Waste-Induced Oxygen Uptake of An Alaskan Estuary

In Knik Arm, Alaska, oxygen consumption in 2○ waters inoculated with settled domestic sewage was measured over a twenty-day period. Oxygen uptake in the natural waters alone was substantial at this low temperature, and addition of sewage considerably increased the demand for oxygen. It was demonstrated that the oxygen consumption observed could not be directly related to an increase in bacterial numbers but rather to the effect (on bacterial growth) of planktonic organisms in the natural waters. High concentrations of glacial till had no effect on oxygen consumption. The standard Biochemical Oxygen Demand test was shown to be a poor parameter for assaying wastes to be disposed to waters whose in situ conditions vary widely from those of the standard procedure.