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Comparison Between Surface Dissolved Oxygen and Depth Dissolved Oxygen Along
Route 72 in Manahawkin, New Jersey
Breanna Wixted
ABSTRACT
Measuring water quality is vital in understanding how healthy that body of water is; any shift in
the measurements can indicate something off and as a result, can hurt the ecosystem within it. In
this study, on February 18, 2020, students from the Marine Academy of Technology and
Environmental Science (MATES) traveled to four sites in Manahawkin, New Jersey. At each site
students collected dissolved oxygen (mg/L), salinity (ppt), pH, temperature, dissolved carbon
dioxide (mg/L), and conductivity at surface and depth levels. Two statistical analysis tests, a
t-test and a regression, were performed to compare surface and depth dissolved oxygen. The
t-test showed that there was no significant difference in surface and depth dissolved oxygen at
the sample sites. The regression showed that there is a correlation, but not a strong one.

INTRODUCTION
Water quality sampling and tests allow us to understand how healthy a body of water is.
No two bodies of water are the same, and lakes and ponds are especially in a constant state of
change (Management 2015). Since water resources play such a major environmental, social,
health, and economic value, poor water quality can negatively impact public health as well as the
health of our ecosystems (“About Water Quality” 2019). The different water testing parameters
include conductivity, salinity, dissolved oxygen, temperature, dissolved carbon dioxide, and
chlorophyll. Monitoring these parameters helps researchers pinpoint any harmful impacts on the
ecosystems, and researchers can also learn and predict the natural processes of the environment
(“Water Quality” 2019).
Dissolved oxygen (DO) is free oxygen, O2, that has been dissolved in water by processes
such as algae photosynthesis, diffusion from surrounding air, and the aeration of water (“Why
Oxygen Dissolved” 2020). DO is important because it is used as a bioindicator of an ecosystem’s
ability to sustain life (“Indicators: Dissolved Oxygen,” 2016). Animals and plants require
dissolved oxygen for respiration; plants undergo respiration when sunlight is not present for
photosynthesis (“Dissolved Oxygen,” 2013). When the percent of saturation rises above 110%,
fish can begin to suffer from gas bubble disease. This disease damages tissue, which creates gas
bubbles in the eyes, fins, and gills of fish and can be fatal (“Why Dissolved Oxygen,” 2018;
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“Gas Bubble Disease,” 2019). Some bodies of water have a lower dissolved oxygen level as the
water gets deeper, which affects the organisms that live at the bottom. Changes in DO can
happen periodically, seasonally, or daily in a body of water, just depending on its natural cycle
and its inhabitants (“Indicators: Dissolved Oxygen” 2016). Those organisms that are more
sensitive to changes in DO may get sick or even die if the DO levels change rapidly, so studying
dissolved oxygen is important to know the health of a body of water.
This study was conducted to determine the significance and correlation, if any, of surface
and depth dissolved oxygen in the four sites. There will be a statistical difference between the
dissolved oxygen levels; there will be a correlation between the surface and depth dissolved
oxygen levels.

METHODOLOGY
Study sites​:
On February 18, 2020, students from Marine Academy of Technology and
Environmental Science (MATES) traveled to four locations between 11:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.,
testing water samples at Ship Bottom Bay Beach, Surf City Mid Bay (front and back area), and
Mud City (​Figure 1​). These locations rested along Route 72 which is located in Manahawkin,
New Jersey and runs from mainland New Jersey and bridges to Long Beach Island, New Jersey.
All of the coordinates of these locations can be found in ​Table 1​. February 18, 2020, was mostly
sunny and stayed around 11.1 (degrees) C while sampling.

Procedure​:
A sampling pole was used to collect surface water samples, and a LaMotte Water
Chamber was used to collect all depth water samples (​Figures 2 and 3​). The sampling pole is
held from the pole while the cup is dipped into the water. When using a LaMotte Water
Chamber, ensure the orange lid is secured shut and drop the chamber into the water, releasing the
rope until air bubbles on the surface stop.
Dissolved oxygen levels (mg/L) were measured using a LaMotte Test Kit which utilizes
the Wrinkler titration method. Surface samples used the sampling pole and depth samples were
collected with the LaMotte Water Chamber (​Figure 5​).
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Additional parameters tested include water temperature (​Figure 4​), carbon dioxide
(​Figure 6​), pH (​Figure 7​), salinity (​Figure 8​), and wind speed (​Figure 9​).

Statistical Analysis​:
A comparison using a t-test was used to compare surface and bottom dissolved oxygen
levels across all sites sampled on February 18, 2020. Specifically, a t-Test: Paired Two Sample
for Means was run because there was an equal amount of data points and each sample was
collected and tested the same way. An alpha value of 0.05 was used to determine significance.
A correlation using regression was run to determine if there is a correlation or
relationship between surface and depth dissolved oxygen levels. The R​2​ value ranged from 0 to 1
and showed how correlated the data was, 1 being the highest correlation. The significance f value
indicated whether or not the data had a relationship. If the significance f value was less than or
equal to alpha, the data had a relationship. An alpha value of 0.05 was used for all statistical
tests.

RESULTS
On February 18, 2020, surface and depth dissolved oxygen was collected at four sample sites.
The surface DO ranged from 7.80 mg/L to 10.8mg/L and the depth DO ranged from 7.00mg/L to
10.2mg//L (​Table 2​). A t-test used performed to determine the significance between the surface
and depth dissolved oxygen levels and resulted in a p-value of 0.841 (​Figure 10​). A regression
was also run between surface and depth dissolved oxygen and produced an R​2​ value of 0.316 and
a significance f value of <0.001.

