Bottled Water

This brand of bottled water is advertised as water from public water sources that has been purified through a proprietary seven-step purification process." The bottler attempts to remove all salts, chlorides, and other taste-altering substances in order to bottle completely pure water. The "Water Quality and Information" tab of their homepage provides a sample water quality analysis from 2010.

Figure 1: SE2 image of grains found in the bottled water sample along with X-ray spectrometry analysis indicating a composition of iron, chromium, and nickel. These are most likely contaminants from sample preparation.

Figure 2: SE2 close-up of another grain found in the bottled watersample. X-ray analysis suggests it is a NaCl dirt and salt compound with some potassium, carbon, oxygen, and silica. Once again, it is likely a contaminant from sample preparation.

Melted Ice Cubes

As the weather turns warmer, more and more Rochester students can be found purchasing iced drinks from the on campus vendors. A sample of the ice they use in these drinks was taken and allowed to partially melt. This melt water was used for this sample.

Figure 3: SE2 image of a grain found in the melted ice cube water sample. The x-ray analysis suggests this grain is a composition of organic material (there is carbon and oxygen present) and salt compounds (sodium, chlorine, potassium, and calcium). There is also a small amount of sulfur present. This is likely some sort of piece of dirt that came in contact with salt compounds either in the ice or while drying.

Figure 4: SE2 image of a dendritic salt formation overlaying cracks in the silica substrate. X-ray analysis suggests that the formation is a sodium chloride drying pattern.

Toilet Bowl Water

This sample was taken from one of the toilet bowls in the women's bathroom outside of the IT Center. The sample showed three recurring specimens. Radial salt drying patterns, silica shards, and grains of dirt and salt compounds.

Figure 5: SE2 image of dried salt. X-ray analysis indicates it is a sodium chloride formation.

Figure 6: X-ray analysis of a dried salt formation. The top is an image of the formation, the bottom left is a map of x-rays emitted from sodium atoms, the bottom middle indicates the location of chlorine atoms, and the bottom right indicates the location of silica atoms.

Bathroom Tap Water

This tap water was collected from the second floor women's bathroom in Hutchinson Hall.

Figure 7: BSD and Photoshop colorization of salt dried on a thread found in the Bathroom Tap Water sample. The thread is most likely a contaminant from the sample preparation, and the salts either precipitated out from the water or were detergents from the thread.

Figure 8: X-ray analysis of the thread and salt. Top left: carbon; top middle: oxygen; top right: chlorine; middle left: sodium; middle middle: potassium; middle right: magnesium; bottom middle: silica.

Soda Fountain Water

Soda fountains often have a small tab over one of the beverage options labeled 'water.' This sample came from The Commons' soda fountain water tab.

Figure 9: This is an SE2 image of crystalline grains found in the water taken from the soda fountain.

Figure 10: These are X-ray spectrometry analyses of other amorphous grains found in the sample. The analyses indicate that the grains are mostly dirt with salts incorpated. The grains are mostly composed of carbon and oxygen, but also have fluorine, sodium, and magnesium within them.

Water Bottle Refill Station

Genesee River Water

The Genesee River winds around the University of Rochester's campus and makes up approximately half of the campus' perimeter. The crew team practices in the river and countless people run, bike, and walk along side it throughout the seasons. While the sludge and silt at the bottom prevent the Genesee from being the deepest of rivers once it has approached campus, the Genesee runs deep within Rochester's popular culture. The focus of our most popular school song, and mentioned often in our Alma Mater, the Genesee is a defining characteristic of our campus. With the weather warming and with Dandelion Day behind them, many students are beginning to contemplate the safety of the swim from the River Campus to the 19th Ward and back, wondering the age old question of "what, exactly, is in the Genesee?"

Figure 14: SE2 image of a broken diatom found in the Genesee River water sample. The middle image is a close-up of the left section of the diatom and the right image is a colorized version.

Figure 15: In-Lens image of a salt found in the Genesee River water sample. X-ray analysis indicates it is comprised of carbon, a relatively large amount of oxygen, some sulfur, and calcium.

Figure 16: The left and middle images are SE2 images of diatoms found in the sample, and the right is an In-Lens image of a section of a diatom with some salt or dirt attached to its end.

Figure 17: The image on the left is an In-Lens image of what appears to be a spherical diatom. The image on the right is an SE2 image of an unknown spherical formation.

Figure 18: The image on the left is an In-Lens image of what appears to be calcium grains imaged at 10.00 keV. The center image is the X-ray spectra indicating that the features contain calcium. The image on the right was imaged at 20 keV. An unknown substance has formed splotch-like patterns visible only at higher accelerating voltages.

Figure 19: SE2 image of an unknown found within the Genesee River sample. X-ray analysis indicates that the unknown contains carbon and oxygen, potentially indicating that the object is organic. Also present is sulfur and calcium.