Dissolved Oxygen

 Chemistry for Env.Eng. & Science, Sawyer

 Water Quality Parameters Fondriest environmental
Dissolved oxygen (DO) refer to the amount of oxygen contained in
water, and define the living conditions for oxygen-requiring (aerobic)
aquatic organisms.

Dissolved oxygen refers to the level of free, non-compound

oxygen present in water or other liquids

Non-compound oxygen, or free oxygen (O2), is oxygen that is not

bonded to any other element.

Dissolved oxygen is the presence of these free O2 molecules

within water
Non-bonded oxygen molecules in water
Chris Wilson,univ florida
Dissolved oxygen (DO) refer to the amount of oxygen contained in
water, and define the living conditions for oxygen-requiring (aerobic)
aquatic organisms.

Oxygen has limited solubiliatmosty in water, usually ranging

from 6 to 14 mg /L
The solubility of atmospheric oxygen in fresh water ranges from
14.6 mh/l at 00C to about 7 mg/l at 350C under 1 atm pressure

DO concentrations reflect an equilibrium between oxygen-

producing processes (e.g. photosynthesis) and oxygen-consuming
processes (e.g. aerobic respiration, nitrification, chemical
oxidation),

the rates at which DO is added to and removed from the system

by atmospheric exchange (aeration and degassing) and
hydrodynamic processes (e.g. accrual/addition from rivers and
tides vs. export to ocean)
Dissolved oxygen is important to many
forms of aquatic life.
Where Does DO Come From?
Dissolved Oxygen from Photosynthesis

Dissolved oxygen can enter the water as a byproduct of

photosynthesis.

CO2 + H2O → (CH2O) + O2

 Accrual

Oxygen gets into water by diffusion from the surrounding air, by aeration (rapid
movement), and as a waste product of photosynthesis.

Figure 1. Oxygen dynamics in coastal waters. Processes that increase dissolved

oxygen concentrations are shown with green boxes. Processes that decrease
dissolved oxygen concentrations are shown with orange boxes. (modified after
Connell and Miller, 1984 )
Henry's law, which states that “the concentration of
saturated solution of a gas is proportional to the
pressure at which the gas is supplied”

Dalton's law of partial pressure, which states that, “the

pressure exercised by a gas is proportional to the
component of its concentration in the mixture, and the
total pressure of the gas is equal to sum of its
components”.
Oxygen Can Diffuse Out of or Into
the Water Column
Atmosphere

Oxygen diffuses out Oxygen diffuses into

of water column water column

Oxygen > 100% Oxygen < 100%

Saturation Saturation

Water Column
Dissolved Oxygen Saturation

Not all water depths reach 100% air saturation

Factors Affecting Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations in
Water

Abiotic Factors
 water temperature,
 The amount of dissolved salt present in the water (salinity),
 atmospheric pressure,altitude
What Affects Oxygen Solubility?

Dissolved oxygen concentrations decrease as temperature

increases
 The warmer water is, the less DO it can hold

20 100% DO Saturation
18
100% Saturation Lavel

16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Temperature (C)

•Excess DO evaporates into the atmosphere!

Dissolved oxygen concentrations decrease as altitude increases
(pressure decreases)
 TABLE I

Solubility of oxygen in mg/L as a function of temperature (mount air barometric pressure

= 760 mm Hg, salinity = 0.0 ppt) (Source: EIFAC, 1986)

Temp
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
(°C)
0 14.602 14.561 14.520 14.479 14.438 14.398 14.358 14.318 14.278 14.238
1. 14.198 14.159 14.120 14.081 14.042 14.004 13.969 13.927 13.889 13.851
2 13.813 13.776 13.738 13.701 13.664 13.627 13.591 13.554 13.518 13.482
3 13.445 13.410 13.374 13.338 13.303 13.268 13.233 13.198 13.163 13.128
4 13.094 13.060 13.025 12.991 12.957 12.924 12.890 12.857 12.823 12.790
5 12.757 12.725 12.692 12.659 12.627 12.595 12.563 12.531 12.499 12.467
6 12.436 12.404 12.373 12.342 12.311 12.280 12.249 12.218 12.188 12.158
7 12.127 12.097 12.067 12.037 12.008 11.978 11.949 11.919 11.980 11.861
8 11.832 11.803 11.774 11.746 11.717 11.689 11.661 11.632 11.604 11.577
9 11.549 11.521 11.493 11.466 11.439 11.412 11.384 11.357 11.331 11.304
10 11.277 11.251 11.224 11.198 11.172 11.145 11.119 11.093 11.068 11.042
11 11.016 10.991 10.995 10.940 10.915 10.890 10.865 10.864 10.815 10.791
12 10 766 10.741 10.717 10.693 10.669 10.645 10.620 10.597 10.573 10.549
13 10.525 10.502 10.478 10.455 10.432 10.409 10.386 10.363 10.340 10.317
14 10.294 10.271 10.249 10.226 10.204 10.182 10.160 10.137 10.115 10.094
15 10.072 10.050 10.028 10.007 9.985 9.964 9.942 9.921 9.900 9.879
16 9.858 9.837 9.816 9.795 9.774 9.753 9.733 9.712 9.692 9.672
17 9.651 9.631 9.611 9.591 9.571 9.551 9.531 9.512 9.492 9.472
18 9.453 9.433 9.414 9.395 9.375 9.356 9.337 9.318 9.299 9.280
19 9.261 9.242 9.224 9.205 9.187 9.168 9.150 9.131 9.113 9.095
20 9.077 9.058 9.040 9.022 9.004 8.987 8.969 8.951 8.933 8.916
What causes dissolved oxygen concentrations to change?

