Effect of Organic Wastes on

Stream Ecosystem
Source of pollution
???? ????
????

After
mixing

outfall
Figure 1. DO Sag Curve

Time or Distance
Figure 2. DO Sag Curve

(Di)
 Table 1. Dissolved
Oxygen in freshwater
oC
DO oC
DO
(mg/L) (mg/L)
0 14.6 23 8.56
1 14.19 24 8.4
2 13.81 25 8.24
3 13.44 26 8.09
4 13.09 27 7.95
5 12.75 28 7.81
6 12.43 29 7.67
7 12.12 30 7.54
8 11.83 31 7.41
9 11.55 32 7.28
10 11.27 33 7.16
11 11.01 34 7.05
12 10.76 35 6.93
13 10.52 36 6.82
14 10.29 37 6.71
15 10.07 38 6.61
16 9.85 39 6.51
17 9.65 40 6.41
Figure 3. Dissolved Oxygen in 18
19
9.45
9.26
41
42
6.31
6.22
freshwater at 1 atm 20
21
9.07
8.9
43
44
6.13
6.04
22 8.72 45 5.95
 Oxygen Deficit
The oxygen deficit is the amount by which the
actual dissolved oxygen concentration is less than
the saturated value with respect to oxygen in the
air.

D = DOs − DO

D = oxygen deficit, mg/L

DOs= saturation concentration of dissolved oxygen at the
temperature of the river after mixing, mg/L
DO = actual dissolved oxygen concentration, mg/L
 Initial DO Deficit, Di
The initial deficit = the difference between
saturated DO and the concentration of the DO
after mixing.
Applying mass balance: Rate of accumulation = Rate of Input − Rate of Output
0 = (Ca .Qa + CbQb ) − CcQc
0 = (C w .Qw + C R QR ) − CT QT
0 = (DOw .Qw + DOR QR ) − DOa (Qw + QR ) a

DOa
Qw  DOw + QR  DOR
Di = DOs −
Qw + QR
 DO Sag Equation
Taking a mass balance of DO as a reactive
substance expressed as the deficit, we get the
Streeter-Phelps oxygen sag curve equation.
Rate of increase of Rate of Rate of
= -
deficit deoxygenation oxygenation

dD
= kd L − kr D
dt
Where:
dD/dt = the change in oxygen deficit,D per unit time, mg/L.d
kd = deoxygenation rate constant, d-1
kr = reoxgenation rate constant, d-1
L = ultimate BOD of river water, mg/L
D = oxygen deficit in river water, mg/L
By integrating the previous equation, and using the initial
conditions ( at t=0, D=Di), the DO sag equation is obtained:

D=
k d La − kd t
kr − kd
e ( ) (
− e − kr t + Di e − kr t ) Streeter-Phelps Equation

where:
D = oxygen deficit in river water after exertion of BOD for time, t, mg/L
La = initial ultimate BOD after river and wastewater have mixed, mg/L
t = time of travel of wastewater discharge downstream, d
When kd = kr the equation is reduced to:
(
D = (k d  t  La + Di ) e − kd t ) (Di)
Deoxygenation rate constant, kd, is a function of the type of waste material
decomposing, temperature, etc. It is measured in the laboratory using
analytical techniques.
where
kd = deoxygenation rate constant at 20oC, d-1
v
kd = k +  v = average speed of streamflow, m/s
k = BOD rate constant determined in the laboratory
H
H = average depth of stream, m
 = bed activity coefficient (from 0. 1 to 0.6 or more)

Reoxygenation rate constant, kr, depends on the degree of turbulent mixing,

which is related to stream velocity and on the amount of water surface
exposed to the atmosphere compared to the volume of water in the river. A
narrow deep river have a much lower kr than a wide shallow river.

0 .5 where
3 .9 v kr = reoxygenation rate constant at 20oC, d-1
kr = v = average speed of streamflow, m/s
H 1 .5 H = average depth of stream, m

k d' = k d (1.135)T − 20
Adjustment for temperature ==➔
k r' = k r (1.024 )T − 20
 Critical Point
• The lowest point on the DO sag curve.
• The time to the critical point (tc) can be
calculated by differentiating and setting DO
sag equation to zero.
1  kr  k r −k d 
tc = ln  1 − Di 
kr − kd  kd  k d La 
(Di)

• When kd = kr
1  Di 
tc = 1 − 
kd  La 
 Problem 1
A wastewater discharged into the river has a
dissolved oxygen concentration of 1.5 mg/L, a
flow of 0.5 m3/s, a temperature of 26oC, and an
ultimate biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of
48 mg/L. The river is running at 2.2 m3/s at a
saturated dissolved oxygen concentration, a
temperature of 12oC, and an ultimate BOD of
13.6 mg/L. Calculate the dissolved oxygen
concentration, ultimate BOD, temperature and
the initial DO deficit after mixing.
 Qw=0.5 m3/s
DOw=1.5 mg/L
BODu=48 mg/L
T=26oC
Qa=Qw + QR
QR= 2.2m3/s DOa=?
DOR=saturated at 12oC
BODu=?
BODU= 13.6 mg/L
T=12oC
T=?
Saturated DO
Di D
D D D D D
DOa

SOLUTION: Accum=Input-Output
if accumulation is
DISSOLVED OXYGEN:
zero, I=O
Qw  DOw + QR  DOR = Qa  DOa
Qw  DOw + QR  DOR From Table 1, saturated DO
DOa = at 12oC = 10.76 mg/L
Qw + QR
3   3 
0 .5 m  1 .5 mg
 + 2 .2 m  10.76 mg 
s L s L mg
DOa = = 9 . 05
3 3 L
0 .5 m + 2 .2 m
s s
 BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND:
Qw  BODw + QR  BODR = Qa  BODa
Qw  BODw + QR  BODR
BODa =
Qw + QR
0 .5 m
3  48 mg  + 2.2 m 3 13.6 mg 
s L s L mg
BODa = = 19 . 97
3 3 L
0 . 5 m + 2 .2 m
s s
TEMPERATURE:

