Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Simple Model of Dissolved Oxygen Consumption in a Bay within High Organic Loading: An Applied Remediation Tool

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

San Vicente Bay is a coastal shallow embayment in Central Chile with multiple uses, one of which is receiving wastewater from industrial fisheries, steel mill effluents, and domestic sewage. A simulation model was developed and applied to dissolved oxygen consumption by organic residues released into this embayment. Three compartments were established as function of: depth, circulation and outfall location. The model compartments had different volumes, and their oxygen saturation value was used as baseline. The parameters: (a) BOD5 of the industrial and urban effluents, (b) oxygen demand by organic sediments, (c) respiration, (d) photosynthesis and (e) re-aeration were included in the model. Iteration results of the model showed severe alterations in Compartment 1, with a decrease of 65% in the oxygen below saturation. Compartment 2 showed a small decline (10%) and compartment 3 did not show apparent changes in oxygen values. Measures recommended for remediation were to decrease the BOD5 loading by 30% in the affected sector. Iteration of the model for 200 h following recommendations derived from the preceding results produced an increase in saturation of 60% (5 ml O2 L−1), which suggested an improvement of the environmental conditions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

V :

volume of the compartment

c :

oxygen saturation for temperature and salinity (Lm−3) for the compartment (n)

Q :

inflows (e) or arrow/outflows (s) or arrow for the compartment (n)

S :

Oxygen sources and sinks within the compartment

Uw :

wind velocity at 10 m above the water surface (m s−1)

kL :

reaeration constant, ms−1

A :

surface and bottom areas of compartments (m2) ( n ) = compartment

k 1 :

deoxygenating constant, 1/day

BOD5 :

biochemical oxygen demand

SB:

sediment oxygen demand [ml O2 m−2 s−1]

References

  • Ahumada, R.: 1992, ‘Patrones de distribución de metales traza (Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cd y Pb) en sedimentos superficiales de Bahía San Vicente, Chile’, Revista Biología Marina Valparaíso 27(2), 265–282.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahumada, R.: 1995, ‘Bahías: áreas de uso múltiple, un enfoque holístico al problema de contaminación’, Ciencia y Tecnología del Mar, Cona. No. Especial, 59–68.

  • Ahumada, R. and Rudolph, A.: 1989, ‘Residuos líquidos de la industria pesquera: Alteraciones ambientales y estrategias de eliminación’, Amb. y Des. 5(1), 147–161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahumada, R. and Vargas, J.: 2004, ‘Sedimentation rate of trace metals in San Vicente Bay, Chile’, Environ. Monit. Assess. 100, 11–22.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ahumada, R., Rudolph, A., Madariaga, S. and Carrasco, F.: 1989, ‘Descripción de las condiciones oceanográficas de la Bahía San Vicente y antecedentes sobre los efectos de la contaminación’, Biología Pesquera 18, 37–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahumada, R., Pinto, L. and Camus, P.: 2000, ‘The Chilean Coast’, in: Ch. R. C. Sheppard (ed.). The Seas at the Millenium: An Environmental Evaluation. Elsevier Science, Pergamon Press, London, I, Chapter 45, pp. 699–717.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahumada, R., Rudolph, A. and Contreras, S.: 2004, ‘Evaluation of coastal waters receiving fish procesing waste: Lota bay as a case of study’, Environ. Monit. Assess. 90, 89–99.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arcos, D., Ahumada, R., Nuñez, S., Furet, L. and Vargas, L.: 1992, ‘Evaluación de impacto ambiental entorno al ecosistema de Bahía de San Vicente, Chile', Informe Técnico. Instituto de Investigación Pesquera, Derechos de Autor No. 83602, 700 pp.

  • Byers, Sch., Mills, C. E. L. and Steward, P. L.: 1978, ‘A comparison of methods of determining organic carbon in marine sediments, with suggestion for a standard method’, Hidrobiologia 58(1), 43–47.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carrasco, F. D. and Carbajal, W.: 1995, ‘Enriquecimiento orgánico de los sedimentos y el tamaño de los organismos macrobentónicos de la Bahía de San Vicente, Chile central’, Gayana Oceanol. 3, 89–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carrasco, F. D. and Gallardo, V. A.: 1989, ‘La contaminación marina y el valor de la macrofauna bentónica en su evaluación y monitoreo: Casos de estudio en el litoral de Concepción, Chile’, Biología Pesquera 18, 15–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clesceri, L., Greenberg, A. and Eaton, A.: 1999, Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Wastewater, 20th edn. American Public Health Association, Washington, DC, 1268 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapra, S.: 1997, Surface Water Quality Modeling, Ed. WCB/McGraw-Hill, 844 pp.

  • Díaz, R. J. and Rosenberg, R.: 1995, ‘Marine Benthic Hypoxia: A review of its ecological effects and the behavioral responses of benthic macrofauna’, Oceanogr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev. 33, 215–303.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pradenas, E. and Rudolph, A.: 1989, ‘Comparación del impacto ambiental en Bahía Concepción producido por los residuos de las plantas de harina, aceite y congelados’, Biología Pesquera 18, 115–122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rudolph, A.: 1995, ‘Alteraciones en el ambiente costero producido por material orgánico proveniente de la industria pesquera: un caso de estudio’, Ciencia y Tecnología del Mar, CONA No. Especial, pp. 69–78.

  • Rudolph, A., Ahumada, R. and Pérez C.: 2002, ‘Dissolved oxygen content as an index of water quality in San Vicente Bay, Chile (36°45′S)’, Environ. Monit. Assess. 78, 89–100.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SERNAPESCA: 2000, Anuario estadístico, Servicio Nacional de Pesca. Chile. 46 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • SERNAPESCA: 2002, Anuario estadístico, Servicio Nacional de Pesca. Chile. 50 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siemens, R. A., Mudge, S. M. and Cancino, J. M.: 2001. ‘The effect of physical and chemical parameters on the macroinfaunal community structure of San Vicente Bay, Chile’, Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 74, 429–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Theede, H., Ponat, A., Hiroki, K. and Schlieper, C.: 1969, ‘Studies on resistance of marine bottom invertebrates to oxygen—deficiency and hydrogen sulphide’. Mar. Biol. 2, 325–337.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomann, R. and Mueller, J.: 1987, ‘Principles of Surface Water Quality Modeling and Control’, in: Harper and Row Publishers (eds), Dissolved Oxygen, Chapter 6, New York, pp. 261–384.

    Google Scholar 

  • Water Quality for River-Reservoir System: 1988, Manual Water Quality for River-reservoir Systems. Hydrologic Engineering Center. CPD-8. US Army Corps of Engineers. 288 pp.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, casilla 297, Concepción, Chile

    Ramón Ahumada

  2. Departamento de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile

    José Vargas & Liliana Pagliero

Authors
  1. Ramón Ahumada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. José Vargas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Liliana Pagliero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ramón Ahumada.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ahumada, R., Vargas, J. & Pagliero, L. Simple Model of Dissolved Oxygen Consumption in a Bay within High Organic Loading: An Applied Remediation Tool. Environ Monit Assess 118, 179–193 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-1489-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-1489-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation