Presenter: Esha Saxena, Neuroscience, Global Public Health Scholars
For my Practicum project, I worked in the WOW (Water Quality, Outreach, and Wellness) Lab under the Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health. At the worksite, I provided free harvested rainwater quality testing for community gardeners and urban farms in Baltimore city and offered training on how to collect water samples and interpret the results of the testing. Water samples were processed using a three-step process: vacuum filtration, sample plating, and Escherichia coli (E. coli) counting. The factsheets contained information on whether E. coli levels found in a certain sample exceeded standards set by the Food Safety Modernization Act under the Food and Drug Administration. With the world turning towards using recycled water sources, harvested rainwater has the potential to be a useful water source for gardening and farming. Testing for E.coli and heavy metal presence can give the public a clearer picture of what is being used to grow consumed produce that is later consumed. Completing this practicum has provided me with a strong foundational basis for microbiology lab techniques, which is extremely relevant to my career path. I have also gained valuable knowledge on how it is important to stay vigilant and learn about possible contaminants in water sources.