Water quality in water bodies

Week 4

Dr Ashiqur Rahman
Watch the video on DO
saturation
 DO saturation concept
• At 20oC, maximum DO concentration in a natural water
is about 9 mg/L.
• The maximum level DO can reach is referred to as
saturated DO concentration.
• If the DO concentration is more than saturated DO, then
if agitated Oxygen should escape from the air.
• If the DO concentration is below saturated DO and the
water is agitated DO in the air should dissolve.
• If the temperature is increased saturated DO level drops
– DO has to escape. Imagine a coca-cola bottle when it
is cool it can hold more air! If you heat it the bottle will
burst!.
 Oxygen demanding material
• Anything that can be oxidized in the
receiving water with the consumption of
DO is termed oxygen demanding material
• They are primarily organic matter and
some inorganic compounds.
• DO requirement of higher organisms vary
between 7.5 mg/L to 3 mg/L
 Effect of Oxygen demanding
material
• Most commonly used method is BOD test
• Biochemical oxygen demand: Oxygen needed
for microorganisms to oxidize the organic matter.
• C6H12O6 + 6O2  6CO2 + 6 H2O
• BOD for glucose of 10 mg/L
• 180 g of glucose demands 192 g of oxygen
• 10mg/L of glucose will demand
(192/180*10=)10.7 mg/L of oxygen
• Actual BOD will be less because some of the
carbon will be utilized for cell growth.
Watch the video on BOD test
Typical DO curve during the test

DOinitial
DO concentration (mg/L)

Lo-Lt
Lo- ultimate BOD

Lt
DOfinal

Time (days) Lt = BOD remaining

 BOD test contd..
• dLt/dt = -rA
• Lt = Lo.exp(-kt)
• t is usually measured in days
• Typical values of k (day-1)
• Raw sewage – 0.35-0.70
• Well treated water – 0.12-0.23
• Polluted river water - 0.12-0.23
• BOD5 is 5 day BOD
 Temperature effect on BOD
• kT = k20. (θ)T-20 ;
θ = 1.135 between 4 & 20oC and 1.056
between 20 & 30oC
kT – BOD rate constant at the temperature of
interest
k20 – BOD rate constant at 20oC
 Example
• A waste is being discharged into a river
that has a temperature of 10oC. What
fraction of the maximum oxygen
consumption has occurred in four days if
the BOD rate constant determined in the
laboratory under standard conditions is
0.115 day-1.
 Oxygen Demand
• Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) – a
measure of the oxygen required by
microorganisms whilst breaking down organic
matter
• Chemical oxygen demand (COD) – a measure
of oxygen required to chemically oxidise the
organic matter.
• BOD:COD ratio is an indicator of how much a
waste could be biologically oxidised
 Example
• What could be inferred from the following
analytical results concerning the relative
ease of biodegradability of each waste?
• Waste A : BOD5 = 240; COD=300 mg/L
• Waste B : BOD5 = 100; COD=500 mg/L
• Waste C: BOD5 = 120; COD=240 mg/L
 Some of the problems of algae
• Can increase the demand of oxygen as all organisms
including algae needs to consume oxygen for
respiration. In day time they produce oxygen so no need
to obtain oxygen from water. In night time they do not
produce oxygen hence has to obtain from the water.
• Some algae are toxic (Example anabena, microcystis)
• Some algae produces odour issues in water
• Dead algae becomes an organic matter consuming
oxygen leading to anaerobic conditions.
• Algal organic matter is responsible for disinfection
byproducts formation in drinking water systems.
• Algal organic matter can also clogs water treatment
systems.
 Example
• Algae is an autotrophic organism. That
means they only need N and P, as they
can synthesize organic C from inorganic C
(Carbon dioxide). Some algae are capable
of fixing (obtaining) the N from the air
(Nitrogen gas). What do you think would
be the limiting nutrient(s) for algae?
 Eutrophication
• Nitrogen and Phosphorus are of major concern
• Major sources of phosphorus and nitrogen are
phosphorus based detergents, fertilizers, and
food processing wastes.
• Excessive levels can increase the growth of
algae leading to EUTROPHICATION
 Nitrogen
• Oxidation of nitrogenous compounds is
called nitrification
• The relative concentration of the different
forms of nitrogen give a useful indication
of the nature of the sample.
• High ammonia+ organic nitrogen Vs High
nitrite and Nitrate
 Nitrogen cycle
Nitrogenous
Organic Compounds

Plants animals animal

excretory Ammonification
Assimilation of nitrite products (Microorganisms)
(plants, microorganisms) Microorganisms

Nitrate (NO3-) Nitrogen fixation Ammonia (NH3)

Assimilation of ammonia
(plants, micro-organisms)
Nitrogen fixation Nitrogen gas (N2 )

Denitrification
Nitrification
Nitrification
Nitrite (NO )
2
-
Changes occurring in forms of
nitrogen
 Example
• Analyses for various forms of nitrogen were made at three points in
a stream as follows:

• On the basis of your knowledge of nitrogen cycle, explain the relative change in each
nitrogen form, as well as the decrease in total nitrogen in moving downstream from
point 1 to point 3.
 Toxic metals & Toxic Organic
Compounds
• Agricultural runoffs – pesticides,
herbicides
• Urban runoffs – major source of lead (c.f.
unleaded fuel) and zinc is from tyres.
• Many industrial wastewaters contain toxic
metals and organics
• Many persistant toxic compounds can
concentrate through food chain. (bio-
concentration)
 Trace Organics
• Over 600 organic compounds are detected in raw water
resources and most of them are due to human activity or
industrial operations
• Benzene, chlorophenols, oestrogens, pesticides,
polyneuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and
trihalomethanes (THMs), Haloacetic acids (HAAs)
• These are present at lower concentrations. But long term
consumption of such lower concentration may be harm
full.
• In the industrial wastewaters or their effects on water
courses and aquatic life many other specialized chemical
characteristics may be important, including heavy
metals, cyanide, oils and greases.
 Suspended solids
• Organic (from wastewater or dead trees) and
Inorganics (soil particles)
• Colloid particles do not easily settle down
• Change in speed of water flow can make ss
settle down.
• Example of Rayong where sediment killed Coral
reefs.
• Decrease the depth,
• Salmon eggs can only develop and hatch in
loose gravel stream beds.
 Salts
• Usually associated with oceans and lakes
• In fresh water if it increases above certain
level, the species will be threatened.
• When water is extensively used for
irrigation it collects salts and creates
problem.
• Evapo-transpiration increases the salt
concentration. (Salinity issues)
 Heat
• Usually power plants dispose
• Sometimes beneficial – to increase
production of shell fish etc.
• Some fishes or organisms cannot survive
at higher temperatures.