Water quality of Freshwater Creek
Abstract: This report will be detailing the results found after testing three different water quality parameters on water samples taken at Freshwater Creek and comparing them with past results. It will determine if Freshwater Creek is, has been or is becoming polluted. The three tested parameters were dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand and ammonia. What was found is that the results for all three tests fitted within the recommended guidelines for healthy waterways. These results re overall indicating that the river is not polluted.
Introduction: This report is has been completed in order to determine if Freshwater Creeks water quality meets the current standards, is classified as polluted or is declining …show more content…
The dissolved oxygen however was recorded at the site of the sample collection to ensure reliable results. The result for the dissolved oxygen was 80.25% saturation which meets the recommended levels for healthy waterways however past results show that dissolved oxygen has gone from 92% to 85% to the current 80.25% meaning that the dissolved oxygen levels while still fitting within the recommended guidelines, are decreasing over time. The cause of this could be two things, an increase in organisms within the water consuming the oxygen or temperature increases allowing oxygen to escape the water easier. Looking back on past results however it is shown that water temperatures have actually been consistently decreasing meaning that the cause is likely a result of unhealthy levels of bacteria. If there are high amounts of bacteria in the water then there should also be a high biochemical oxygen demand however the results acquired from the BOD tests actually show that the demand actually fits well below the recommended level of less than 5 mg/L, with the highest result only being 1.4 mg/L. this means that the oxygen decreases are possibly an anomaly, or there could have been some form of aeration putting more oxygen into the water than normal on previous dates. Because the BOD meets the recommended levels it is highly unlikely that ammonia levels will exceed the recommended amount of 10 mg/L, this turned out to be true as all three samples were found to have no ammonia, indicating once again that the river is not polluted. Biochemical oxygen demand is a very good indicator for waterway pollution, this is because it commonly affects the results of other tests such as DO and ammonia. For example if there are large amounts of organisms present within a waterway then low oxygen can be expected due to it being consumed, and high amounts of ammonia can be found due to bacterial decomposition.
Abstract: This report will be detailing the results found after testing three different water quality parameters on water samples taken at Freshwater Creek and comparing them with past results. It will determine if Freshwater Creek is, has been or is becoming polluted. The three tested parameters were dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand and ammonia. What was found is that the results for all three tests fitted within the recommended guidelines for healthy waterways. These results re overall indicating that the river is not polluted.
Introduction: This report is has been completed in order to determine if Freshwater Creeks water quality meets the current standards, is classified as polluted or is declining …show more content…
The dissolved oxygen however was recorded at the site of the sample collection to ensure reliable results. The result for the dissolved oxygen was 80.25% saturation which meets the recommended levels for healthy waterways however past results show that dissolved oxygen has gone from 92% to 85% to the current 80.25% meaning that the dissolved oxygen levels while still fitting within the recommended guidelines, are decreasing over time. The cause of this could be two things, an increase in organisms within the water consuming the oxygen or temperature increases allowing oxygen to escape the water easier. Looking back on past results however it is shown that water temperatures have actually been consistently decreasing meaning that the cause is likely a result of unhealthy levels of bacteria. If there are high amounts of bacteria in the water then there should also be a high biochemical oxygen demand however the results acquired from the BOD tests actually show that the demand actually fits well below the recommended level of less than 5 mg/L, with the highest result only being 1.4 mg/L. this means that the oxygen decreases are possibly an anomaly, or there could have been some form of aeration putting more oxygen into the water than normal on previous dates. Because the BOD meets the recommended levels it is highly unlikely that ammonia levels will exceed the recommended amount of 10 mg/L, this turned out to be true as all three samples were found to have no ammonia, indicating once again that the river is not polluted. Biochemical oxygen demand is a very good indicator for waterway pollution, this is because it commonly affects the results of other tests such as DO and ammonia. For example if there are large amounts of organisms present within a waterway then low oxygen can be expected due to it being consumed, and high amounts of ammonia can be found due to bacterial decomposition.