•Oxygen solubility varies inversely with salinity, water temperature and

atmospheric and hydrostatic pressure.

•Dissolved oxygen consumption and production are influenced by plant and

alga biomass, light intensity and water temperature(because they influence
photosynthesis), and are subject to diurnal and seasonal variation

•DO concentrations naturally vary over a twenty-four hour period due to tidal
exchange, and because there is net production of oxygen by plants & algae
during the daytime when photosynthesis occurs. By comparison, plants and
algae only respire at night time, and this process consumes oxygen. Highly
productive systems are expected to have large diurnal DO ranges

•Nutrient enrichment stimulates plant and algal growth (and alga blooms) and
often results in a mass influx of particulate organic matter to the sediments
(eutrofication). The decomposition of this labile organic matter by aerobic
microorganisms leads to a rapid acceleration of oxygen consumption, and
potential depletion of oxygen in bottom waters.
What causes dissolved oxygen concentrations to change?

•Stratification can isolate bottom waters from oxygen enriching processes

and can give rise to anoxic & hypoxic events. This problem is most acute in
wave-dominated coastal systems (e.g. delta,estuarias and lagoons) because
these systems typically have low internal tide penetration.
Tides mix the water column and can replenish coastal waterways with
oxygen. The baffling effect of seagrass meadow can also impede the mixing
process, and maintain bottom water anoxia

•Coastal discharges wastes rich in organic carbon (e.g. from sewage treatment
plants, paper manufacturing, food processing and other industries) are
produced in large quantities in urban population centres, and can
substantially reduce dissolved oxygen concentrations

•The oxidation of pyrite found in acid sulfate soil can rapidly strip oxygen
from the water, and gives rise to acid drainage. Acid drainage may result from
natural processes but in many cases the draining of coastal wetlands (e.g.
mangrove and salt marshes) is the cause.
Credits: Chris Wilson
Dissolved oxygen often reaches over 100% air saturation due to
photosynthesis activity during the day
Supersaturation of water can be caused by
rapid aeration from a dam.
 Typical Dissolved Oxygen Levels

Dissolved oxygen concentrations can

fluctuate daily and seasonally
Dissolved oxygen levels often stratify in the
winter and summer, turning over in the
spring and fall as lake temperatures align.
Stirs in atmospheric oxygen
 The faster water flows, the more atmospheric oxygen is
mixed into the water.
 Amount of Sunlight Reaching Plants

The muddier the water is, the less light reaches the plants!
• Clouds decrease the amount of sunlight reaching
aquatic plants, thus oxygen production is reduced.
Examples of Freshwater Organisms and
Dissolved Oxygen Requirements

Minimum dissolved oxygen requirements

of freshwater fish
Examples of Saltwater Organisms and
Dissolved Oxygen Requirements

Minimum dissolved oxygen requirements

of saltwater fish
Factors Affecting Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations in
Water

Biotic Factors
 Aquatic plants and algae (photosynthesis)

 aerobic respiration by other organisms

 including: aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates,

 bacterial fungal communities involved in degrading dead

plants and animals.
Significance of dissolved oxygen

Most aquatic organisms require oxygen in specified concentration ranges for

respiration and efficient metabolism, and DO concentration changes above or
below this range can have adverse physiological effects .Even short-lived anoxic &
hypoxic events can cause major kills of aquatic organisms.

Moreover, the toxicity of many toxicants (lead, zinc, copper, cyanide, ammonia,
hydrogen sulfide and pentachlorophenol ) can double when DO is reduced from
10 to 5 mg L-1

The death of immobile organisms and avoidance of low-oxygen conditions by

mobile organisms can also cause changes in the structure and diversity of aquatic
communities. In addition, if dissolved oxygen becomes depleted in bottom waters
(or sediment), nitrification and therefore denitrification may be terminated, and
bioavailable orthophosphate and ammonium may be released from the sediment
to the water column. These recycled nutrients can give rise to or reinforce algal
blooms. Ammonia and hidrogen sulfide gas, also the result of anaerobic
respiration, can be toxic to benthic organisms and fish assemblages in high
concentrations
 Oksigen Terlarut dalam Lingkungan

•DO dalam limbah cair merupakan faktor yang menentukan

apakah perubahan biologis berjalan oleh bakteri aerobik atau
anerobik.

•Untuk menjaga kondisi yang nyaman untuk tumbuh dan

berkembang kehidupan aquatik

•Merupakan dasar pengukuran BOD

•Semua pengolahan secara aerobic sangat tergantung atas

kehadiran Oksigen

•Faktor penting dalam proses korosi besi dan baja terutama dalam
distribusi air bersih.
Environmental Impact:

Adequate dissolved oxygen is necessary for good water quality.

Oxygen is a necessary element to all forms of life.

Natural stream purification processes require adequate oxygen

levels in order to provide for aerobic life forms.

As dissolved oxygen levels in water drop below 5.0 mg/l,

aquatic life is put under stress. The lower the concentration,
the greater the stress.

Oxygen levels that remain below 1-2 mg/l for a few hours can
result in large fish kills.
Principles of Surface Water Quality Modeling and Control, Robert V. Thomann
Pengambilan sampel

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Disimpan dalam botol yang gelap dan didinginkan

Langsung diperiksa maksimum setelah 6 jam

Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
Typically Measured by DO probe and Meter
Electrochemical Half Cell Reaction
In situ

Pengukuran : volumetric _Iodometri

the Winkler (iodometric) method
PR

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