High school students from Palmyra-Macedon’s Applied Living Environment class partnered with the University at Buffalo for a significant water study project on the Erie Canal. Using advanced technology provided by Sandra Small, Senior Manager of Science Education and Workforce Development, the students sequenced the DNA of bacteria found in the water.
The data revealed potential human pathogens and the presence of Serratia marcescens, a bacteria linked to hospital infections. This information will be combined with findings from other schools to help assess the health of Western New York waterways.