Samantha Wolf, Mark Emerson, Derek Laskowsky Will soil previously contaminated with CCA contain microbes that show more resilience to prolonged exposure to CCA wood than microbes in an uncontaminated soil? The purpose of CCA is to prevent rot and damage to lumber from termites, effectively acting as a pesticide, in addition to strengthening the lumber. During the 1940s the lumber industry began its large-scale treatment of lumber with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) for preservation. The complications brought on by the CCA treated lumber is the leaching of chromated copper arsenate into the surrounding soil. The focus of this study is to determine if CCA exposed microbes are resilient to the CCA, compared to non-CCA exposed microbes. Soil samples from 3, 6, and 9 from CCA contaminated site. Sample at 3: Arsenic at 63.5 ppm cadmium at 2.2 ppm chromium at 31 ppm copper at 44 ppm Average concentrations: Arsenic 6.5 ppm cadmium at ppm chromium at 70 ppm copper at 20 ppm Brain-heart nutrient broth in shaker incubator for 1 week. Control, CCA Soil, Control soil with 2.2g CCA wood, CCA Soil with 2.2g CCA wood. Plated on agar, incubated for 24 hrs. Counted and extrapolated to 10^4 The CFU count was highest in the CCA soil sample inoculated with the CCA wood chip. The microbes in the soil must be conditioned to presence of arsenic. Arsenic loving microbes.