Question – What do you want to find out?

Do dyes in compostable items affect

the rate of decomposition? If yes, does the rate of decomposition vary between
different dye colors? Then, what implications does it have on the environment
(What dyes used in foods are most sustainable for the environment?) Which dyes
are compostable to prevent people from having to throw them out and add more
waste to landfills?

Hypothesis- Yes, I think dyes used in foods do have an impact on the

decomposition rate and I believe certain dyes are more biodegradable due to their
chemical composition.

 
Student name(s):Tori Schmidt-Silva
Research Plan (to Accompany Form 1A)
A) Rationale
Include a brief synopsis of the background that supports your research problem and explain why this
research is important and if applicable, explain any societal impact of your research.
Many people make composte bins with food that has gone bad or is unusable. This lead me too
wonder if the dyes used in foods have any impact on the decomposition rate.

B) Research Question(s), Hypothesis(es), Engineering Goal(s),

Expected Outcomes.
How is this based on the rationale described above?
Research Question(s): ? Do dyes in compostable items affect the rate of decomposition?
Hypothesis(es): Yes, I think dyes used in foods do have an impact on the decomposition rate and I
believe certain dyes are more biodegradable due to their chemical composition.
Engineering Goal(s):
Expected Outcomes: I believe that dyes that are less natural/ more vibrant like blue will most likely
have a slower decomposition rate than colors like red, yellow, and orange.
Procedure(s)
Detail all procedures and experimental design including methods for data collection. Describe only
your project. Do not include work done by mentor or others.
1. Purchase supplies
-Syringe(s) - $0.75
-Scale - $13.00
-Plastic Bin- $0.99 (per bin)
-Food Dye- $2.98
-Celery- $2.19
-Orange- $3.00
-Bananas- $1.92 (per banana)
2. Weigh each piece of celery, orange, and the bananas before starting the experiment. Next, I will
weigh the bin with the soil included to determine the weight before I start the experiment so I can
subtract the weight of the bin and soil when I weigh the bins during the experiment.
3. I will begin by injecting 4 bananas, 4 pieces of celery, and 4 oranges with red, orange, yellow, and
green food dye’s.
4. Next, I will put each piece of food into a plastic bin (which will be outdoors) with moist soil based
on their colors.
5. Over a span of 1-2 months I will measure and document the rate of decomposition of the foods by
weighing the bins every other day but by taking pictures of them every day during the experiment
to document all changes that happen.
6. I will then take the data and see which item had the slowest decomposition rate in total (if it is any
different) to determine if the rate of decomposition was affected or not

Risk and Safety

Identify any potential risks and safety precautions needed.
There are no potential risks and safety precautions needed.
Data Analysis
Describe the procedures you will use to analyze the data/results.
I will take both the weight of each item and compare them as well as looking at the pictures from
each day. Then, I will use the weight and appearance to determine:
1. If a specific dye had an abnormally slow decomposition rates in comparison to the other items used
in the experiment
2. If there even were any abnormalities in the decompositions rates in the items used (which means
they all shared a similar decomposition rate)
After analyzing the data, I will be able to conclude if dyes affect the decomposition rate of a item or
not.
IF Applicable
Below are subject-specific guidelines for additional items to be included in your
research plan/project summary as applicable.
Human participants research:
a. Participants: Describe age range, gender, racial/ethnic composition of participants. Identify
vulnerable populations (minors, pregnant women, prisoners, mentally disabled or economically
disadvantaged).
b. Recruitment: Where will you find your participants? How will they be invited to participate?
c. Methods: What will participants be asked to do? Will you use any surveys, questionnaires or tests?
What is the frequency and length of time involved for each subject?
d. Risk Assessment: What are the risks or potential discomforts (physical, psychological, time
involved, social, legal, etc.) to participants? How will you minimize risks? List any benefits to society or
participants.
e. Protection of Privacy: Will identifiable information (e.g., names, telephone numbers, birth dates,
email addresses) be collected? Will data be confidential/anonymous? If anonymous, describe how the
data will be collected. If not anonymous, what procedures are in place for safeguarding
confidentiality? Where will data be stored? Who will have access to the data? What will you do with
the data after the study?
f. Informed Consent Process: Describe how you will inform participants about the purpose of the
study, what they will be asked to do, that their participation is voluntary and they have the right to
stop at any time.

Vertebrate animal research:

a. Discuss potential ALTERNATIVES to vertebrate animal use and present justification for use of
vertebrates.
b. Explain potential impact or contribution of this research.
c. Detail all procedures to be used, including methods used to minimize potential discomfort, distress,
pain and injury to the animals and detailed chemical concentrations and drug dosages.
d. Detail animal numbers, species, strain, sex, age, source, etc., include justification of the numbers
planned.
e. Describe housing and oversight of daily care
f. Discuss disposition of the animals at the termination of the study.
Potentially hazardous biological agents research:
a. Give source of the organism and describe BSL assessment process and BSL determination.
b. Detail safety precautions and discuss methods of disposal.

Hazardous chemicals, activities & devices:

• Describe Risk Assessment process, supervision, safety precautions and methods of disposal.