DISCUSSION
No significance was found between surface and dissolved oxygen levels at any of the
four sites tested on February 18, 2020. The results refute the original hypothesis that predicted
there would be a significant difference between the levels. There should have been a
significantly higher amount of dissolved oxygen in deeper waters, according to the solubility
rules of gases. This insignificant result could have been caused by the salinity of the water.
Saltwater is unable to hold as much dissolved oxygen as fresh water because of the dissolved salt
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particles already taking up space in the water molecules (“Dissolved Oxygen,” 2013). These
results could have also been caused by the generally smaller sample size.
The significant f value was less than the alpha value (=0.05), showing a relationship
between the data, but the R​2​ value means that there is not a strong correlation. This supports the
original hypothesis that there should be a correlation between surface and depth. The two
parameters correlate because they are both dissolved oxygen tests, taken at the same site.

CONCLUSION
This study showed that dissolved oxygen will not always vary with depth in a significant
amount. It also showed that surface and depth dissolved oxygen have a weak relationship.

Acknowledgments
I would like to acknowledge the Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science for
providing the equipment and transportation used to gather this data. Specifically, I would like to
thank Mr. Kelsey for teaching and assisting my class both in the classroom and out at the sites.
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Table 1: the GPS coordinates of the four sampling sites on February 18, 2020.

Site # Location Name Coordinates

1 Ship Bottom Bay Beach (39.6523,-74.1852)

2 Surf City Mid Bay (39.6565, -74.1901)

3 Surf City Mid Bay (front area) (39.6672, -74.2143)

4 Mud City (39.6767, -74.2217)

Table 2: Average surface and depth dissolved oxygen data from February 18, 2020, in four
locations. Surface DO ranged from 8.30mg/L to 10.5mg/L and depth DO ranged from 9.80mg/L
to 10.1mg/L.
Location 1 Location 2 Location 3 Location 4
Surface
(mg/L) 9.50 10.2 10.0 10.0 10.1 10.5 8.67 8.30
Depth
(mg/L) 10.0 10.1 10.1 10.0 9.90 10.1 7.10 9.80

Table 3: Surface and depth dissolved oxygen (mg/L) data from February 18, 2020, in four
locations. Surface DO ranged from 7.80 mg/L to 10.8mg/L and depth DO ranged from 7.00mg/L
to 10.2mg/L.
Location 1 Location 2 Location 3 Location 4
Surface Depth Surface Depth Surface Depth Surface Depth
(mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L)
trial 1 9.40 9.80 10.0 10.2 10.2 10.0 8.80 7.00
trial 2 9.60 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 8.40 7.22
trial 3 9.60 10.2 10.0 10.0 10.1 9.60 8.80 7.00
trial 4 10.7 10.2 10.0 10.0 10.7 10.2 8.80 10.0
trial 5 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.1 7.80 9.80
trial 6 10.0 10.1 10.0 10.0 10.8 10.1 8.20 9.60
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Figure 1: Map of the sample sites on February 18, 2020, compared a map of New Jersey. The
green pins in the map located in the bottom right-hand corner indicate the four sample sites. The
green pin marked in New Jersey map, located to the left, is MATES for reference.

Figure 2: A sampling pole was used to collect Figure 3: A Kemmerer bottle was used to
all surface water samples. collect all bottom water samples.
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Figure 4: A Barnant Thermocouple Figure 5: A LaMotte Dissolved Oxygen Test

Thermometer was used to collect all Kit was used to collect all dissolved oxygen
temperature values in ℃; both water and levels in ppm using the Winkler titration
air temperatures. method.

Figure 6: A LaMotte Carbon Dioxide Test Figure 7: An ecoTestr pH2 by Eutech

Kit was used to collect all carbon dioxide Instruments, Oakton was used to collect all pH
levels in ppm using titration with a levels.
phenolphthalein indicator.
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Figure 8: An optical refractometer model Figure 9: A Kestrel 1000 Wind Meter was
Vee-Gee STX-3 was used to measure all used to measure all wind speeds in mph.
salinity levels in ppt.

Figure 10: Mean dissolved oxygen levels (mg/L) with error bar ±5%. No significant difference
between surface and depth levels was observed. (p=0.841; N=32).
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REFERENCES
About water quality. (2019, March 27). Retrieved February 29, 2020, from
https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/water/water-quality/about-water-quality

Dissolved Oxygen. (2013, November 19). Retrieved February 29, 2020, from
https://www.fondriest.com/environmental-measurements/parameters/water-quality/dissolv
ed-oxygen/

Gas Bubble Disease in Fish. (2019). Retrieved February 29, 2020, from
https://www.petmd.com/fish/conditions/cardiovascular/c_fi_gas_bubble_disease

Indicators: Dissolved Oxygen. (2016, August 16). Retrieved May 30, 2019, from
https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/indicators-dissolved-oxygen

Management, S. O. L. L. (2015, August 18). The Importance of Water Quality Testing.

Retrieved February 29, 2020, from
https://www.solitudelakemanagement.com/blog/the-importance-of-water-quality-testing

Water quality. (2017, May 12). Retrieved February 29, 2020, from
https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/water/waterqual.htm

Water Quality. (2019). Retrieved February 29, 2020, from

https://www.fondriest.com/environmental-measurements/parameters/water-quality/

Why Dissolved Oxygen is Important. (2018). Retrieved February 29, 2020, from
https://www.lenntech.com/why_the_oxygen_dissolved_is_important.htm

You have all of the pieces and it is well written. You need to expand your detail a bit more
and make sure that you format in APA. Include a scatterplot of your data points if
possible. 29/30
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