DISSOLVED

OXYGEN
FOUNTAIN OF WISDOM
 RECENT CASES OF FISH KILL
OFF LAS PIÑAS AND
PARAÑAQUE IN MANILA BAY
ARE CAUSED BY WATER
Problem POLLUTION.

Water quality tests show poor levels

of DO and high than standard
levels of ammonia and phosphates.
 ❑To be able to determine the amount of
dissolved oxygen in an aquatic environment
Objectives ❑To compare the measured dissolved oxygen
obtained using the Winkler Method against the
digital DO probe (Intellical™ LDO101, HACH®)
 Water
sample Gaps of
Presence of
collected on
a different
Rain the study
day
 ⮚Concentration

Keywords ⮚Dissolved Oxygen

⮚Winkler Method
Materials and
Methods
Samplin
g
The water sample was taken
from the fountain of wisdom
as well as from the fountain
of knowledge and turtle
pond in the botanical
garden located in UST
(14°36' 31'' N 120° 59' 27‘’
E).
Reagents Preparation (0.025 N
Sodium Thiosulfate)

On the standardization of the 0.025N sodium thiosulfate, they were to dissolve 0.125 g of
potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) with 25 ml dH2O inside a 250 ml Erlenmeyer flask, then were
to add 10 ml of HCl and 2 g of potassium iodide (KI). Cover, shake, and keep in the dark for 15
minutes and add 100 ml of dH2O to the above mixture and titrate with sodium thiosulfate until
pale straw yellow color appears. Add 1-10 drops of starch solution until the blue color appears.
Store in an amber bottle.
Biological Oxygen
Demand Bottle
Water sample were obtained in a 300mL BOD glass with
tight-fitting glass stopper.

The BOD bottle are lowered in an inclined position to a

desired depth, allowed to fill up, corked and then pulled to
the surface.

The sample bottle should be completely filled so that there

will be no presence of air bubbles.
Electronic The HACH (HQ40d model) Portable Meter, with

Probe
the Dissolved Oxygen Probe was used to
determine the changes in the dissolved oxygen
levels from the three different spots of the
fountain.

Given a location, submerge ¼ of the probe to

the water, then press the BLUE/LEFT button to
calibrate. It will then stabilize, showing a
closed padlock figure on the upper right
corner. After calibration, press the
GREEN/RIGHT button to then calibrate and
process its Dissolved Oxygen readings in the
units of mg/L.

**Repeat the process of calibration from

pressing the GREEN/RIGHT button, having to
record it on at least 3-4 trials on 3-4 different
spots around the certain area (Fountain of
Wisdom).
 Winkler Titration Method
In a completely filled 300mL BOD bottle, students were to add 2.0mL of
Magnesium sulfate solution and let it sink to the bottom.
add all reagents using a narrow pipette.

Using a clean syringe, add 2.0 mL alkaline sodium iodine solution.

Secure cap carefully and shake for 20 seconds.
To speed up mixture, one can add a glass bead which acts as a catalyst.

Add 2.0mL concentrated H2SO4; secure cap and invert the bottle several
times to mix the acid with the solution.

Let the precipitate to dissolve until brownish-yellow appears.

Read and record the level of the sodium thiosulfate dispense from the syringe;
secure cap and invert the bottle several times, then measure 200mL from the BOD
bottle and place the sample into a 500mL Erlenmeyer flask.
 Winkler Titration Method
Sample solution in 500mL erlenmeyer flask is to be titrated.

Gradually add 0.025 N sodium thiosulfate using a clean syringe. Swirl

carefully until a pale straw yellow color appears. . Record the amount
of sodium thiosulfate dispensed

Quickly add (1.0-2.0-ml or 10.0 drops) of fresh starch solution using a

syringe and continue titrating until the blue color disappears

Read the new mL of sodium thiosulfate used. Record and calculate

the total amount used in the titration.

