A guide to dissolved oxygen measurement. We can easily think about the oxygen in the air that we inhale; however, liquids around us also have oxygen. It is not that humans are the only organism that requires oxygen to lead a life.
The use of oxygen is of utmost importance in the preservation of food, water management, and monitoring of the environment.
Oxygen stays dissolved in liquids and that is why we need a DO sensor to measure the same as it is an important parameter in many industries.Â
A guide to dissolved oxygen measurementÂ
Reasons to test for dissolved oxygen
The reason for testing dissolved oxygen varies on the industry you are in. The reason a winemaker tests DO is different from the reason why a lab technician measures it.
The measurement of DO is vital in the environmental monitoring of water quality. The measurement is a vital indicator of the general health of the ecosystem.
Bacteria development spikes as organisms die and decay. This increase in bacterial growth increases the use of DO and there will be a decrease in the DO level.
If there is a drop in the DO level, there will be a dead zone where all aquatic plants and animals will die. For this reason, the measurement of DO is of vital importance in aquaculture.
Measurement of DO also happens in labs. There are various scientific reasons for this measurement. It is helpful to monitor Biological Oxygen Demand, Oxygen Uptake Rate, and Specific Oxygen Uptake Rate.
The factors affecting the level of DO
Various factors affect the level of DO. Let us have a look at some of those.
TemperatureÂ
Temperature is the biggest factor that directly affects the level of dissolved oxygen. With the increase in temperature, there is an increase in particle motion.
Due to this increase DO particles can lose the bonds that hold them together inside the liquid.
As the temperature rises there is a dip in the DO level and inversely when there is a dip in temperature there is a rise in DO concentration.
Pressure
The pressure that we talk about here is atmospheric. If the atmospheric pressure decreases, there is a dip in the partial pressure of oxygen.
With the increase in altitude, there is a dip in the concentration of DO as there is not sufficient pressure to keep the oxygen dissolved in the liquid. Similarly, as there is a decrease in altitude, the DO level has an increment.Â
SalinityÂ
Salinity also affects the measure of DO present in a solution. It is that oxygen feels less attraction towards water molecules if the solution has salt in it. So, as there is a decrease in salinity there will be a rise in dissolved oxygen.
Kacise Optronics Co., Ltd. is the ideal organization to have a DO sensor. We have varied nature of such gadgets and you can buy accordingly.Â
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