MAPUA UNIVERSITY

School of Chemical, Biological, Material Engineering and

Sciences (CBMES)

Experiment No. : 6
Title: Dissolved Oxygen Levels in Natural Waters

Group No. : 4
Name: Lantacon, June N.

Pre/Post Lab Quiz

Evaluation
Prelim Data Sheet
Laboratory Attire
Title Page
Report Form
Conclusion

MARILYN A. MIRANDA
Instructor
 C. Sample Analysis
Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3

Sample volume (mL) 201 205 205

Buret reading, initial (mL) 0.1 20.2 24.1
Buret reading, final (mL) 1.4 21.3 25.1
Volume Na2S2O3 dispensed (mL) 1.3 1.1 1.0
Molar concentration of Na2S2O3 (mol/L) 0.09955
Moles of Na2S2O3 dispensed (mol) 1.3×10-4 1.1×10-4 1.0×10-5
Moles of I3- reduced by S2O32- (mol) 6.5×10-5 5.5×10-5 5.0×10-5
Moles of O2 (mol) 3.2×10-5 2.7×10-5 2.5 ×10-5
Mass of O2 (mg) 1.0 0.9 0.8
Dissolved oxygen, ppm O2 (mg/L) 5.2 4.2 3.9
Average dissolved oxygen, ppm O2 4.4
Standard deviation 0.6
Relative standard deviation (%RSD) 13.6
Sample Calculations
Sample 1
Volume Na2S2O3 dispensed
VNa2 S2 O3 = Buret reading, final − Buret reading, initial
= 1.4𝑚𝐿 − 0.1𝑚𝐿
= 1.3 mL
Moles of Na2S2O3 dispensed
nNa2 S2 O3
molarityNa2 S2 O3 =
LNa2 S2 O3
nNa2 S2 O3 = molarityNa2 S2 O3 × LNa2 S2 O3
mol Na2 S2 O3 1L
= 0.09955 × 1.3mL ( )
L 1000mL
= 1.29 × 10-4 mol
Moles of I3- reduced by S2O32-
1 mol I3 -
n I3- = nNa2 S2 O3 ×
2 mol Na2 S2 O3
1 mol I3 -
= 1.29 × 10-4 mol Na2 S2 O3 × ( )
2 mol Na2 S2 O3
= 6.47 × 10-5 mol I3 -
Moles of O2
2 mol Mn(OH)2 1 mol O2
nO2 = n I3 - × - ×
1 mol I3 4 mol Mn(OH)2
-5 2 mol 𝑀𝑛(𝑂𝐻) 2 1 mol O2
= 6.47 × 10 𝑚𝑜𝑙 × - ×
1 mol I3 4 mol 𝑀𝑛(𝑂𝐻)2
-5
= 3.24 × 10 mol O2
Mass of O2
32g O2
m O2 = nO2 ×
1mol O2
32g O2 1000mg
= 3.24 × 10-5 𝑚𝑜𝑙 O2 × ( )
1mol O2 1g
= 1.04 mg
Dissolved oxygen
m O2
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑥𝑦𝑔𝑒𝑛 =
Vsample
1.04mg O2
=
1L
201mL (
1000mL)
= 5.17 ppm
Average dissolved oxygen
5.2ppm + 4.2ppm + 3.9ppm
Averagedissolve oxygen = = 4.4 ppm
3
Standard deviation
Ʃ(X-µ)2 0.93
𝜎=√ =√ = 0.56
n 3
Relative standard deviation
SD × 100 0.6 × 100
%RSD = = = 13.64
x̅ 4.4
Laboratory Questions
1. Part B. The water chemist waits until returning to the laboratory to fix the water sample
for the dissolved oxygen analysis. Will the reported dissolved oxygen concentrations be
reported too high, to low, or remain unchanged? Explain.
The reported dissolved oxygen concentrations will be reported too low in this situation.
The purpose of immediate process of fixing the water sample with proper reagents is to
avoid the reduction of the amount of dissolve oxygen in the water sample. Since the water
chemist waited until returning to the laboratory, the dissolved oxygen concentrations may
have decrease from its original amount already.
2. Part B.3. A solution of MnSO4 is added to fix the dissolved oxygen in the collected
sample.
a. What is the meaning of the expression “fix the dissolved oxygen,” and why is it so
important to the analysis of dissolved oxygen in a water sample?
The expression “fix the dissolved oxygen” simply means the process of adding a
series of reagents into the water sample so that it will have a stable dissolved
oxygen. Acid compounds are formed that is then titrated with a neutralizing
compound that results in a color change. The importance of this process is that if
not performed, some dissolved oxygen amounts will react to the microbes present
and will alter the original amount, thus, resulting in inaccuracy of results.
b. Only an approximate volume (~1mL) of MnSO4 is required for fixing dissolved
oxygen in the sample. Explain why an exact volume is not critical.
The exact volume of MnSO4 is not critical to the solutions since it is the excess
reactant, making the dissolved oxygen the limiting reactant.
3. Part B.4. No precipitate forms! Assuming the reagents were properly prepared and
dispensed into the sample, what might be predicted about its dissolved oxygen
concentration? Explain.
