twice a week or $10.76 a month. With the use of SAPs, you may only need to water your lawn once a week costing approximately  $1.34 or $5.39 a month. This means that per month homeowners could save $5.37 a month or about $26.85 a year if they water between May and September.

• I accidentally knocked over the Miracle-Gro sample 1 
• The scale 
• The amount of sunlight each sample got 
• I accidentally used the same spoon for 2 different polymer samples while doing my procedure 

 

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I would like to thank Mrs.Brukell for guiding me with my project. I would also like to thank my godmother and mom for supporting me and providing supplies and help.