Qw  Tw + QR  TR = Qa  Ta
Qw  Tw + QR  TR
Ta =
Qw + QR
0 .5 m
3
s
(26 o C ) + 2.2 m (12 o C )
3
s
Ta = 3 3
= 14.59 o C
0 .5 m + 2 .2 m
s s
At Ta = 14.59oC, DOs = 10.16 mg/L (interpolated from the table), thus (figure reference)
𝑚𝑔 𝑚𝑔 𝑚𝑔
𝐷𝑖 = 𝐷𝑂𝑠 − 𝐷𝑂𝑎 = 10.16 ൗ𝐿 − 9.05 ൗ𝐿 = 1.11 ൗ𝐿
 Problem 2

The river in Problem 1 has a reoxygenation constant

of 0.4 d-1 and a velocity of 0.85 m/s. At the point at
which the wastewater is discharged (outfall) there is
a deoxygenation constant of 0.2 d-1, what is the
dissolved oxygen 48.3 km downstream?
 Qw=0.5 m3/s
DOw=1.5 mg/L kd = 0.2/day
BODu=48 mg/L kr = 0.4/day
T=26oC Vel= 0.85 m/s
Qa=Qw + QR
QR= 2.2m3/s DOa=?
DOR=saturated at 12oC
BODu=?
BODU= 13.6 mg/L
T=12oC
T=?
Saturated DO
Di D
D D D D D
Da

0 48.3km
SOLUTION:
Using the velocity to calculate for the time that the organics
will travel from the point of discharge to 48.3 km

(48.3km )(1000 m km )
time = = 56,823.53s = 0.66day
0.85 m
s
Use Streeter-Phelps Equation to solve for the deficit at 48.3 km
from the discharge point.
D=
kr − kd
e (
k d La −kd t
) (
− e −kr t + Di e − kr t )
0 .2 (19.97 mg )  −0.2 0.66 day − 0 .4 0.66 day   −0.4 day0.66 day 
day L mg
D=  e day
−e day  + 1.11  e 
0 .4 − 0 . 2 L
day day    

D = 3.02 mg
L
Given the deficit =3.02 mg/L at 48.3 km from the point of discharge
and considering the saturated DO=10.16 mg/L at Ta= 14.59oC (look
at the figure again)

DO = DOs − D
DO = 10.16 − 3.02 = 7.14 mg
L
 Problem 3
Determine the critical DO and the distance downstream at
which it occurs.

Qw=0.5 m3/s
DOw=1.5 mg/L kd = 0.2/day
BODu=48 mg/L kr = 0.4/day
T=26oC Vel= 0.85 m/s
Qa=Qw + QR
QR= 2.2m3/s DOa=?
DOR=saturated at 12oC
BODu=?
BODU= 13.6 mg/L
T=12oC
T=?
Saturated DO
Di D
D D D D D

Crtical dissolved
tc oxygen

t=0
SOLUTION:
Calculate time to critical point:
1  kr  k r −k d 
tc = ln  1 − Di 
kr − kd  kd  k d La 
1  0 .4  0 .4 − 0 .2  
tc = ln  1 − 1.11x 
0 .4 − 0 .2  0 .2  0.2(19.97) 
tc = 3.18days

Use Streeter-Phelps Equation to calculate DO deficit at

the critical point:
D=
kr − kd
e(
k d La − kd t
) (
− e − kr t + Di e − kr t )
0 .2 (19.97 mg )  −0.2 3.18day − 0 .4 3.18 days   −0.4 day3.18days 
day L mg
D=  e day
−e day  + 1.11  e 
0 .4 − 0 .2 L
day day    

D = 5.29 mg DO = 10.16-5.29 =4.87 mg/L

L
 Distance, km DO Deficit, mg/L DO, mg/L Time, days
initial (0) 1.11 9.05 0
@48.3 km 3.02 7.14 0.66
@critical point (233.54 km) 5.29 4.87 3.18
Dissolved Oxygen

1.11
9.05 3.02

7.14 5.29

4.87

0
48.3 km
233.54 km
Time/Distance
 Homework
1. A river has a dissolved oxygen level of 9 mg/L, an ultimate oxygen
demand of 12 mg/L and an average flow of 0.2 m3/s. An industrial waste
at zero dissolved oxygen with an ultimate oxygen demand of 20,000
mg/L and a flow rate of 0.006 m3/s is discharged into the stream. What
are the ultimate oxygen demand and the dissolved oxygen in the stream
immediately below the discharge.
2. A municipal wastewater treatment plant discharges into a stream that
has an average annual flow of 12 m3/s. The characteristics of the waste
are:
Flow 0.5 m3/s
Dissolved oxygen 6 mg/L
Temperature 25oC
Deoxygenation constant 0.23 d-1
Ultimate BOD 280 mg/L

The velocity in the stream is 0.6 m/s and the reoxygenation constant is assumed
to be 0.45 d-1. If the flow of the river above the outfall has a temperature of
18oC, has no demand for oxygen, and is saturated with DO, calculate the DO,
ultimate BOD, temperature after mixing; initial DO deficit; dissolved oxygen at 50-
km, 100-km, 150-km, 200-km and 250-km distance from the point of discharge
and the critical value of the dissolved oxygen. Also draw the estimated final DO
Sag Curve.