Oxygen Depletion in Streams

by Zachary Foltz

Submitted : Fall 2015

The concentration of dissolved oxygen at the highest Biological Oxygen Demand that a polluted stream can sustain as well as the time it takes the stream to reach this minimum value is calculated using two known equations. Equations for the critical oxygen deficit and critical deficit time will be formulated using integral and differential calculus. These equations will be tested using different values of the biological oxygen demand to determine its highest acceptable value for the concentration of dissolved oxygen, which must be over 30% to sustain life for fish and other organisms.

[ Back ]