DISSOLVED OXYGEN
AIM:
To measure the dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in a water sample and assess its impact on
water quality.
APPARATUS AND MATERIALS:
Water sample
Thermometer
Dissolved Oxygen TesTabs [3976A]
Small tube [0125{
Test tube cap
Dissolved Oxygen color chart
Timer
PROCEDURE:
1. Record the temperature of the water sample].
2. Submerge the small tube [0125] in the water sample. Carefully remove the tube
from the water sample, keeping the tube full to the top.
3. Drop two Dissolved Oxygen TesTabs* [3976A] into the tube. Water will overflow
when tablets are added.
4. Screw the cap on the tube. More water will overflow as the cap is tightened.
Make sure no air bubbles are present in the sample.
5. Mix by inverting the tube over and over until the tablets have disintegrated. This
will take about 4 minutes.
6. Wait 5 more minutes for the color to develop.
7. Compare the color of the sample to the Dissolved Oxygen color chart. Record the
result as ppm Dissolved Oxygen. 2.
RESULTS:
Table: The Dissolved Oxygen value of the water from four sites
SITES Concentration/ppm (parts per million)
1 4 ppm
2 6 ppm
3 8 ppm
4 6 ppm
DISCUSSION:
Dissolved oxygen (DO) refers to the oxygen present in water, distinct from the oxygen
bound in water molecules ( H 2 O). It is essential to how marine life obtains oxygen is
therefore, extremely vital for the survival of most aquatic environments and organisms
which rely on it for respiration. The fact that all sites have some degree of dissolved
oxygen mixed in suggests that they are habitable for marine life, but to what level
depends of its concentration, which varies and directly influences the viability of marine
life. The optimal concentration of DO typically ranges from 6 to 8 ppm, though this is
affected by various factors such as temperature, salinity, biological activity, pollution,
and water movement. If these factors become imbalanced, whether through natural
fluctuations or human activities; the ecosystem can suffer and be severely damaged.
Human actions are the most significant contributors to the depletion of DO in aquatic
ecosystems. Activities such as pollution and global warming exacerbate oxygen
depletion, leading to hypoxia, a condition where oxygen levels fall below the threshold
required to support most aquatic life (typically below 2 ppm). On the other hand,
hyperoxia can also occur as a result of human activities, or excessively high oxygen levels
which can also be harmful. This happens due to increased aeration, intense
photosynthesis, or external environmental factors like water movement. Though oxygen
overabundance may seem beneficial, it is important to remember that excessive
movement in certain shallow or confined areas can disrupt marine life, particularly in
sensitive ecosystems such as coral reefs. Other ramifications of hyperoxia can include gas
embolism, stress on marine organisms which can lead to even death if concentrations of
DO exceeds 10 ppm.
Though analysis of the data found during the site evaluations, several key observations
can be made regarding the health of the ecosystems. First, while there were some signs
of minor littering, there was no evidence to suggest significant, large-scale pollution or
waste dumping in the water body. Secondly, while global warming is a global issue
affecting all aquatic environments throughout the world, it does not appear to be a
specific cause of DO depletion at the four sites surveyed. Thirdly, the concentrations
recorded at most of the sites seem to fall within the optimal range (6-8 ppm) of
dissolved oxygen. The only exception being site 1, which recorded 4 ppm, lower than the
ideal range but not necessarily indicative of hypoxia, which usually occurs at levels below
2 ppm. Given that none of these sites experienced dangerously low or high DO levels of
concentrations, it is reasonable then to conclude that the ecosystems at these sites are
likely healthy and well.
CONCLUSION:
With all that being said, the experiment can be considered a success, as no significant
interference or issues were encountered during the site visits. It was concluded then
that the dissolved oxygen levels at all sites, with the exception of Site 1, were found to
be within the optimal range, which should be indicative of a healthy ecosystem. The
results also seem to suggest that the dissolved oxygen levels at each these sites were
not significantly impacted by local human activity.
