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Dissolved Oxygen Determination in Water: A Correlation with the Manila Bay Incident
Firstname A. Surnamea, Firstname B. Surnameb
a
Department of Chemistry, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
b
Institute of Chemistry, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

ABSTRACT
A significant amount of dissolved oxygen is essential for the survival of most aquatic species and wastewater treatment. In
accordance with this, this experiment aims to determine what caused hundreds of dead fish to float to the surface of Manila
Bay in 2020. The Winkler Method was used in the experiment to estimate the quantity of dissolved oxygen in natural
waterways. Titration, which examines water samples to determine the quantity of dissolved oxygen present, is utilized here.
The experiment revealed that Manila Bay should have the values of 205.63592880573 and 23.7283% since these values were
the acceptable CV Level, indicating that the present CV Level of the water in Manila Bay failed to keep this standard, resulting
in the death of hundreds of fish. Therefore, government authorities must take measures to maintain the CV Level of Manila Bay
to prevent a repeat of this incident.

1. Introduction of the fish that floated on its surface shortly after a

One of the most vital gases that may be found in water
solution is dissolved oxygen (DO). A sufficient quantity of
dissolved oxygen is required for the survival of the
majority of aquatic organisms as well as for the treatment
of wastewater (Febiyanto, 2020). The concentration of DO
is a substantial quantity used both for describing natural
environments and wastewater and determining how the
environment is doing in general. In addition to the
amount of dissolved CO2, the concentration of DO is an
essential characteristic that shapes our climate. It is
becoming increasingly apparent that the ocean DO
content is falling. Because the DO concentration regulates
the cycling of nitrogen and other redox-sensitive
components, even modest changes in DO content can
significantly affect many marine species, as stated by Dick
et al. (2016). A reduction in the concentration of DO
results in the creation of hypoxic areas in coastal waters,
sediments, or the open ocean. These places are
uninhabitable for most marine life. The DO concentration
is linked to shifts in ocean circulation and the ocean's
ability to absorb increasing amounts of CO2. The changing
climate is ultimately responsible for all of these other
changes.
In fact, following a night of torrential rainfall over
Manila, on September 17, hundreds of dead fish began
floating to the surface of Manila Bay near the Baseco
complex in Manila Bay (Manila Bulletin, 2020). Because
dissolved oxygen (DO) is such a significant quantity, it is
utilized not just for characterizing natural ecosystems and
wastewater but also for analyzing how the environment is
doing. This incident has a solid connection to DO because
of its importance. As a result, it is evident that the DO of
Manila Bay has to be inspected and tested for the DENR
and authorities to find a solution to the unexpected death
succession of heavy rains.
In light of this, there is a method known as the Winkler
Method, which is used to quantify the amount of dissolved
oxygen in natural waters (Zhang et al., 2022). Better levels
of dissolved oxygen concentrations are connected with
higher levels of production and lower levels of pollution,
making dissolved oxygen concentrations a valuable
measure of the health of a body of water. This test is
carried out locally since any delays between the collection
of the sample, and the subsequent testing might result in a
change in the oxygen content of the sample. Titration is
used in the Winkler Method, which analyzes water
samples to estimate the amount of dissolved oxygen
present. Therefore, this experiment aims to use the
Winkler Method in calculating the amount of dissolved
oxygen and to learn about the variations between the
outcomes of the several trials that will be carried out.
Also, this experiment aims to connect its findings to the
sudden deaths of the fish that floated on the surface of
Manila Bay, which then hypothesizes that the acceptable
level of dissolved oxygen in seawater will be greater than
200 with a coefficient variation of greater than 20%.
2. Materials and Methods
In this experiment, the Winkler Method was
applied, with BOD bottles, a pipette, a conical flask, a
burette, a beaker, a dropper, and a spatula serving as the
primary apparatus used throughout the experiment. First,
a solution of sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) was added to
the burette. In a conical flask, 10 mL of 0.025N potassium
dichromate (K2Cr2O7) was added. In the same conical
flask, 2 mL of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and 1 spatula of
potassium iodide (KI) powder were added. The sample
was then titrated against a sodium thiosulfate (Na 2S2O3)
solution, and 2 mL of starch was added when the color
changed to pale yellow. The titration was then maintained

