Week 2: Scouting

This week marked the transition from planning to actually preparing the field site for sampling. After spending last week reviewing literature and organizing my testing schedule, my main goal was to find a practical location where I could consistently collect water samples from the Occoquan Reservoir.

I visited several areas around the reservoir to evaluate possible sampling sites, looking for a location that would allow me to reach water that is less influenced by shoreline sediment and runoff. Eventually, I selected a bridge that extends over the reservoir. Sampling from the bridge allows me to collect water farther from the shore, which should provide more representative measurements of the reservoir itself. The bridge also offers a stable and accessible location that I can return to repeatedly throughout the project, ensuring consistency across sampling dates.

In addition to scouting the location, I gathered most of the materials I will need for testing. The PFAS sampling kits and collection supplies have arrived, which means I now have the necessary containers and equipment to begin collecting samples while minimizing contamination. At the moment, I am still waiting for the Van Dorn water sampler to arrive. Once it does, it will allow me to collect water at specific depths rather than only at the surface, which is essential for studying how PFAS concentrations vary throughout the water column. Here is a picture of the Van Dorn bottle:

(Image from Novatech International, https://www.novatech-usa.com/USS-UNWTRSMPL01)

For now, the project is still in preparation mode, but with the site selected and materials nearly complete, I am getting very close to beginning the first round of sampling.