Paige plays the flute and dances in a local dance company. She also enjoys horseback riding. She'd like to pursue a career as a veterinarian, to "combine my love of science and animals."
Pressure-treated wood contains the compound arsenic, which causes cancer and other health problems. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recommended that pressure-treated wood be coated with a finish to decrease the amount of arsenic that leaches into the environment. Paige wondered whether any particular finish controls arsenic leaching better than others.
Paige divided a pressure-treated pine post into four groups of blocks. She coated one group with latex outdoor paint. Another group was coated with asphalt fence paint. A third group was coated with clear sealant, and a fourth group received no coating. After submerging the blocks in water, Paige analyzed how much arsenic leached into the water. She found that asphalt fence paint limited arsenic leaching the best.
