That morning cup of joe goes a long way – sometimes a little too long. Vero Beach High School student, Web Webster was recently awarded the 2025 Florida Sea Grant Skoch Scholarship for his research quantifying caffeine as an anthropogenic marker for septic tank contamination in the waterfront community of Queens Cove.
Funding for the Chuck Skoch Scholarship is provided by the Skoch family of Boynton Beach, in memory of Charles “Chuck” Skoch, an avid fisherman, boat captain, and Florida resident. Each year, Florida Sea Grant selects an outstanding high school senior competing in the State Science and Engineering Fair of Florida to receive the scholarship, which recognizes promising young researchers like Webster, in coastal or marine science-related fields.
“The student’s science fair project really caught my attention because it connects to issues we’re actively dealing with right now. Septic and sewer systems—whether it’s converting them, dealing with failures, or the flooding of drain fields during recent hurricanes like Helene and Milton, are big topics of concern,” says Brittany Scharf, Florida Sea Grant Hernando County Extension Agent and Skoch Scholar Judge.
Web Webster spent his childhood fishing, swimming, and visiting his grandparents’ house along Florida’s Treasure Coast. But red tide events in 2016 and 2018 revealed the vulnerability of the state’s waters. Aware of the harmful contaminants and pollutants that fuel such blooms, Webster dedicated his early scientific education to protecting his coastal backyard.
“The Indian River Lagoon is my hometown, and it is currently under rapid degradation based on demand for coastal property. It is the most biologically diverse estuary in the US with 4,300 species, so it is important to preserve these habits and species because if we don’t, they will all go away,” says Webster.
In partnership with Ocean Research and Conservation Association (ORCA), Webster implemented a novel tracing method for septic leachate in the Queens Cove, located in St. Lucie County. Webster selected a range of sapling sites with septic and sewer infrastructure, and a controlled area. He utilized high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to identify and isolate caffeine compounds in samples and quantified the concentrations of ultraviolet (UV) and visible light that is absorbed by a sample using UV-VIS. Besides Web’s recent research on traces of caffeine to detect septic leachate in the IRL, there is only one other existing study done two years ago.
So how can caffeine be a source-specific indicator for wastewater?
“Caffeine is a unique and reliable tracer since it is consumed regularly and only passes through humans,” says Webster. “It has the longest half-life in aquatic environments, meaning decomposition of the substance takes longer. Other tracers such as sucrose or acetaminophen degrade fast, and may occur naturally in the environment and are not consumed everyday.”
Webster synthesized his data into a GIS map to show caffeine concentrations across Queens Cove. He found the highest levels near enclosed, older subdivisions with limited hydrodynamic flushing—a process that uses water movement to clear contaminants. Newer subdivisions with better water circulation showed lower concentrations.
One unexpected result was a caffeine “hotspot” in a seemingly open area, suggesting that human waste might be entering the water via other pathways—possibly from boat sewage.
The Indian River Lagoon is my hometown, and it is currently under rapid degradation based on demand for coastal property. It is the most biologically diverse estuary in the US with 4,300 species, so it is important to preserve these habits and species because if we don’t, they will all go away.
Currently, Webster is working on a cost-effective app to bring real-time wastewater monitoring to the community. Using handheld spectrometers that detect wavelengths of light, he hopes to make septic tracing portable and affordable, and finding ways to inspire change through data and outreach.
“Most coastal communities rely on septic systems – even my grandparents live right on the water. I am dedicated to pushing the boundary of sustainability by using GIS mapping to show septic hotspots and help governments prioritize areas that are at-risk,” says Web. “I will continue to share my research, as well as information on septic legislation, because there are grants in surrounding countries like Brevard that initiate septic-to-sewer conversion for at-risk homes.”
Webster is interested in furthering his current research to determine the levels of other tracers – such as sucrose and acetaminophen – to determine where they are coming from and its impact. And after unexpected findings that may point to possible sewage dumping wastewater remediation, he would love to look more into how to reprocess and optimize wastewater.
An AP and Dual Enrollment student at Indian River State College and the University of Florida, Webster also participated in the FAU Harbor Branch Junior Scientists Program, where he studied seagrass and sediment interactions in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL). Recently, he was accepted to the University of Florida’s Honors Program as a Lombardi Scholar, with plans to major in marine science, pursue a PhD, and take his research to the next level.
About Chuck Skoch Scholarship
The Chuck Skoch Florida Sea Grant Scholarship provides financial assistance to high school seniors in Florida who participate in the State Science and Engineering Fair. Students entering the fair with a project in aquaculture, environmental engineering, ocean engineering, wildlife, and fisheries management, food science (seafood), marine science, oceanography, or related to marine resource management are welcome to apply.
In 1997, the Charles Skoch family of Boynton Beach, Florida, created an endowment within the University of Florida Foundation, which funds a $1,000 per year Chuck Skoch Florida Sea Grant Scholarship. The first scholarship was awarded in 1998. In this program, a high school senior student is selected through competition in the Florida Annual State Science and Engineering Fair as conducted statewide by the Florida Foundation for Future Scientists.
