Engineering and Resource Science Education on the Investigation of the Activation Method of Formation Water

Abstract

A purpose of the engineering and resource science education is to bring up human resources of effective utilizing natural resources, considering environmental conservation for making sustainable society. As seen in the description of the course of study, the promotion of ESD is regarded as important in elementary and secondary education. Japan ranks second, after Chile, in the production of iodine in the world, and formation water in Minami-Kanto gas fields is the biggest supply source in Japan. The formation water can be substantially used for science education. However, the activation method of the formation water has not been well investigated. In this study, we developed the following teaching materials using the formation water in Minami-Kanto gas fields:1) extraction of iodine from the formation water and 2) making polarizing plates using the extracted iodine. We found that 18 L of the formation water was required to perform two experiments for one class: preliminary experiments and educational practice for university students. The teaching material developed has the potential to create interest in students not only in science experiments but also in engineering and resource science.