If there are no precipitate forms present it may have been caused by the little amount of
dissolved oxygen. This is because the reagents used to fix the oxygen would only react
with oxygen. If no precipitation occurs, the only reason is that there was no reaction
happened in the sample due to the absence of oxygen.
4. Part B.5. A water chemist measured and recorded air temperature at 27oC when he should
have measured the water temperature, which was only 21oC. As a result of this error, will
the dissolved concentration be reported as being higher or being lower than it should be?
Explain.
Due to the error in recording the temperature, the dissolved concentration will be reported
being lower than it should be since the water chemist based on the temperature at 27 oC.
Based on Table 31.1 in the laboratory manual, it says that at 27 oC, the concentration of the
dissolved oxygen would be 8.1 ppm while at 21 oC, it would be 9 ppm.
5. Part C.3. The color of the analyte did not fade to form light yellow-brown color but
remained intense even after the addition of a full buret of S2O3-2 titrant even though a
precipitate formed in Part B.4. What can be stated about the dissolved oxygen
concentration of the sample? Explain.
If the color of the analyte did not fade to form a light yellow-brown color and remained
intense ever after the addition of the full buret of S2O3-2 titrant, there might have been some
error in the process of precipitating it. Proper titration must be observed when determining
the amount of triiodide ions wherein it can also help in determining and calculating the
dissolve oxygen concentration.
6. Assuming a dissolved oxygen concentration of 7.0ppm (mg/L) in a 200mL water sample
mg 1g 1L 1 mol O2
7 ( ) × 200mL ( )× = 𝟒. 𝟑𝟕𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟓 𝒎𝒐𝒍 𝑶𝟐
L 1000mg 1000mL 32 g
a. How many moles of Mn (OH)3 will be produced with the addition of the MnSO4
solution?
4 mol Mn(OH)2
4.375 × 10-5 mol O2 × = 𝟏. 𝟕𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟒 𝒎𝒐𝒍 𝑴𝒏(𝑶𝑯)𝟐
1 mol O2
b. How many moles of I3- will be produced when the KI-NaN3 solution is added to
the above solution?
1 mol I3 -
-4
1.75 × 10 mol Mn(OH)2 × = 𝟖. 𝟕𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟓 𝒎𝒐𝒍 𝑰𝟑 −
2 mol Mn(OH)2
c. How many moles of S2O3-2 will be needed to react with the I3- that is generated?
2 mol S2 O3 -
8.75 × 10-5 mol I3 - × = 𝟏. 𝟕𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟒 𝒎𝒐𝒍 𝑺𝟐 𝑶𝟑 −
1 mol I3 -
d. And also, assuming the concentration of the S2O3-2 titrant to be 0.025 M, how
many milliliters of titrant will be predictably used for the analysis?
1L S2 O3 - 1000mL
1.75 × 10-4 mol S2 O3 - × -( ) = 𝟕 𝒎𝑳 𝑺𝟐 𝑶𝟑 −
0.024 mol I3 1L
7. A non-scientist brings a water sample to your laboratory and asks you to determine why
there was a fish kill in the nearby lake. Having recently finished the experiment, what might
you tell that person about the legitimacy of a test for dissolved oxygen? What reasoning
would you use to maintain the integrity of your laboratory?
The reason behind the fish kill nearby the lake is dissolvement of oxygen. Fish needs
oxygen to live, with the presence of an element that has the capability of dissolving oxygen,
it will be insufficient for the fishes to breathe. In addition, it can also occur when oxygen
and elements that dissolve it is not enough.
8. a. Fish kills are often found near the discharge point of water from cooling waters at
electrical generating power plants. Explain why this occurrence might occur.
This occurrence might occur since electric generating power plants needs to boil the water
so that is could produce high-pressure steam which helps turbines to turn and produce
electricity. To be able to cool down the steam, a condenser is used which uses water drawn
from the body of water. Water is not reused in this case but is dumped with a high
temperature back into the water body and may have cause harm on fishes. Since the higher
