The hypothesis is that polymer amendment of soils can reduce the transport of bacteria and viruses.

You will conduct an initial screening of several polymers for their capacity to reduce erosion and enhance infiltration in several Hawaii soils. You will then conduct breakthrough experiments for bromide in packed sand columns under various degrees of water saturation. Finally, you will add a laboratory strain of Escherichia coli, sewage effluent, bacteriophage, and enterococcus bacteria to the leaching solution and monitor the transport of these organisms in polymer-amended agricultural soils.

You will need soils obtained from agricultural land on Oahu, a laboratory strain of Escherichia coli, sewage effluent, bacteriophage, and enterococcus bacteria, a leaching solution, and a high-molecular-weight polyacrylamide (PAM).

The results of the experiments showed that the polymer worked well in preventing soil loss and enhancing infiltration. The bacteria and phage were significantly retained in the soil, with no breakthrough of either organism in the leachate.

This science project is interesting and unique because it explores the effects of polymer soil treatment on subsurface virus and bacteria transport, which has not been investigated before.

Experiment variations to consider include testing different polymers and different soils, and testing the transport of other organisms such as fungi.