Reliably Measuring Whether Rivers Or Lakes Run Out Of Air
International study shows that freshwater polluted by fecal material can be determined more quickly and reliably using a new technique
Wastewater carries large quantities of organic substances into the rivers and lakes, leading to heavy growth of bacteria and oxygen deficiency. Measurement methods have so far been incapable of measuring this organic pollution precisely. A new method co-developed by experts from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon should provide a clear image of the water conditions in the future. The work has now been published in the scientific journal Science Advances.
When wastewater from villages and cities flows into rivers and lakes, large quantities of fats, proteins, sugars and other carbon-containing, organic substances wind up in nature together with the fecal matter. These organic substances are broken down by bacteria that consume oxygen. The larger the volume of wastewater, the better the bacteria thrive. This, however, means the oxygen content of the water continues to decrease until finally the fish, muscles or worms literally run out of air. This has created low-oxygen death zones in many rivers and lakes around the world.