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until the blue color became colorless. The findings were show that 205.63592880573 and 23.7283% are the
then presented. acceptable CV level.
The BOD container was then filled to the full with Hence, with the application to the dissolved
the sample water, and 2 mL of manganese sulfate (MnSO 4) oxygen in the Manila Bay, the CV level of the sample from
and 2 mL of alkali-iodide-azide reagent were added it with regards to the standardization of Na 2S2O3 titrant
immediately. The sample was thoroughly mixed by tilting must be ±4.6551796480432 and 136.20929% as it was
the bottle and allowing the precipitate to settle to the discovered by conducting the experiment. Moreover, with
bottom. In addition, 2 mL of concentrated sulphuric acid regards to the sample analysis, the CV level of the
(H2SO4) was added gradually to prevent the formation of dissolved oxygen in Manila Bay must be
bubbles; 200 mL of the sample was then removed and 205.63592880573 and 23.7283%.
titrated against sodium thiosulfate (Na 2S2O3) solution; 2 4. Conclusion and Recommendations
mL of starch was added when the solution's color changed Overall, the experiment demonstrated that
to pale yellow; the titration was continued until the blue understanding the dissolved oxygen content of a body of
color became colorless. The results were then listed and water is crucial, as it is used not only to characterize
compared to those of other trials. natural ecosystems and wastes, but also to assess the
3. Results and Discussion state of the environment. Consequently, the abrupt
With the experiment done, the following results were mortality of the fish in Manila Bay was strongly connected
gathered: to the quantity of dissolved oxygen in Manila Bay. In
Table 1. Results of Standardization of Na2S2O3 titrant accordance with this, the dissolved oxygen concentration
in Manila Bay must constantly be kept between
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
205.63592880573 and 23.7283% since this is the
0.23 0.023 10 permissible CV level. However, to obtain more accurate
readings, the Winkler Method must be applied to the
Mean 3.4176666666667 water sample from Manila Bay in order to obtain precise
information.
Standard ±4.6551796480432 References
Deviation [1] Dick, J. J., Soulsby, C., Birkel, C., Malcolm, I., & Tetzlaff,
D. (2016). Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Measurements
Coefficient 136.20929% and Modelling Metabolism in Peatland Streams. PLOS
of variation ONE, 11(8), e0161363.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0161363
In Table 1, the results from the standardization of
Na2S2O3 titrant were gathered. The results show that ± [2] Febiyanto, F. (2020). Effects of Temperature and
4.6551796480432 and 136.20929% were considered to Aeration on The Dissolved Oxygen (DO) Values in
be the acceptable CV level with regards to the Freshwater Using Simple Water Bath Reactor: A Brief
standardization of Na2S2O3 titrant. Report. Walisongo Journal of Chemistry, 3(1), 25.
Table 2. Results of Sample Analysis https://doi.org/10.21580/wjc.v3i1.6108
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
[3] That fish kill in Manila Bay. (2020). Manila Bulletin.
1116.1791 871.164179 612.537313 https://mb.com.ph/2020/09/21/that-fish-kill-in-manila-
bay/
Mean 3.4176666666667
[4] Zhang, W., Han, S., Zhang, D., & Shan, B. (2022).
Standard 205.63592880573 Recovery in Dissolved Oxygen Levels in Chinese
Deviation Freshwater Ecosystems in the Past Three Decades. ACS
ES&Amp;T Water, 2(6), 967–974.
Coefficient 23.7283% https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.1c00460
of variation
Moreover, Table 2 presents the results from the Appendices
sample analysis wherein the mean found in Table 1 was FROM THE EXPERIMENT,
used to calculate the concentration of the dissolved O 2 in
the Na2S2O3 concentration. Considering this, the results

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1. Standardization of Na2S2O3 titrant - where you

will determine the “true/exact” concentration of
the titrant.

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

0.23 0.023 10

Mean 3.4176666666667

Standard ±4.6551796480432
Deviation

Coefficient 136.20929%
of variation

coefficient of variation = acceptable CV level

2. Sample Analysis - where you will determine the

concentration of dissolved oxygen in the water
sample.

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

MEAN 1116.1791 871.164179 612.537313

Mean 866.626864

Standard 205.63592880573
Deviation

Coefficient 23.7283%
of variation

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E-mail address: putyouremailhere@dlsu.edu.ph