the temperature of water, the lower the solubility of oxygen in water is.
b. Fish kills are often found in streams flowing heavy rainfall in a watershed dominated by
farmland or denuded forestland. Explain why this occurrence might occur.
This occurrence might occur since heavy rainfalls causes the temperature of water to alter
and fluctuate due to the mixing of low oxygen water with the surface water. The oxygen in
this case decreases throughout the water column that results to fish kills.
9. Explain how the dissolved oxygen concentrations may change starting at the headwaters
of a river and ending at the ocean. Account for the changes.
Dissolved oxygen concentration starting at the headwaters of a river is higher and as it goes
down to the oceans it decreases. This is due to the bacteria present which consumes oxygen
and these bacteria are more present in the river than the ocean. Another reason is the
turbulence of water. Turbulence could increase the increase of dissolved oxygen as well as
temperature.
10. Salt (ocean) water generally has a lower dissolved oxygen concentration than freshwater
at a given temperature. Explain why this is generally observed.
Dissolved oxygen decreases exponentially as salt level increases. This is due to the salt
ions that attract water molecules leaving fewer hydrogen and oxygen ions available to
capture and disassociate gas molecules
Conclusion
The conducted experiment is all about the dissolved oxygen level in natural water which
aims to develop a proper technique for obtaining a natural water sample, to determine the dissolved
oxygen concentration of a natural water sample and to learn the chemical reaction involved in
fixing and analyzing a water sample for dissolved oxygen. Using the Winkler method of analysis
by Lajos Winkler, the test contained two parts: the gathering of the water sample from the field
where the dissolved oxygen is fixed with two reagents and the sample is then titrated for the final
analysis in the laboratory within 48 hours.
The water sample preparation is prepared using one Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)
bottle or a regular bottle with field sample, 1mL of manganese sulfate as a light-brown solution is
formed. Afterwards, 1mL of alkali-iodide-azide was added, the solution then turned dark brown.
The stopper is then replaced to be mixed, next, 1mL sulfuric acid is added and the brown
precipitates started to dissolve. Lastly, the stopper is again replaced to be shake once again,
resulting it to total dissolve of brown precipitates producing a dark-yellow solution.
Titration using Na2S2O3 with a molarity of 0.0955mol/L was next performed to three
samples containing one 201mL and two 205mL of sample in three Erlenmeyer flasks. The recorded
and calculated volume of Na2S2O3 dispensed is 1.3mL, 1.1mL and 1.0mL respectively.
Subsequently, moles dispensed Na2S2O3, moles of I3- reduce by S2O32- and moles of O2 were
calculated to obtain the mass of O2. Obtaining the values 1.0g, 0.9g and 0.8g, respectively were
then used to finally calculate for the dissolved oxygen per sample. Finally, the concentration of
the dissolve oxygen is computed resulting to 5.2ppm, 4.2ppm and 3.9ppm, respectively and having
the average of 4.4ppm.
Based on the obtained average concentration of dissolved oxygen in the water sample. It
indicates anaerobic condition such with high turbudity, foul odors, extensive plant growth on the
surface. Such that dissolve oxygen level that drop to less than 5ppm can stress the existing aquatic
life. It can also be assumed that the temperature of the water might be high based on the Table
31.1. The computed standard deviation, 0.6, tells that the gathered values of the concentration of
dissolved oxygen are close to the average. On the other hand, the relative standard deviation of
13.4% shows how scattered these numbers are around the mean.