Freshwater Creek Experiment Lab Report

Analysis

The experiment conducted on Freshwater Creek involved the following parameters, Dissolved Oxygen, Biochemical Oxygen Demand and Dissolved Phosphates. Three samples were taken from midstream for both BOD and Dissolved Phosphates, these samples were later taken back to the lab were they were later analyzed and results were recorded. Dissolved oxygen was recorded further down-stream, at several different locations. Three samples were taken in shade and another three were taken in areas of sunlight, where the results were then later recorded.

Dissolved Oxygen levels indicated the overall amount of non-compounded oxygen found in the creek water. The average saturation level of dissolved oxygen in Freshwater creek (February 2016) is

These increases in kinetic energy then result in an increased movement of both oxygen molecules and water molecules, which causes intermolecular forces to break. This braking of inter – molecular forces allows oxygen to escape into the air which results in a lower saturation. Decreases in temperature result in minimal movement between the molecules, keep the saturation level at a high rate. Past results indicated water temperatures of 23.1 degrees Celsius to 22.9 degrees Celsius, whereas current results show water temperatures of 27.1 degrees Celsius. As solubility changes with fluctuations in temperature, colder water temperatures have higher saturation levels than warmer water temperatures, hence why past results have higher saturation levels. Air temperatures and seasons that the past and current experiments were conducted in may have also altered the levels of saturation. As past results were conducted in cooler air temperatures of 20.1 to 21.4 degrees

The average level of dissolved phosphates for Freshwater Creek (February 2016) were 0.19 Mg/L (see appendix 3). Past results presented readings of 0.06-0 Mg/L indicating that phosphate levels were at a manageable state since September 2015 (see appendix 4). An unpolluted water way should present dissolved phosphate as less than 0.03 Mg/L suggesting that the current level of phosphates leads to a potentially polluted waterway. Phosphates involve ion-dipole interactions meaning it is easily dissolved into water ways, hence why there is a large increase in inorganic phosphate levels. Factors that may have caused increases in the amount of dissolved phosphates in Freshwater creek may include, the introduction and more excessive use of the bike path connecting Brinsmead to Redlynch, fertilizers used by the nearby cane farmers as well as animal and human interactions could all contribute to increased levels in dissolved phosphates as they all contain phosphorous which is an ionic compound