The number of milliliters used represents the quantity of dissolved

oxygen in parts per million.
RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION
Amount of dissolved oxygen in various aquatic environments acquired through the
usage of the electronic DO meter/probe

Name of Aquatic Replicate 1 Replicate 2 Replicate 3 Replicate 4

Environment
Sampled
Fountain of 10.90 mg/L 11.54 mg/L 9.45 mg/L 10.55 mg/L
Knowledge
Fountain of 11.17 mg/L 11.19 mg/L 10.53 mg/L 11.56 mg/L
Wisdom
Pond in 4.93 mg/L 1.9 mg/L
Botanical
Garden
Amount of dissolved oxygen of various aquatic environments acquired through the
Winkler Method

Name of Aquatic Replicate 1 Replicate 2 Replicate 3 Replicate 4

Environment
Sampled
Fountain of 8.7 mg/L 10.9 mg/L 10.6 mg/L 10.1 mg/L
Knowledge
Fountain of 8.9 mg/L 11.0 mg/L 10.15 mg/L 11.1 mg/L
Wisdom
Pond in 2.1 mg/L 2.8 mg/L
Botanical
Garden
Average amount of dissolved oxygen of various aquatic environments acquired through
the Electronic DO Probe and the Winkler Method

Name of Aquatic Average DO Average (Winkler Method)

Environment Sampled (Electronic DO Probe)

Fountain of Knowledge 10.6175 mg/L 10.075 mg/L

Fountain of Wisdom 11.1225 mg/L 10.2875 mg/L

Pond in Botanical Garden 3.415 mg/L 2.19 mg/L

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
• One Sample T-Test
Name of Aquatic Environment P- value
Sampled

Fountain of Knowledge 0.30884

Fountain of Wisdom 0.56713

Pond in Botanical Garden 0.0304

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
• One Way ANOVA
The DO concentrations from three different locations has a p-value less than 0.05 which
signifies that there is a significant difference between the said locations.

This is mainly because of certain factors which could highly affect the DO concentration of
a certain aquatic ecosystem such as climatic and hydrometric conditions as well as
turbidity, temperature, pressure, and salinity and could also be subjected to human errors
particularly on the sampling process (Fondriest, 2013).
DO Probe vs Winkler Method

Winkler method is more preferable in terms of accuracy and precision than the
recorded values from electronic DO meter/probe (Himica 2014) given that it is based on
the oxidizing property of a dissolved oxygen while the latter is based on the rate of
diffusion of molecular oxygen thus considered as the standard method in the
determination of DO concentration.
CONCLUSION
Dissolved Oxygen is Critical
Dissolved oxygen controls the biological productivity of the aquatic
life wherein its biological, topographical, physical and chemical
conditions are contributors (Prasad B., et al., 2014). Thus having a low
concentration of dissolved oxygen or a high concentrations of it can
cause harm to the entire aquatic biodiversity which could eventually lead
to high mortality or migratory rate (National Ocean Service 2019).
Dissolved Oxygen is Critical
Knowing such factors about the DO is not only to increase one’s
knowledge about its external strengths, as well as its capabilities with on
dynamics, but also to help design more control strategies to elevate, and
normalize the DO levels in the ecosystem.
 References
FONDRIEST ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. (2013). Dissolved Oxygen. Retrieved from https://www.fondriest.com/environmental-measurements/parameters/water-
quality/dissolved-oxygen/ on 18 Sept 2019.

KRAMER DL. (1987). Dissolved oxygen and fish behavior. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 18(2), 81-92. doi:10.1007/bf00002597

NOAA. (2019). What is a dead zone. Retrieved from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/deadzone.html

MPCA. (2009). Low dissolved Oxygen in water - causes, impact on aquatic life. Retrieved from https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/wq-iw3-24.pdf

PRASAD BSRV, SRINIVASU PDN, VARMA PS, RAMAN AV, & SANTANU R. (2014). Dynamics of Dissolved Oxygen in Relation to Saturation and Health of an
Aquatic Body: A Case for Chilka Lagoon, India. Retrieved from https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeco/2014/526245/

[USGS] United States Geological Survey (n.d). Dissolved Oxygen and Water. Retrieved from https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-
scienceschool/science/dissolved-oxygen-and-water?qtscience_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects