CHEM 132L Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Fish Kill, Ammonia
8 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Name: Isbah Afzal
Dates of experiment: first week 11/17/17; second week 12/01/17
Experiment 7: environmental Forensics
CHEM 132-005
Part I (Week 1 of Expt. 7)
1 – blank; 2 – sample
Table 1: water quality data.
Sample
pH
Total dissolved
solids (ppm)
Salinity (ppt)
Dissolved
oxygen (ppm)
1
9.23
4.36
4.2115
5.97
2
8.02
3.9435
3.5775
6.58
DI H2O
-
-
-
37.3
Question 1– Based on your data collected in Part I, could the salinity, pH or oxygen levels
be the cause of the fish kill? Explain your answer in a typed paragraph.
It is a little hard to tell which factor caused the fish kill as all the results collected above fall in
the range of actual levels of pH, salinity, and dissolved oxygen of an estuary. According to the
literature review, pH levels below 5 and above 9 adversely affect various fish populations.
According to the above data, the sample (#2) is between the range of 5-9 therefore it is not the
reason for fish kill. Salinity between 0.5 ppt to 35 ppt is considered good for the fish and the
salinity in the above table is 3.5775 ppt which falls within the range. Most fish do well when the
dissolved oxygen is five parts per million (ppm) or higher. When the dissolved oxygen is less
than five ppm they become uncomfortable. Most fish will begin to suffocate and die when the
dissolved oxygen is two ppm or lower. According to the experiment, the dissolved O2 level for
sample 2 is 6.58 ppm. This level is suitable for the fish to live in and thus is not the reason for
fish kill. There must be another factor that is causing the fish to die.
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Document Summary
Dates of experiment: first week 11/17/17; second week 12/01/17. It is a little hard to tell which factor caused the fish kill as all the results collected above fall in the range of actual levels of ph, salinity, and dissolved oxygen of an estuary. According to the literature review, ph levels below 5 and above 9 adversely affect various fish populations. According to the above data, the sample (#2) is between the range of 5-9 therefore it is not the reason for fish kill. Salinity between 0. 5 ppt to 35 ppt is considered good for the fish and the salinity in the above table is 3. 5775 ppt which falls within the range. Most fish do well when the dissolved oxygen is five parts per million (ppm) or higher. When the dissolved oxygen is less than five ppm they become uncomfortable. Most fish will begin to suffocate and die when the dissolved oxygen is two ppm or lower.
