University of Thessaly

Group: 17 (Bobotis & Boziki)

Days: 1 - 72

Incubation: Light

Our experiment was to observe the possible alterations in the Winogradsky column, which occure due to the different types of microorganismic activity. The experiment began in Volos, Anavros. We used a plastic bottle (1,5L), seawater, pieces of paper, some sediment taken from the beach and an egg. After mixing the sediment with the paper and the egg, we filled the rest of the bottle with seawater and placed it in a spot that provided it with light during the entire day and stable temperature.

On the 1st day it looked like this:

 


After a week it started getting blurry:

 


After only two weeks the sediment was already very dark coloured:








 

 One month since the start of the experiment, it smelled badly and developted some kind of mold:




Then after only a few days it got a lot darker and very fast:




And it continued deteriorating since:




Until the end of the experiment that it did not smell at all and looked like this:

University of Thessaly, Group number:8 , Day number:9-72, Incubation: Dark

University of Thessaly,

Group number: 8,

Day number: 9 - 72,

Incubation: Dark

Greetings Winobloggers,

Our experiment was to observe the possible alterations in the Winogradsky column. The experiment began in Volos in the region of Anavros. There, in order to construct it  we used a plastic bottle (1,5L), seawater (500 ml), pieces of paper, some sediment taken from the beach and an egg.Then we placed it in absolute dark.

After 9 days

We notice a foam-bubble crust on the surface is formed.

note: low camera quality

After 11 days

We observe that the foam-bubble crust on the surface has grown a little bigger.

After 15 days

 

After 22 days

 

Now we see a change of colour of our mixture ,that is cased from the release of FeS from the anaerobic processes which are taking place inside the column.

After 29 days

After 58 days

 

                                                      

After 66 days

After 72 days

                         

                               The water is a darker brown colour because it is full of FeS.

UCA_5A_: Day 16/6/2016

Winogradsky’s column

Rio San Pedro Sand+ Napkins+ Ca2SO4

After weeks of preparation Winogradsky’s column we observed significant changes in the appearance of the column, as we can see in the pictures. These changes are different from the column was exposed to sunlight respect to which was in almost total darkness.

- Column exposed to the sun: In the face of the column that is exposed to direct sunlight we see very little change . The few changes that are occurring at the bottom of the column, where we see an intense black color. This black color is given by the production of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) bacteria that use sulfur as an energy source.

In the face that is not directly exposed to sunlight we appreciate more changes : The zone is much rich black color ; It can be seen pink small areas , due to some purple sulfur bacteria .

 In the edge of both faces and between the black zones with the Brown zones (earth)
orange stripes are appreciated caused by iron oxide

- Column in the darkness: In this column we see that the black color is much more
spread throughout the column the column , and there aren’t any differentiations between two sides , since none has been exposed to the sun.

The orange coloration only appears, in this case in the surface of the column.

The black color is produced, as mentioned before, for the production of hydrogen sulfide , predominating in the base of the column , but extends along the rest due to the movement of substrate , water or the cells themselves

- Given these observations we can deduce that the action of light affects the development of microorganisms , favoring those who are photosynthetic , and disadvantaging Sulfur bacteria and other organisms that develop in the bottom of the column.

University of Thessaly
Group number: 20 (Papadopoulou Aikaterini-Papaioannou Evangelia-Anna)
Day number: 87
Incubation: Dark

Winogradsky’s Column

Hello to everyone,

              Bellow we are presenting you the development of our experinment.

·                     87^th day (16-6-16):

                                                                                                          Figure 1

                                                                                                                   Figure 2

                                                                                             

                       On the last day of the experiment (Fig.1, Fig.2) no significant changes were observed in relation to the latest measurement.

Notably the odor was relatively low in comparison to the first day.

University of Thessaly
Group number: 20 (Papadopoulou Aikaterini-Papaioannou Evangelia-Anna)
Day number: 87
Incubation: Dark

Winogradsky’s Column

Hello to everyone,

              Bellow we are presenting you the development of our experinment.

·                     73^th day (2-6-16):

                                                                                    Figure 1        

                                                     

                                                                            Figure 2

·                     77^th day (6-6-16):

                                                                                   Figure 3 

                                                                       

                                                                                                              Figure 4

                                                                                                       

·                     80^th day (9-6-16):

                                 

                                                                                                                Figure 5

                                                                                                     Figure 6

                                                                             

·                     85^th day (14-6-16):

                                                                                    Figure 7                                                                     

          Figure 8

On the 73^th, the 77^th and 80^th day of the experiment small changes observed in the lower part of the water column which acquired a darker color (Fig.1, Fig.3 and Fig.5).

Finally, the 85^th day of the experiment it appears that the color of the lower part of the water column got even darker coloration (Fig.7). This coloring occured probably due to strong H₂S production, decaying organic matter and oxides of manganese or iron or even communities generated by anaerobic bacteria. Regarding the surface (Fig.8) no changes were observed in relation to previous measurements, and the precipitate was observed to have almost completely darkened.

Notably odor were relatively low in all the above measurements.

We will make a new announcement when something has changed.

Univ. of Thessaly,Group number: 21 (Papakonstantinou Angeliki & Paschou Maria), Day number: 88, Incubation: Light

Today we are providing our latest changes regarding our Winogradsky column. On day 62 (21/5/16), we don’t see any changes in the column (Pic.1). After a week (Day 69-28/5/16), however close to the bottom of the column, in the solid phase, we see a red-orange-coloration which probably indicates the appearance of the purple non-sulfur bacteria (Pic.2).

                    Pic.1                                               Pic.2

At Days 76 (4/6/16) and 84 (12/6/16) there isn’t any noticeable change in the column (Pic.3 and 4).

 

                        Pic.3                                               Pic.4

After 2 days (Day 86-14/4/16) an orange crust appeared at the top layer of the liquid phase (maybe this could mean the appearance of the iron oxidizing bacteria-pic.5). At the final day of the experiment (Day 88-16/6/16, pic.6) the amount of these microorganisms increased a little. 

 

                Pic.5                                               Pic.6