Jennifer likes being outside and enjoys horseback riding. She also plays basketball and tennis. Jennifer says she "likes animals, especially horses," and hopes to become a horse veterinarian someday.
Jennifer's mentor is her sister, who has won lots of science awards.
Last year, Jennifer became aware of reports indicating that lumber treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA), which is often used in playgrounds, leaches arsenic into the surrounding soil. She tested the soil around CCA-treated wood and found arsenic. Her findings suggest that ingestion of this soil could be dangerous for small children. This year, Jennifer wanted to test the level of arsenic absorbed by the grass near the treated wood.
Jennifer took grass and soil specimens of varying ages and distances from the treated posts. One set of samples was sent away to a lab, and Jennifer analyzed the other set on her own. She found that the arsenic levels in the soil had increased by as much at 81 percent in the last year. This occurred even in the oldest samples, indicating that arsenic continues to leach into the soil for up to 21 years, which is about 18 years longer than the manufacturer says it will. The levels of arsenic found in the grass correlated with what was found in the soil. This could be a concern for farm animals grazing near treated posts, for those who garden in raised beds made of treated wood, and for children who eat grass and dirt in playgrounds and sandboxes that were constructed with treated wood.
