University of Technology Civil

Engineering Department
3rd Year, 2nd Semester, 2020-2021
Sanitary Engineering Lab. II

Test’s Title dissolved

oxygen ( DO )

Branch
geomatics engineering

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 ‫إيليا طالب حامد‬
‫الثالث جيوماتك‬
‫صباحي‬

What is Dissolved Oxygen (DO)?

Dissolved oxygen is a measure of the amount of gaseous oxygen
contained in water. Healthy waters that can support life must
contain dissolved oxygen (DO).

Dissolved Oxygen enters water by:

1-direct absorption from the atmosphere.
2-rapid movement from winds, waves, currents or mechanical
aeration.
3-aquatic plant life photosynthesis as a by-product of the process.

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Factors that contribute to the concentration of Dissolved Oxygen in
water:

1-Atmospheric pressure: :Higher atmospheric pressure allows

bodies of water to retain more dissolved oxygen. The pressure from
above allows the water to hold more oxygen molecules. Therefore,
DO concentrations are normally lower at higher elevations due to
lower atmospheric pressure.
2-Temperature: A body of water with lower temperature can
contain more dissolved oxygen because oxygen molecules have less
movement. The increased movement of oxygen molecules in
warmer water allows them to escape out of the water into the air.
3-Depth of the water: The shallower the water, the higher the
concentration of DO because wind creating waves on the surface
increases DO, as well as aquatic plants living in shallower lightfilled
waters create DO as a by-product of photosynthesis.
4-Salinity: Lower salinity contributes to a higher concentration of DO
because salts affect the solubility of gases, essentially driving them
out of the water.
5-Bioactivity:Lower bioactivity of microorganisms in water leads to
a higher concentration of DO, because microorganisms feeding on
organics and decaying matter use oxygen in their respiration.

Two methods are commonly used to determine DO concentration:

1-The Winkler or (iodometric) method which is a titration-based
method and depends on oxidizing property of DO.

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2-The membrane electrode procedure, which works based on the
rate of diffusion of molecular oxygen across a membrane.
1-Winkler or (iodometric) method:
A-Apparatus.
1- Glass stoppered bottles, 300ml capacity. 2- Conical flasks. 3-
Burettes 25 ml.
4- Measuring cylinders 400 ml. 5- Pipettes.
B-Reagents
(i) Standard Mangenous Sulphate Solution
Dissolve 480 gm of tetrahydrate manganous sulphate in distilled
water, filter and dilute one litre. The solution should not give colour
with starch when added to an acidified solution of KI.

(ii) Standard Sodium Thiosulphate (0.025N)

Dissolve 1.575 gm of Na 2 S 2 O 3 in distilled water and make upto
1 litre.

(iii) Alkaline Potassium Iodide Solution

Dissolve 500 gm NaOH and 150 gm of KI in distilled water and dilute
to one litre. Dissolve 10 gm of NaN 3 in 40 ml of distilled water
separately and pour it in the above solution. This solution should
not give colour with starch solution when diluted and acidified.

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(iv) Starch Indicator
Dissolve 2 gm of L.R. grade soluble starch in distilled water and pour
this imulsion into 100 ml of boiling water and keep on boiling for 5
minutes. Add 0.3 gm of salicyclic acid or toluene as preservative.

C) Procedure
• Fill the 300 ml bottle completely with the sample water.
• Add 1 ml of mangneous sulphate solution by a pipette touching
the bottom of the bottle.
• Similarly add 1 ml of alkaline potassium iodide.
Put the stopper and mix it thoroughly by turning up side down.

• A yellow precipitate will appear. Allow it to settle for 5 minutes.

• Add 1 ml of Concentrated H2SO4 carefully. Mix it again by turning
it upside down so that the ppt gets dissolved.
• Take 203 ml of this solution (it is equivalent to 200 ml of original
sample to compensate for the addition of chemicals) and titrate
with N/40 Sodium thiosulphate solution drop by drop till the
yellow colour disappears.
• Add 1 ml of starch indicator and continue the titration till the blue
colour disappears.

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• As 0.025 N sodium thiosulphate is used to measure the D.O in a
volume of 200ml of original sample, 1.0 ml of the titrant is equal
to 1.0 mg/L of D.O.
Results

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